Effects of Caffeine and Nicotine Gum on Balance Performance in Athletes

November 26, 2025 updated by: Gülbin Rudarlı

No Significant Alterations in Balance Performance After Acute Caffeine and Nicotine Gum Intake in Trained Athletes

This randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, four-condition crossover study evaluates the acute effects of caffeine gum (~3 mg/kg) and nicotine gum (4 mg) on balance performance in healthy, trained adults. Each participant completes four test visits (caffeine gum, nicotine gum, xylitol-based placebo gum, and no-gum control) separated by ≥24 hours. Static and dynamic balance are assessed using the ProKin 252 system under standardized procedures. The primary outcomes are postural sway (ellipse area) and center-of-pressure path length over predefined test trials/time frames. The objective is to determine whether acute administration of these stimulants alters balance-related performance relative to placebo and control.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study evaluates the acute effects of two commonly used stimulants-caffeine and nicotine administered in chewing-gum form-on static and dynamic balance performance in healthy, trained adults. The trial uses a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, four-condition crossover design. Twenty participants complete four laboratory visits scheduled at the same time of day and separated by a washout interval of at least 24 hours. The order of the four conditions is randomized.

Interventions are: (1) caffeine gum at approximately 3 mg/kg, (2) nicotine gum at 4 mg, (3) sugar-free xylitol-based placebo gum, and (4) a no-gum control condition. Pre-testing exposure is standardized across conditions: caffeine gum is chewed for 5 minutes, nicotine gum for 30 minutes, and placebo gum for 20 minutes prior to balance assessments. The control condition involves no gum exposure. All procedures are conducted under uniform laboratory conditions.

Balance performance is assessed immediately after the pre-specified exposure period using the ProKin 252 balance platform. Standardized static and dynamic balance tasks are administered according to device guidelines and site procedures. Primary outcomes are postural sway quantified as ellipse area and center-of-pressure path length over predefined trials/time frames. Additional procedural details (e.g., task sequence, rest intervals, and device settings) are maintained in the study manual to ensure consistency across visits.

The objective is to determine whether acute administration of caffeine or nicotine, relative to placebo and control, alters balance-related performance indices in healthy, physically active individuals.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
20

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
      • Izmir, Turkey (Türkiye)
        • Ege University, Faculty of Sport Sciences

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Be healthy, with no diagnosed neurological or musculoskeletal disorders
  2. Be physically active and have at least 3 years of regular training history
  3. Be between 18 and 30 years of age
  4. Have no balance impairments or vestibular issues
  5. Be non-smoker or not using tobacco during study days
  6. Able to comply with the intervention protocols and attend all test sessions
  7. Provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Training age less than three years,
  2. Having a disease or sports injury that will affect balance performance,
  3. Using a drug or substance that affects balance,
  4. Not being able to comply with or continue the study measurements.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: caffeine gum
Dietary supplement: Caffeine Gum 3mg/kg
Participants chewed 2-3 pieces of 100 mg caffeine gum (~3 mg/kg total) for 5 minutes prior to balance testing.
Active Comparator: Nicotine Gum
Dietary supplement: Nicotine Gum (4 mg)
Participants chewed one piece of 4 mg nicotine gum for 30 minutes before undergoing balance testing.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Gum
Other: Placebo Gum (Xylitol)
Participants chewed xylitol-based sugar-free gum with no active substance for 20 minutes prior to testing.
No Intervention: Control
No chewing gum administered; participants completed balance testing without any intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Static Postural Sway Ellipse Area - ProKin 252 Stabilometric Platform
Time Frame: At each visit: 5 minutes after start of chewing (caffeine gum), 30 minutes after start of chewing (nicotine gum), 20 minutes after start of chewing (xylitol placebo gum), and 0 minutes (no gum) for the control condition; single 30-second trial per visit

Center of pressure (COP) 95% ellipse area during quiet bipedal stance (eyes open; standardized foot position) measured with the ProKin 252. Higher values indicate poorer balance.

Unit of Measure: mm^2
At each visit: 5 minutes after start of chewing (caffeine gum), 30 minutes after start of chewing (nicotine gum), 20 minutes after start of chewing (xylitol placebo gum), and 0 minutes (no gum) for the control condition; single 30-second trial per visit

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Static Center of Pressure (COP) Path Length - ProKin 252 Stabilometric Platform
Time Frame: At each visit: 5 minutes after start of chewing (caffeine gum), 30 minutes after start of chewing (nicotine gum), 20 minutes after start of chewing (xylitol placebo gum), and 0 minutes (no gum) for the control condition; single 30-second trial per visit

Total COP excursion length during quiet bipedal stance (eyes open; standardized foot position) measured with the ProKin 252. Higher values indicate poorer balance.

Unit of Measure: mm
At each visit: 5 minutes after start of chewing (caffeine gum), 30 minutes after start of chewing (nicotine gum), 20 minutes after start of chewing (xylitol placebo gum), and 0 minutes (no gum) for the control condition; single 30-second trial per visit

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Gülbin Rudarlı

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 8, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 5, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 2, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 8, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 20, 2025

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 28, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 4, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 26, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • EGE-24-3.1T-81

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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