Clinical trial NCT06612463: Caffeine Supplementation on Movement Patterns and Reactive Agility in Rugby Sevens Matches
Official title: Effect of Caffeine Supplementation on Movement Patterns and Reactive Agility in Rugby Sevens Matches
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: EARLY_PHASE1
Conditions: Exercise
Keywords: caffeine
rugby sevens
global positioning system
Lead sponsor: National Taiwan Sport University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2024-09-25
Enrollment: 8
Sex: MALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Intervention model description: 2 types of Intervention: caffeine or placebo. Arm 1: Caffeine trial: Participants ingested a capsule containing 3 mg/kg caffeine (Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., Osaka, Japan) 60 min prior to the match.

Arm 2: Placebo trial: Participants ingested a capsule containing starch (Chung-Yu Biotech Co LTD, Taichung, Taiwan) at the same time point.

The capsules used in both trials were identical in appearance. The caffeine and placebo supplements were prepared by a laboratory technician who was independent of the study.
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: Caffeine is widely used by rugby players for its performance-enhancing effects. The main questions it aims to answer are: (1) the impact of caffeine supplementation on various performance metrics, including distance covered at different speeds, acceleration, deceleration, collisions, and repeated high-intensity efforts; and (2) reactive agility, across four matches over two consecutive days in collegiate male rugby sevens players.A position-matched, double-blind, randomized crossover design was employed, with six male collegiate rugby players (mean height: 1.78 ± 0.09 m, mean weight: 81.3 ± 9.2 kg) participating in two trials. Each trial consisted of a two-day tournament, with two matches per day. Movement was monitored using global positioning system units.

Detailed description: This study employed a position-matched, double-blind, randomized crossover design. Pairs of participants with similar playing positions, specifically forwards or backs/scrum halves, were randomly assigned to either the caffeine or placebo trial. Each trial comprised a two-day rugby sevens tournament, with participants playing two matches per day. Following a 13-day washout period, participants switched to the alternate trial. Both the participants and the research personnel were blinded to the supplementation condition throughout the study period, with the assignment of supplements disclosed to research personnel only after all data analyses were completed.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Have undergone regular rugby training for at least three years
* Member of a Division I university rugby team

Exclusion Criteria:

* Musculoskeletal injury within one month prior to the study
* Presence of major cardiovascular diseases
* Presence of major metabolic diseases

Primary outcomes:
measure: Total Distance and Distance Covered in Speed Zones
timeFrame: Each trial contained 2 days, with 2 matches on each day. Each participant completed 2 trials
measure: Acceleration and Deceleration
timeFrame: Each trial contained 2 days, with 2 matches on each day. Each participant completed 2 trials
measure: collision
timeFrame: Each trial contained 2 days, with 2 matches on each day. Each participant completed 2 trials
measure: Repeated High-Intensity Effort
timeFrame: Each trial contained 2 days, with 2 matches on each day. Each participant completed 2 trials
measure: Reactive Agility
timeFrame: Each trial contained 2 days, with 2 matches on each day. Reactive agility was measured before each match. Each participant completed 2 trials
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Taichung
country: Taiwan
facility: National Taiwan University of Sport
Study officials:
affiliation: National Taiwan University of Sport
name: Chen-Kang Chang, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Del Coso J, Portillo J, Munoz G, Abian-Vicen J, Gonzalez-Millan C, Munoz-Guerra J. Caffeine-containing energy drink improves sprint performance during an international rugby sevens competition. Amino Acids. 2013 Jun;44(6):1511-9. doi: 10.1007/s00726-013-1473-5. Epub 2013 Mar 5.