Physical Performance and Fatigue in Competitive Football PlayersNCT07366320
Effects of Four-Week Rhodiola Rosea Supplementation on Physical Fitness, Neuromuscular Performance, and Decision-Making in Competitive Football Players
A study testing Rhodiola rosea extract in people with Physical Performance and Fatigue in Competitive Football Players, run by Beijing Sport University at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
This study investigates whether four weeks of Rhodiola rosea supplementation can improve physical fitness, neuromuscular performance, and decision-making ability in competitive male football players. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Physical Performance and Fatigue in Competitive Football Players
- What is being tested?
- Rhodiola rosea extract
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 24 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 30 Aug 2025to 4 Oct 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Male competitive football players aged 18-30 years
- Regular participation in structured football training (≥3 sessions per week)
- Free from musculoskeletal injury for at least 3 months prior to the study
- Not using any nutritional supplements or ergogenic aids for at least 4 weeks before enrollment
- Willing to maintain habitual diet and training throughout the study
- Provided written informed consent
Who cannot join
- History of cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, or endocrine disease
- Use of Rhodiola rosea, caffeine, or other performance-enhancing supplements within the past 4 weeks
- Current smoking or substance abuse
- Known allergy to herbal supplements
- Any injury or illness that could affect physical performance or safe participation
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
China1 site
China Football Institute, Beijing Sport University
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100084
About this study
Official title: Effects of Four-Week Rhodiola Rosea Supplementation on Physical Fitness, Neuromuscular Performance and Decision-Making in Competitive Football Players: A Randomised Controlled Trial
This study investigates whether four weeks of Rhodiola rosea supplementation can improve physical fitness, neuromuscular performance, and decision-making ability in competitive male football players. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either Rhodiola rosea or a placebo while continuing their regular football training. Before and after the four-week intervention, all participants complete a series of tests, including aerobic fitness, repeated sprint ability, jumping performance, reaction time, and soccer-specific decision-making tasks. Blood samples are also collected to assess fatigue and recovery-related markers. The purpose of this study is to determine whether Rhodiola rosea supplementation can enhance performance and cognitive function under high-intensity training and competition conditions.
Read the detailed description
This study is a prospective, double-blind supplementation study conducted in competitive male football players to examine the effects of short-term Rhodiola rosea intake on physical and cognitive performance under regular training conditions.
Participants continue their habitual football training while receiving either Rhodiola rosea supplementation or a placebo for four weeks. Performance assessments are conducted before and after the intervention period under standardized conditions.
The study aims to explore whether Rhodiola rosea supplementation may support adaptations related to high-intensity exercise performance, neuromuscular function, and decision-making ability in competitive football players.
- Being tested
- Rhodiola rosea extract, Placebo
- Keywords
- Rhodiola rosea, Soccer, Football players, Dietary supplement, Repeated sprint ability, Decision making, Fatigue, Randomized controlled trial
- Medical subject headings
- Fatigue
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Rhodiola rosea extractDietary supplement
Also called Rhodiola
Participants assigned to this intervention will receive Rhodiola rosea extract for 4 weeks in addition to their regular football training. The supplement will be administered orally in capsule form at a dose of 2,400 mg per day, given twice daily. The extract is standardized to salidroside, providing a total of 12 mg salidroside per daily dose. The capsules contain starch as excipient and gelatin as the capsule shell. All supplements are sourced from the same production batch to ensure consistency throughout the intervention period. Adherence will be monitored by capsule count and compliance logs.
PlaceboOther
Also called Placebo capsule
Participants assigned to this intervention will receive placebo capsules identical in appearance, taste, and packaging to the Rhodiola rosea capsules for 4 weeks in addition to their regular football training. The placebo contains inert ingredients and is administered orally following the same dosing schedule as the Rhodiola rosea group.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Rhodiola rosea Group | Experimental | Participants received Rhodiola rosea supplementation for 4 weeks in addition to their regular football training. Receives: Dietary Supplement: Rhodiola rosea extract |
| Placebo | Placebo comparator | Participants consumed placebo capsules identical in appearance to Rhodiola rosea for 4 weeks. Receives: Other: Placebo |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 (Yo-Yo IR2) distance
The Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 (Yo-Yo IR2) will be used to assess high-intensity intermittent endurance capacity. The total distance completed during the test will be recorded at baseline and after 4 weeks of Rhodiola rosea or placebo supplementation.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
Secondary outcomes (10)
Best sprint time during repeated sprint test
Best sprint time (seconds) recorded during a 6 × 30 m repeated sprint test.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
Mean sprint time during repeated sprint test
Mean sprint time (seconds) calculated across all sprints during a 6 × 30 m repeated sprint test.
Measured: Baseline and Week 4
Countermovement jump (CMJ) height
Vertical jump height will be measured using a countermovement jump test to evaluate lower-limb neuromuscular performance before and after the intervention.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
Decision-making reaction time
Reaction time (milliseconds) measured during a computer-based soccer-specific decision-making task. Lower values indicate faster responses.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
Blood lactate concentration immediately post-repeated sprint exercise
Capillary blood lactate concentration (mmol/L) measured immediately following a repeated sprint exercise to assess acute metabolic stress.
Measured: Baseline and Week 4 (immediately post-repeated sprint exercise)
Decision-making response accuracy
Response accuracy (%) measured during a computer-based soccer-specific decision-making task. Higher values indicate better performance.
Measured: Baseline and Week 4
Blood lactate concentration 3 minutes post-repeated sprint exercise
Capillary blood lactate concentration (mmol/L) measured 3 minutes following a repeated sprint exercise to assess early recovery.
Measured: Baseline and Week 4 (3 minutes post-repeated sprint exercise)
Blood lactate concentration 5 minutes post-repeated sprint exercise
Capillary blood lactate concentration (mmol/L) measured 5 minutes following a repeated sprint exercise to assess late recovery.
Measured: Baseline and Week 4 (5 minutes post-repeated sprint exercise)
Hemoglobin concentration
Resting hemoglobin concentration (g/L) measured to assess oxygen-carrying capacity.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
Hematocrit
Resting hematocrit (%) measured to assess oxygen-carrying capacity.
Measured: Baseline and Week 4
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted26 Jan 2026
- Study start30 Aug 2025
- Primary completion27 Sep 2025
- Study completion4 Oct 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Physical Performance and Fatigue in Competitive Football PlayersStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants were randomly assigned to either Rhodiola rosea supplementation or placebo in a parallel two-arm design.
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Beijing Sport University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Yue Dou, Beijing Sport University
- Investigators
- Dingmeng Ren, PhD, Principal investigator, Beijing Sport University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07366320
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2025619H
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Jan 2026
- Last updated
- 26 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared due to participant confidentiality and institutional data protection policies.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 26 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Four-Week Rhodiola Rosea Supplementation on Physical Fitness, Neuromuscular Performance and Decision-Making in Competitive Football Players: A Randomised Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07366320
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2025619H
- Keywords
- Rhodiola rosea, Soccer, Football players, Dietary supplement, Repeated sprint ability, Decision making, Fatigue, Randomized controlled trial
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Beijing Sport UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 27 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 4 Oct 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 26 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study investigates whether four weeks of Rhodiola rosea supplementation can improve physical fitness, neuromuscular performance, and decision-making ability in competitive male football players. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either Rhodiola rosea or a placebo while continuing their regular football training. Before and after the four-week intervention, all participants complete a series of tests, including aerobic fitness, repeated sprint ability, jumping performance, reaction time, and soccer-specific decision-making tasks. Blood samples are also collected to assess fatigue and recovery-related markers. The purpose of this study is to determine whether Rhodiola rosea supplementation can enhance performance and cognitive function under high-intensity training and competition conditions.
Detailed description
This study is a prospective, double-blind supplementation study conducted in competitive male football players to examine the effects of short-term Rhodiola rosea intake on physical and cognitive performance under regular training conditions.
Participants continue their habitual football training while receiving either Rhodiola rosea supplementation or a placebo for four weeks. Performance assessments are conducted before and after the intervention period under standardized conditions.
The study aims to explore whether Rhodiola rosea supplementation may support adaptations related to high-intensity exercise performance, neuromuscular function, and decision-making ability in competitive football players.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants were randomly assigned to either Rhodiola rosea supplementation or placebo in a parallel two-arm design.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Rhodiola rosea Group | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: Rhodiola rosea extractParticipants received Rhodiola rosea supplementation for 4 weeks in addition to their regular football training. |
| Placebo | Placebo comparator | Other: PlaceboParticipants consumed placebo capsules identical in appearance to Rhodiola rosea for 4 weeks. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Male competitive football players aged 18-30 years
- Regular participation in structured football training (≥3 sessions per week)
- Free from musculoskeletal injury for at least 3 months prior to the study
- Not using any nutritional supplements or ergogenic aids for at least 4 weeks before enrollment
- Willing to maintain habitual diet and training throughout the study
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- History of cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, or endocrine disease
- Use of Rhodiola rosea, caffeine, or other performance-enhancing supplements within the past 4 weeks
- Current smoking or substance abuse
- Known allergy to herbal supplements
- Any injury or illness that could affect physical performance or safe participation
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Rhodiola rosea extractAlso: RhodiolaParticipants assigned to this intervention will receive Rhodiola rosea extract for 4 weeks in addition to their regular football training. The supplement will be administered orally in capsule form at a dose of 2,400 mg per day, given twice daily. The extract is standardized to salidroside, providing a total of 12 mg salidroside per daily dose. The capsules contain starch as excipient and gelatin as the capsule shell. All supplements are sourced from the same production batch to ensure consistency throughout the intervention period. Adherence will be monitored by capsule count and compliance logs. | Dietary supplement | Rhodiola rosea Group |
| PlaceboAlso: Placebo capsuleParticipants assigned to this intervention will receive placebo capsules identical in appearance, taste, and packaging to the Rhodiola rosea capsules for 4 weeks in addition to their regular football training. The placebo contains inert ingredients and is administered orally following the same dosing schedule as the Rhodiola rosea group. | Other | Placebo |
Primary outcome
Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 (Yo-Yo IR2) distance
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
The Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 (Yo-Yo IR2) will be used to assess high-intensity intermittent endurance capacity. The total distance completed during the test will be recorded at baseline and after 4 weeks of Rhodiola rosea or placebo supplementation.
10 secondary outcomes
Best sprint time during repeated sprint test
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
Mean sprint time during repeated sprint test
Time frame: Baseline and Week 4
Countermovement jump (CMJ) height
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
Decision-making reaction time
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
Blood lactate concentration immediately post-repeated sprint exercise
Time frame: Baseline and Week 4 (immediately post-repeated sprint exercise)
Decision-making response accuracy
Time frame: Baseline and Week 4
Blood lactate concentration 3 minutes post-repeated sprint exercise
Time frame: Baseline and Week 4 (3 minutes post-repeated sprint exercise)
Blood lactate concentration 5 minutes post-repeated sprint exercise
Time frame: Baseline and Week 4 (5 minutes post-repeated sprint exercise)
Hemoglobin concentration
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
Hematocrit
Time frame: Baseline and Week 4
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 26 Jan 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared due to participant confidentiality and institutional data protection policies.
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Dingmeng Ren, PhD principal investigator
Beijing Sport University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Rhodiola rosea extract in people with Physical Performance and Fatigue in Competitive Football Players, run by Beijing Sport University at 1 site in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 (Yo-Yo IR2) distance (time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 Jan 2026.