Comparison of the Acute Effects of Caffeine Gum and Capsule Consumption Before and During Small-Sided Football Games on the Performance of Football Players

Nemati, Javad; Alishavandi, Hossein; Hemmatinafar, Mohammad; Rezaei, Rasoul

doi:10.48308/joeppa.2025.238305.1331

Comparison of the Acute Effects of Caffeine Gum and Capsule Consumption Before and During Small-Sided Football Games on the Performance of Football Players

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Sports Science, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shiraz University. Shiraz. Iran

² Department of sports science, Faculty of educational sciences and psychology, Shiraz university, shiraz Iran

10.48308/joeppa.2025.238305.1331

Abstract

Background and Objective: Considering the importance of enhancing athletic performance and improving the physiological abilities of football players, it is essential to investigate the effects of nutritional supplements such as caffeine under competitive conditions. This study aimed to compare the acute effects of caffeine gum and capsule consumption before and during small-sided football games on the performance of football players.
Materials and Methods: This semi-experimental, single-blind study involved 16 players from national leagues (mean age: 20.2 ± 2.7 years, mean weight: 74.5 ± 11.3 kg), who participated voluntarily. The subjects completed the training protocol in 5 different conditions, including control condition (no substance was consumed), placebo condition (placebo capsule one hour before the game and placebo gum between halves), gum condition (placebo capsule one hour before the game and 200 mg of caffeine gum between halves), capsule condition (200 mg of caffeine capsule one hour before the game and placebo gum between halves), and combination condition (100 mg of caffeine capsule one hour before the game and 100 mg of caffeine gum between halves). The training protocol included small-sided football games in two halves. During the second half, variables such as displacement distance and time spent with heart rates above 80% and 90% of the maximum were measured using a heart rate sensor. At the end of the training, speed and long jump tests were performed. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, repeated measures ANOVA, and Bonferroni post-hoc tests.
Results: The results showed that in the displacement variable, the combination condition had significant differences with control (p=0.003), placebo (p=0.006), and capsule (p=0.021). Significant differences were also observed between the gum condition and control (p=0.032) and placebo (p=0.035). For the time spent with heart rates above 80%, the combination condition showed significant differences with control (p=0.001) and placebo (p=0.001), while the gum condition significantly differed from placebo (p=0.004) and was near significance with control (p=0.005). The capsule condition also significantly differed from control (p=0.049). Similar results were observed for the time spent with heart rates above 90%. In the long jump variable, the combination condition showed significant differences with control (p=0.030) and capsule (p=0.046), while the gum condition significantly differed from control (p=0.011). In the speed variable, the combination condition showed significant differences with control (p=0.002) and placebo (p=0.024), and the gum condition significantly differed from control (p=0.017) and placebo (p=0.034).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that all three caffeine consumption methods positively influence players' performance. However, the combined use of caffeine capsules and gum can more effectively improve football players' performance during the second half compared to each method alone.

Keywords