Phosphatidylserine, Taurine, and Caffeine for Cognitive Fatigue in Professional Football Players

Vizja University in Warsaw65 enrolled

Overview

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial evaluated neurocognitive fatigue resistance and football-specific decision-making following 28 days of taurine-caffeine supplementation with or without phosphatidylserine in professional male football players. Sixty-five male outfield football players from two professional clubs were randomized to placebo, taurine plus caffeine, or taurine plus caffeine plus phosphatidylserine. Neurocognitive fatigue resistance was evaluated during a standardized high-load Stroop/Flanker task, while football-specific tactical decision-making, visual-search behavior, and field-based reactive decision performance were assessed at baseline and after 28 days of supplementation.

This study was designed to determine whether adding phosphatidylserine to taurine-caffeine supplementation improves neurocognitive fatigue resistance and football-specific decision-making in professional male football players. Participants completed familiarization procedures, baseline laboratory and field testing, 28 days of supplementation, and post-intervention laboratory and field testing. Neurocognitive fatigue resistance was assessed using a standardized high-load Stroop/Flanker protocol. Football-specific decision-making was evaluated using video-based tactical decision tasks incorporating offensive and transitional match situations and requiring rapid selection of the most appropriate tactical response. Visual-search behavior was assessed using screen-based eye tracking during the football-specific decision task. Field-based reactive decision performance was evaluated using a standardized Reactive Passing Decision Test requiring perception of an external visual stimulus followed by selection and execution of the appropriate passing response. Outcome assessments were conducted before and after the 28-day supplementation period under standardized testing conditions.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

QUADRUPLE

Interventions

PlaceboDIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Inert placebo matched with the active supplements for appearance, number of units, and packaging. The placebo will be administered for 28 days.

Taurine Plus CaffeineDIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Taurine 1500 mg/day plus caffeine 200 mg/day administered for 28 days. On training and testing days, the supplement will be consumed approximately 60 minutes before the main training session or testing procedure. On non-training days, it will be consumed at a consistent morning time.

Taurine, Caffeine, and PhosphatidylserineDIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Taurine 1500 mg/day plus caffeine 200 mg/day plus phosphatidylserine 600 mg/day administered for 28 days. On training and testing days, the supplement will be consumed approximately 60 minutes before the main training session or testing procedure. On non-training days, it will be consumed at a consistent morning time.

Eligibility

Sex: MALEMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 37 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Male professional outfield football players aged 18 to 37 years. * First-team players or selected U19 players aged 18 years or older who are regularly integrated into first-team training. * Regular participation in club training. * At least 5 years of systematic football training experience. * Free from injury or illness limiting full participation in training and testing. * Normal or corrected-to-normal vision. * Ability to complete the laboratory and field-based testing procedures. * Written informed consent provided before participation. Exclusion Criteria: * Goalkeepers. * Current injury or illness limiting full participation in testing. * Neurological disease. * Recent concussion or head trauma. * Uncorrected visual impairment. * Use of phosphatidylserine, nootropic agents, or strong stimulants during the previous 4 weeks. * Non-standard caffeine intake on testing days. * Failure to comply with pre-test standardization procedures. * Failed eye-tracker calibration. * Loss of more than 30% of gaze data during the football-specific decision-making task. * Withdrawal of consent.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Tactical Inhibitory Decision Accuracy Under Neurocognitive Load

Tactical inhibitory decision accuracy will be assessed using football-specific video clips requiring inhibition of an immediately attractive but suboptimal tactical action. Responses will be scored as 1 point for an optimal decision, 0.5 points for an acceptable decision, and 0 points for an incorrect decision. The outcome will be calculated as the mean score across inhibitory tactical clips. The score ranges from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating better tactical inhibitory decision accuracy.