SynthesisFrontiers in nutrition2026
Acute caffeine supplementation in rugby players: a systematic review and meta-analysis of physical performance, sport-specific performance, perceptual responses, and physiological markers.
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.
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10 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Rugby is a collision-based team sport requiring repeated high-intensity sprinting, technical execution, and physical contact under fatigue. Although caffeine is used as an ergogenic supplement, evidence from mixed team-sport populations may not be applicable to rugby. This systematic review evaluated the effects of acute caffeine supplementation on physical and sport-specific performance, perceptual responses, and physiological markers in rugby players. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Embase were searched from inception to May 1, 2026. Randomized placebo-controlled studies examining acute caffeine supplementation in rugby players were included in the quantitative synthesis, whereas observational studies related to sleep and recovery were narratively summarized. Standardized mean differences were calculated as Hedges' g with 95% confidence intervals. Three-level random-effects models accounted for dependent effect sizes. Methodological quality and risk of bias in randomized trials were assessed using the PEDro scale and RoB 2, respectively. Observational studies were assessed using the JBI checklist, and certainty of evidence was evaluated using GRADE. Results: Fifteen studies were included, and 13 randomized placebo-controlled trials contributed data to the meta-analysis. Acute caffeine supplementation was associated with small improvements in sprint performance ( Conclusion: In rugby players, acute caffeine may improve sprint performance and passing accuracy while reducing RPE measured during or immediately after rugby-specific or resistance-exercise protocols. However, certainty of evidence ranged from low to very low, and findings should be interpreted cautiously. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, PROSPERO: CRD420261371265.
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