Soccer boost: caffeine and herb combo may improve headers and jumps

This study looked at whether taking caffeine and rhodiola rosea supplements, alone or together, can help soccer players perform better in jumping and heading the ball when they are fatigued. 96 healthy male soccer players from Beijing Sport University took part. They were randomly assigned to take a placebo, rhodiola rosea, caffeine, or both for 4 weeks. The researchers measured their jumping power and heading accuracy before and after the supplement period.