Recent research conducted by scholars from Beijing Sport University, along with collaborators from various institutions in China and the UK, has examined the effects of individual and combined supplements on repeated aerial duel performance and neck neuromuscular function in male collegiate soccer players over a four-week period.
Findings revealed that caffeine primarily enhanced initial performance, while Rhodiola rosea contributed to sustained performance during repetitive efforts.
“A key aspect of this study is its novel approach to supplement differentiation, applied within a soccer-specific aerial duel model that integrates take-off dynamics, repeated heading ability, neck neuromuscular function, and contest outcomes,” the researchers noted in the journal Nutrients.
Understanding the Mechanisms
Aerial dueling in soccer requires both quick initiation and the ability to sustain performance across multiple attempts.
The ergogenic influence of caffeine largely arises from its blocking of adenosine receptors, which enhances alertness and lowers perceived exertion during physical activity.
“Caffeine, as a prominent adenosine receptor antagonist, is believed to improve rapid force production by reducing central inhibition, amplifying neural drive, and increasing the efficiency of high-threshold motor unit recruitment during movement initiation,” the study detailed.
Additionally, caffeine helps maintain muscle glycogen levels and boosts calcium ion release, both of which enhance muscular contraction strength.
In contrast, Rhodiola rosea functions as an adaptogen, providing antioxidant, anti-fatigue, and stress-regulating properties. The researchers commented that it likely reduces fatigue accumulation during repeated intense activity, thereby helping to sustain performance throughout exercise.
As a result, a combination of these two supplements may be beneficial for a soccer-specific task such as aerial dueling, which demands both explosiveness and endurance.
Study Overview
The study incorporated 96 male soccer players from the varsity teams at Beijing Sport University. All participants had been actively training in soccer for a minimum of six years and were in good physical condition, without any neuromuscular or cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, players were screened to ensure that they had not consumed caffeine or alcohol regularly in the three months preceding the study.
Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: Rhodiola rosea (RHO), caffeine (CAF), a combination of Rhodiola rosea and caffeine (RHO + CAF), or a placebo, for the duration of the four-week trial.
Supplements were provided in capsule form, with a dosage of 3 mg·kg−1 caffeine taken 30 minutes before testing, and 2.4 g of RHO split into two daily doses, consumed in a fasted state.
Outcome measures included countermovement jump height, early take-off impulse, repeated heading contact height, ball exit speed, success rate in heading duels, neck maximal voluntary isometric contraction, and session rating of perceived exertion (session-RPE).
The researchers observed substantial effects across numerous parameters, concluding that “CAF was primarily linked to enhanced takeoff-related explosive performance and duel success, while RHO was associated with reduced perceived exertion and improved maintenance of heading contact height during later trials.”
They emphasized that the combined supplementation yielded the widest array of benefits in terms of explosive output, ball-contact performance, duel success, and multidirectional neck strength.
Ultimately, the researchers believe their results provide a foundation for future investigations into neurophysiological mechanisms, biomechanical evidence chains, and optimized strategies for combined supplementation.
Source: Nutrients 2026, 18(9), 1339; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18091339 “Effects of Combined Caffeine and Rhodiola rosea Supplementation on Repeated Aerial Duel Performance and Neck Neuromuscular Function in Soccer Players.” Authors: Y. Dou et al.
