Research summary · Nutrition and hydration
Caffeine raised post-exercise heart rate without a clear youth-soccer test benefit
Twelve male soccer players, averaging 16.5 years, completed caffeine and placebo conditions before a passing test and the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test. Researchers also measured heart rate, blood pressure and a heart-rate–pressure product before and after exercise.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Randomized counterbalanced crossover trial
- Journal
- Current Developments in Nutrition
- Population / context
- Adolescent boys' soccer · Passing and intermittent running
What the publication reports
Caffeine was associated with higher post-exercise heart rate, but soccer-specific performance measures did not show a clear improvement. Systolic blood pressure and the rate-pressure product showed no significant treatment effects. A diastolic-pressure interaction did not produce significant pairwise differences.
Limits and interpretation
The very small adolescent sample and acute testing leave substantial uncertainty about performance and safety. Numerical test improvements should not be presented as established benefits. These results do not justify recommending stimulant supplementation to young players or establish long-term cardiovascular safety.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
Acute Effects of a Low Dose of Caffeine on Physiological and Performance Factors in Young Male Soccer Players: A Randomized Crossover Study
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 42830777DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2026.109528Full text at the sourceReader discussion
Discuss the evidence.
Ask a question, share a source or discuss the methods. Respectful disagreement is welcome. Every comment and reply is reviewed before publication.
Loading comments…