Study on How Pre-Workout Supplements Affect Shooting Accuracy in Trained Basketball Players

Not Applicable

Active, not recruiting

• Conditions: Athletic Performance

• Registration Number: NCT06995209
• Lead Sponsor: International Hellenic University

Brief Summary

Basketball is a popular team sport where athletes score points by successfully shooting the ball into the basket. Accuracy in shooting is crucial for players to score points effectively. Pre-workout supplements (PWS) have garnered interest from athletes and fitness enthusiasts due to the purported synergistic action of their ingredients which, when consumed before training, may help improve athletic performance. The acute effect of PWS or similar on the shooting accuracy of basketball athletes has not yet been investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the acute effect of a caffeine-based PWS (containing caffeine, creatine, β-alanine, citrulline malate, and BCAAs) on the stationary free throw, two-point, and three-point shooting accuracy in basketball players.

Detailed Description

According to a randomized, double-blind, crossover, research design, 12 active and well-trained male basketball players will be recruited. The sample will participate in three treatments: 1) no supplement; 2) PWS and 3) Placebo (PL). Three field-based basketball shooting tests (stationary free throw, stationary two-point, and three-point shots) will be performed to assess shooting accuracy . During the first visit, participants who met the inclusion criteria will visit our laboratory for health assessment/ screening. At the same time, after receiving a detailed verbal explanation and written instructions from our team's registered nutritionist, participants will be advised to follow the exact same diet one day before the subsequent trials, one week apart. During the second visit, all participants will arrive at the basketball court to execute the shooting tests in the following order: 1) the stationary free throw shooting test (S1P), 2) the stationary two-point shooting test (S2P), and 3) the stationary three-point shooting test (S3P). One week later, during the third visit, all players will return to the same basketball court. They will receive a single dose either PWS or PL 30 minutes prior to the evaluations. Participants and researchers will all blinded as to the type of supplement consumed. Following that, they will complete the same measurements in the same order as in the second visit. A week later all procedures will be repeated, and participants will receive the alternative supplement depending on randomization.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-10-01
• Study First Submitted: 2025-04-26
• Status Verified: 2025-05
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-05-27
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-05-27
• Study First Posted: 2025-05-29
• Last Update Posted: 2025-05-29
• Primary Completion: 2025-05-30
• Study Completion: 2025-06-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Sex: Male
• Target Recruitment: 12

Inclusion Criteria

1. Male participants, 18+
2. Absence of drugs, abuse or medications, which are known to affect the shooting accuracy

Exclusion Criteria

1. Restraining orthopedic/neuromuscular issues
2. Caffeine hypersensitivity
3. Consumption of more than three servings of coffee per day
4. Use of any supplement or steroids prior to the study
5. Use of creatine, β-alanine, citrulline malate or BCAA-protein supplementation at least six months before the initiation of the study

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The stationary free-throw shooting test	At baseline (no supplement), 30 minutes after placebo ingestion, and 30 minutes after PWS ingestion	Each player will complete three sets of ten free throws, with a three-minute rest between sets. Two other players will stood under the hoop and pass the ball to the shooter.
The stationary two-point shooting test	At baseline (no supplement), 30 minutes after placebo ingestion, and 30 minutes after PWS ingestion	Each athlete should execute two stationary two-point shots from five different positions, a total of ten shots. Two other players will collect the ball and return it to the shooter. This procedure will be repeated three times, with three minutes rest between each round, resulting in a total of 30 shots. The average successful scoring percentage from the three trials will used for analysis.
The stationary three-point shooting test	At baseline (no supplement), 30 minutes after placebo ingestion, and 30 minutes after PWS ingestion	Each athlete should execute two stationary three-point shots from five different positions placed 6.75 meters, a total of ten shots. Two other players will collect the ball and return it to the shooter. This procedure will be repeated three times, with three minutes rest between each round, resulting in a total of 30 shots. The average successful scoring percentage from the three trials will used for analysis.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Height	Baseline (Pre-Intervention)	Height to the nearest 0.1cm will be measured using a stadiometer (Leicester portable height measure, Tanita HR 001, Tokyo, Japan
Body Mass and Composition	Baseline (Pre-Intervention)	Body mass will be measured using a calibrated digital scale to the nearest 0.1 kg, while body fat percentage, body fat mass, and fat-free mass will be analyzed via bioelectrical impedance analysis.
Blood Pressure	Baseline (Pre-Intervention)	An upper-body blood pressure monitor will be used to measure resting blood pressure.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Sports Nutrition Laboratory, International Hellenic University, Greece; 🇬🇷 Thessaloníki, Greece