Work

Effects of Rhodiola rosea and caffeine, alone and in combination, on Wingate performance and physiological stress responses in soccer players

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background Caffeine is a well-established ergogenic aid that enhances physical performance and modulates central nervous system activity. Rhodiola rosea (RR) has gained attention for its potential anti-fatigue and stress-regulating effects; however, evidence on its combined use with caffeine remains limited. Objective This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of caffeine, RR, and their combination on anaerobic performance and salivary stress biomarkers in trained male soccer players. Methods Ten healthy male soccer players (age: 20.20 ± 1.54 years) participated in a randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled design. Participants completed four conditions in a randomized order: placebo (P), caffeine (C, 3 mg·kg -1 ), RR (3 mg·kg -1 ), and combined caffeine + RR (CRR, 3 mg·kg -1 each). Sixty minutes after supplementation, participants performed the Wingate Anaerobic Test. Salivary cortisol, α-amylase, and immunoglobulin A (IgA) were analyzed using ELISA. Data were assessed using repeated-measures ANOVA with post hoc tests. Results Significant differences were observed across experimental conditions. The CRR condition showed higher maximum power output compared with the placebo condition (p<0.05), whereas average power output was higher in the CRR condition than in the RR condition (p<0.05). Cortisol levels differed significantly between the CRR and placebo conditions (p<0.05). α-Amylase levels were significantly lower in the caffeine condition than in the placebo condition (p<0.05). IgA levels differed significantly between the RR and placebo conditions (p<0.05). Conclusion Acute caffeine and Rhodiola rosea supplementation, alone or in combination, was associated with differences in anaerobic performance and salivary biomarkers across experimental conditions. Given the small sample size and acute supplementation design, these findings should be interpreted cautiously. Further research with larger samples and appropriate interaction analyses is warranted to clarify the independent and combined effects of caffeine and Rhodiola rosea.

Source: Frontiers in Physiology

DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2026.1964904