Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42488219›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in nutrition2026

Effects of acute caffeine supplementation on physical, physiological, and sport-specific performance in female volleyball players: a systematic review and three-level meta-analysis.

Zike Zhang, Youheng Wang, Zhe Lu, Fanhao Meng, Wenxin Du, Anqi Chen, Bitai Wu, Zhicong Zhang, Yunxiang Sun, Jiali Lai and 4 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Zike ZhangSchool of Physical Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
Youheng WangSchool of Physical Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
Zhe LuSchool of Physical Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
Fanhao MengDepartment of Sport and Sport Science, Exercise and Human Movement Science, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Wenxin DuDepartment of Physical Education, College of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Anqi ChenGraduate School of Shandong Sport University, Jinan, China.
Bitai WuSchool of Physical Education and Sports Science, Hengyang Normal University, Hengyang, Hunan, China.
Zhicong ZhangSchool of Physical Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
Yunxiang SunSchool of Physical Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
Jiali LaiSchool of Physical Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
Qi LiuSchool of Physical Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
Bichen LiSchool of Physical Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
Song HuSchool of Physical Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
Yimin WangSchool of Physical Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Previous research has suggested that caffeine can enhance performance in volleyball. However, most meta-analyses on caffeine supplementation in volleyball have primarily focused on male athletes or mixed-sex samples. To date, no meta-analysis has specifically examined the effects of caffeine in female volleyball players. Therefore, the present study aimed to synthesize the available evidence to provide a cautious and preliminary evaluation of the effects of caffeine on multidimensional performance outcomes in female volleyball athletes. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in March 2026 across PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and ProQuest. The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261355948). Randomized controlled trials examining the effects of caffeine intake on performance in female volleyball players were included. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the PEDro scale and the RoB 2 tool, and the certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. Results: Five studies were included, comprising a total of 66 female athletes. Overall methodological quality was high, although some risk of bias was identified. According to the GRADE assessment, the overall certainty of evidence was very low. The exploratory meta-analysis did not provide clear evidence supporting an ergogenic effect of caffeine supplementation on sport-specific performance (spike performance), physical performance (jump height, change of direction, handgrip strength, and power output), or physiological outcomes (fatigue- and heart rate-related parameters) in female volleyball players ( Conclusion: Based on the currently limited evidence, acute caffeine ingestion (2-6.4 mg/kg) did not show a consistent ergogenic benefit multiple performance outcomes in female volleyball players and may be associated with potential adverse effects, such as hand tremors and anxiety. Therefore, the findings should be interpreted cautiously as preliminary and exploratory evidence rather than as a basis for definitive practical recommendations. Systematic review registration: This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (Registration number: CRD420261355948); URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261355948.

Indexed as

ergogenic aidsfatiguejump performanceneuromuscular functionwomen athletes

Identifiers

PMID42488219
PMCPMC13388447

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.