Placebo Effect on Cycling Performance: Laboratory Crossover Study | NCT07748429

NCT07748429

Overview

NCT ID: NCT07748429
Lead Sponsor: Poznan University of Physical EducationOTHER
Official Title: The Impact of Expectations on Physical Performance and Psychophysiological Potential: a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Crossover Study on the Placebo Effect in the Context of Caffeine Supplementation
Brief Summary: This study aims to determine the impact of the placebo (PLA) effect on physical and cognitive performance in a controlled laboratory setting. The study investigates how expectations and beliefs about substance intake (caffeine vs. placebo) interact with actual consumption to influence performance and physiological stress markers. Healthy adults (n = 80) will participate in four testing sessions using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design. Physiological stress markers (cortisol and alpha-amylase), heart rate, and performance metrics will be monitored during a standardized cycling exercise protocol. This phase provides the dense mechanistic data required to refine a mathematical model of the placebo effect, offering insights into how individual personality traits and cognitive anchoring influence psychophysiological potential.

Ages Eligible for Study: Adult (18-64)
Sexes Eligible for Study: All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Yes
Eligibility Criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

Age between 20 and 30 years,

Healthy adults,

Regular physical activity, but not professional athletes,

Normal or corrected-to-normal vision,

Habitual caffeine consumption.

Exclusion Criteria:

History of neurological, psychiatric, cardiovascular, or metabolic disorders,

Current use of medication or supplements affecting the central nervous system,

Musculoskeletal injuries that would impair physical performance,

No habitual caffeine consumption or severe negative side effects of caffeine,

Diagnosed sleep disorders or chronic fatigue,

Diagnosed major depressive disorder or other severe psychiatric conditions,

Presence of any menstrual disorders,

Inability to attend all experimental study visits.

Participant Group/Arms

Sequence AABBExperimental

Participants follow the sequence: Caffeine, Caffeine, Placebo, Placebo, with a 7-day washout period between sessions.

Drug: Caffeine (6mg/kg)

Other: Placebo (Starch capsule)

Sequence BBAAExperimental

Participants follow the sequence: Placebo, Placebo, Caffeine, Caffeine, with a 7-day washout period between sessions.

Drug: Caffeine (6mg/kg)

Sequence ABABExperimental

Participants follow the sequence: Caffeine, Placebo, Caffeine, Placebo, with a 7-day washout period between sessions.

Drug: Caffeine (6mg/kg)

Sequence BABAExperimental

Participants follow the sequence: Placebo, Caffeine, Placebo, Caffeine, with a 7-day washout period between sessions.

Drug: Caffeine (6mg/kg)

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