Acute Caffeine Ingestion, Calendar-Based Menstrual-Cycle Window, Time of Day, and Match-Induced Fatigue Independently and Interactively Influence Psychophysiological, Cognitive, and Physical Performance in Elite Female Volleyball Players: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Design Study

dc.contributor.authorSeddik, Meher
dc.contributor.authorDhahbi, Wissem
dc.contributor.authorBessifi, Manel
dc.contributor.authorMoussa-Chamari, Imen
dc.contributor.authorCeylan, Halil Ibrahim
dc.contributor.authorCeylan, Nagihan Burcak
dc.contributor.authorSouissi, Nizar
dc.date.accessioned2026-09-01T15:52:34Z
dc.date.available2026-09-01T15:52:34Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.departmentBayburt Üniversitesi
dc.description.abstractAim: Female athletic performance is shaped by the convergence of menstrual-cycle timing, circadian rhythms, fatigue, and ergogenic supplementation; yet no prior study has examined these factors simultaneously in a sport-specific setting. This study investigated the independent and combined effects of acute caffeine ingestion, calendar-based testing window, time of day, and match-induced fatigue on psychophysiological, cognitive, and physical performance in trained female volleyball players. Methods: Thirteen elite eumenorrheic female volleyball players (age: 24.23 +/- 4.06 years) completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover protocol comprising 12 sessions corresponding to all combinations of testing window (menstrual, follicular, luteal), supplementation (caffeine 6 mg & centerdot;kg(-1) vs. placebo), and time of day (08:00 h vs. 18:00 h). Assessments included the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Spiegel questionnaire, Profile of Mood States, Hooper Index, Stroop task, Countermovement Jump (CMJ), Modified Agility T-Test (MAT), and Reactive Agility Test (RAT), administered before and after a one-hour simulated match. Results: Significant main effects of testing window, caffeine, time of day, and fatigue state were observed across all outcome domains (all p < 0.05). Caffeine reduced daytime sleepiness (F(1,12) = 23.84, p < 0.001, eta p(2) = 0.665), enhanced vigor (F(1,12) = 114.10, p < 0.001, eta p(2) = 0.905), and improved MAT performance (F(1,12) = 33.27, p < 0.001, eta p(2) = 0.735). The follicular window was associated with superior cognitive, neuromuscular, and mood-related outcomes relative to the menstrual and luteal windows. Exploratory higher-order interactions suggested condition-specific caffeine benefits for MAT, RAT, and CMJ, particularly in afternoon post-fatigue conditions; these patterns require replication in larger samples. Conclusions: Acute caffeine ingestion improved several psychophysiological, cognitive, and neuromuscular outcomes in trained female volleyball players, with effects that varied across calendar-based testing windows, time of day, and fatigue state. Individualized supplementation strategies incorporating cycle timing and circadian context remain investigational; prescriptive recommendations require replication in larger, hormonally verified samples before clinical or applied adoption.
dc.description.sponsorshipThis research received no external funding.
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/life16060922
dc.identifier.issn2075-1729
dc.identifier.issue6
dc.identifier.orcid0000-0002-4370-2446
dc.identifier.pmid42355449
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-105042804237
dc.identifier.scopusqualityN/A
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life16060922
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12403/8443
dc.identifier.volume16
dc.identifier.wosWOS:001805186100001
dc.identifier.wosqualityQ1
dc.indekslendigikaynakWeb of Science
dc.indekslendigikaynakScopus
dc.indekslendigikaynakPubMed
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherMDPI
dc.relation.ispartofLife-Basel
dc.relation.publicationcategoryMakale - Uluslararası Hakemli Dergi - Kurum Öğretim Elemanı
dc.rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.snmzKA_WOS_20260820
dc.subjectAdenosine Receptor Antagonist
dc.subjectChronobiology
dc.subjectCountermovement Jump
dc.subjectExecutive Function
dc.subjectNeuromuscular Fatigue
dc.subjectOvarian Hormones
dc.subjectPsychomotor Performance
dc.subjectTeam-Sport Athletes
dc.titleAcute Caffeine Ingestion, Calendar-Based Menstrual-Cycle Window, Time of Day, and Match-Induced Fatigue Independently and Interactively Influence Psychophysiological, Cognitive, and Physical Performance in Elite Female Volleyball Players: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Design Study
dc.typeArticle

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