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.author | Seddik, Meher | |
| dc.contributor.author | Dhahbi, Wissem | |
| dc.contributor.author | Bessifi, Manel | |
| dc.contributor.author | Moussa-Chamari, Imen | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ceylan, Halil Ibrahim | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ceylan, Nagihan Burcak | |
| dc.contributor.author | Souissi, Nizar | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-09-01T15:52:34Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-09-01T15:52:34Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026 | |
| dc.department | Bayburt Üniversitesi | |
| dc.description.abstract | Aim: 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.sponsorship | This research received no external funding. | |
| dc.identifier.doi | 10.3390/life16060922 | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 2075-1729 | |
| dc.identifier.issue | 6 | |
| dc.identifier.orcid | 0000-0002-4370-2446 | |
| dc.identifier.pmid | 42355449 | |
| dc.identifier.scopus | 2-s2.0-105042804237 | |
| dc.identifier.scopusquality | N/A | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life16060922 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12403/8443 | |
| dc.identifier.volume | 16 | |
| dc.identifier.wos | WOS:001805186100001 | |
| dc.identifier.wosquality | Q1 | |
| dc.indekslendigikaynak | Web of Science | |
| dc.indekslendigikaynak | Scopus | |
| dc.indekslendigikaynak | PubMed | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | MDPI | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | Life-Basel | |
| dc.relation.publicationcategory | Makale - Uluslararası Hakemli Dergi - Kurum Öğretim Elemanı | |
| dc.rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess | |
| dc.snmz | KA_WOS_20260820 | |
| dc.subject | Adenosine Receptor Antagonist | |
| dc.subject | Chronobiology | |
| dc.subject | Countermovement Jump | |
| dc.subject | Executive Function | |
| dc.subject | Neuromuscular Fatigue | |
| dc.subject | Ovarian Hormones | |
| dc.subject | Psychomotor Performance | |
| dc.subject | Team-Sport Athletes | |
| dc.title | 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.type | Article |












