Can Supplements Improve Gaming Performance?

Caffeine is probably the first supplement most people associate with gaming.

Energy drinks have been part of gaming culture for years, and there's a legitimate physiological reason why caffeine might help someone stay alert during a long session.

But what about other supplements?

Could nitrates, commonly associated with endurance performance, improve aiming accuracy? What about Ginkgo biloba or compounds found in green tea?

A new 2026 study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition examined those questions in competitive esports athletes.

The researchers compared four supplements against placebo after deliberately inducing mental fatigue. They measured shooting accuracy, tracking stability, spatial localization, multitasking, and heart rate variability.

Some of the results were encouraging. Others were less convincing.

And one detail matters more than anything else: Improving after taking a supplement isn't necessarily proof that the supplement caused the improvement.

TLDR

• Mental fatigue impaired gaming performance. The researchers found significant reductions in several performance measures after participants completed a demanding cognitive task.
• All four supplements were associated with improved shooting accuracy. Caffeine, nitrate, Ginkgo biloba, and catechins produced statistically significant improvements from the fatigued state, while placebo did not.
• Caffeine, nitrate, and catechins improved shooting stability. Ginkgo biloba did not produce a statistically significant improvement in this outcome.
• No supplement demonstrated a clear additional benefit for spatial localization or multitasking. Improvements in those abilities may have reflected natural recovery during the 60-minute rest period.
• Caffeine and nitrate were interesting, but neither was established as the best supplement. The study found no statistically significant differences among the active supplements that improved accuracy or stability.

My takeaway: This study provides preliminary evidence that certain supplements may help restore precision-based gaming performance after mental fatigue. The findings are promising, but the small sample and differences between supplement and placebo conditions mean we should be careful about claiming that any one ingredient reliably improves competitive gaming.

How the Researchers Tested Gaming Performance

The study was conducted by researchers at Wuhan Sports University in China.

They recruited 20 high-level first-person shooter (FPS) players who had at least two years of gaming experience, played at least 30 hours per week, and held high competitive rankings in games such as Valorant or Counter-Strike.

The participants averaged 21 years old, and their reported weekly gaming time was approximately 37 hours.

One limitation worth noting immediately is that the group included 18 men and only two women.

The researchers used a randomized, double-blind, crossover design. Each participant completed five separate experimental conditions, allowing the investigators to compare responses within the same individuals.

The Five Supplements Tested

These were single doses, not daily supplementation programs.

The nitrate dose is particularly interesting because nitrates are more commonly studied for endurance exercise than for competitive gaming.

How Mental Fatigue Was Induced

Participants first completed baseline gaming performance tests.

They then performed a Stroop color-word task for 30 to 60 minutes. This task requires someone to identify the displayed color of a word while ignoring what the word actually says.

It's a common laboratory method for creating cognitive interference and mental fatigue.

The task ended when participants reported fatigue of at least 70 on a 100-point visual analog scale.

Immediately afterward, they repeated the gaming assessments.

Then they consumed their assigned supplement, rested quietly for 60 minutes without electronic devices, and completed the tests again.

The researchers used KovaaK's, an aim-training platform, to measure four different performance abilities.

Shooting accuracy: Quickly moving between targets and landing shots.

Shooting stability: Consistently tracking moving targets.

Spatial localization: Locating and tracking targets in a complex environment.

Multitasking: Tracking, attacking, moving, and dodging simultaneously.

The researchers also monitored heart rate variability (HRV) to investigate changes in autonomic nervous system activity.

Finding #1: All Four Supplements Improved Shooting Accuracy After Mental Fatigue

The first major finding involved shooting accuracy.

After the mental-fatigue task, participants performed worse across the experimental conditions.

Following supplementation and 60 minutes of rest, accuracy scores improved significantly with all four active supplements.

The placebo condition showed only a small, nonsignificant improvement.

Note: Values represent KovaaK's task scores, not percentages. The p-values describe within-condition recovery from the fatigued state.

Caffeine and nitrate produced the largest numerical improvements.

However, there's an important distinction between a numerical difference and a statistically supported difference.

The researchers did not find significant differences among the four active supplements in the post-supplementation state.

The overall main effect of supplement type on shooting accuracy was also nonsignificant (p = 0.103), although the interaction between supplement type and fatigue state was significant.

In other words, the pattern of recovery differed across conditions, but the evidence doesn't establish that caffeine or nitrate is definitively better than the other supplements.

I would also be careful about interpreting the results as proof of superiority over placebo. The study emphasized improvements from the fatigued state within each condition, and those comparisons are not identical to a direct test of how much additional recovery each supplement produced relative to placebo.

That's an important statistical distinction.

Finding #2: Caffeine, Nitrate, and Catechins Improved Shooting Stability

Shooting stability involves consistently tracking a moving target rather than rapidly switching between stationary targets.

This may be especially relevant in FPS games where players must maintain accurate aim while opponents move unpredictably.

After mental fatigue, shooting stability declined.

Following supplementation and rest, three ingredients produced statistically significant improvements.

Caffeine produced the largest numerical improvement, increasing the mean score by approximately 400 points.

Nitrate improved scores by approximately 224 points, while catechins improved scores by approximately 172 points.

Ginkgo biloba did not reach statistical significance.

Interestingly, placebo improved by approximately 184 points, with a p-value of 0.053.

That placebo result deserves attention.

Although it narrowly missed the conventional threshold for statistical significance, the improvement was numerically larger than the one observed with catechins.

This is why I wouldn't simply rank the supplements by which conditions had significant p-values.

The researchers found no significant differences among caffeine, nitrate, and catechins in their post-supplementation comparisons.

The study supports a possible recovery benefit, particularly with caffeine and nitrate, but it doesn't establish that all three ingredients outperform rest and placebo.

Finding #3: Supplements Did Not Provide a Clear Additional Benefit for Spatial Localization

Spatial localization requires players to identify and track targets in complex three-dimensional environments.

Mental fatigue significantly impaired this ability.

After the 60-minute recovery period, scores improved substantially.

However, the researchers found no significant main effect of supplement type (p = 0.082) and no significant interaction between supplement type and fatigue state (p = 0.139).

That means the recovery couldn't be confidently attributed to a particular supplement.

The researchers suggested that natural recovery may explain much of the improvement.

I think that's a reasonable interpretation.

Taking an hour away from demanding cognitive activity can improve performance, even without an active supplement.

And because the study required participants to sit quietly without electronic devices, the recovery period was meaningful.

This is a good reminder that rest itself is an intervention.

Finding #4: Multitasking Improved, but the Supplements Didn't Explain It

The multitasking test required players to track and attack targets while moving and dodging.

This is a more complicated skill than simply aiming at a stationary target.

The researchers observed significant changes across fatigue states, with post-recovery scores improving compared with the fatigued condition.

However, the main effect of supplement type was not significant (p = 0.169), and the supplement-by-fatigue interaction was also nonsignificant (p = 0.079).

The placebo condition showed substantial improvement as well.

In fact, the mean post-recovery multitasking score was numerically highest in the placebo condition.

That doesn't mean placebo improves multitasking better than supplements. It means the data don't support a reliable advantage for any tested ingredient.

The study provides little evidence that a single dose of caffeine, nitrate, Ginkgo biloba, or catechins improves complex multitasking beyond the recovery that occurs with time and rest.

Finding #5: Heart Rate Variability Changed, but What Does That Actually Mean?

The researchers also measured HRV, which describes variation in the time intervals between heartbeats.

HRV can provide useful information about autonomic regulation, particularly cardiac parasympathetic activity.

The study evaluated several measures, including RMSSD, SDNN, high-frequency power, and the low-frequency-to-high-frequency ratio.

Some supplement conditions produced significant changes in RMSSD or SDNN.

For example, Ginkgo biloba and catechins were associated with RMSSD changes in some analyses, while nitrate and catechins showed SDNN changes in the shooting-accuracy analysis.

But the results weren't consistent across every task or HRV measure.

The researchers also found no significant changes in high-frequency power or LF/HF during the multitasking assessment.

That creates an important limitation.

We cannot assume that a change in HRV means someone has recovered mentally or will perform better in a competitive game.

HRV is influenced by breathing, posture, stress, recent activity, and several other factors.

And the LF/HF ratio should not be treated as a simple, direct measurement of sympathetic versus parasympathetic balance.

The researchers acknowledged that the relationship between HRV changes and gaming performance remains uncertain.

I agree with that interpretation.

The HRV findings are interesting physiological observations. They don't establish the mechanism behind the performance improvements.

Which Supplement Looks Most Promising?

If I were evaluating these ingredients strictly from the perspective of this study, caffeine and nitrate would get the most attention.

But for different reasons.

Caffeine: The Most Familiar Option

Caffeine improved both shooting accuracy and shooting stability following mental fatigue.

The researchers used 3 mg/kg body weight.

For a 175-pound person, that's approximately 238 mg of caffeine.

That's a meaningful dose, particularly for someone who doesn't regularly consume caffeine.

Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, helping reduce perceived sleepiness and increase alertness.

It can also influence attention, reaction time, and other aspects of cognitive performance.

However, higher doses aren't necessarily better for precision-based tasks.

Excessive stimulation can cause jitteriness, anxiety, and impaired fine motor control in susceptible individuals.

The study didn't examine multiple caffeine doses, so it can't tell us whether 3 mg/kg was optimal for these athletes.

It also didn't establish that taking caffeine is better than adequate sleep or taking a break.

Nitrate: The Most Interesting Finding

Nitrate is the ingredient that caught my attention.

Most people associate dietary nitrates with endurance performance.

After consumption, nitrate can be converted into nitrite and subsequently nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide is involved in vascular regulation and several physiological processes.

Researchers have investigated whether dietary nitrate can influence cerebral blood flow and cognitive function.

The findings have been mixed.

In this study, 794 mg of nitrate improved shooting accuracy and shooting stability from the fatigued state.

That's an interesting observation because aiming and tracking require precise coordination between visual processing and motor control.

However, the researchers didn't directly measure cerebral blood flow or nitric oxide availability.

We therefore can't conclude that the improvements occurred because nitrate increased blood flow to the brain.

And we shouldn't assume that a nitrate supplement designed for endurance exercise will necessarily improve gaming performance.

The study tested one dose, one population, and one recovery period.

Still, I think nitrate deserves further investigation in esports.

Ginkgo Biloba: Mixed Results

Ginkgo biloba improved shooting accuracy following mental fatigue but did not significantly improve shooting stability.

It also failed to demonstrate a clear additional benefit for spatial localization or multitasking.

The researchers used 600 mg of a standardized extract containing 24% flavonoid glycosides and 6% terpene lactones.

This is a relatively high acute dose, and the findings shouldn't be generalized to every Ginkgo product.

Ginkgo also has potential medication interactions, including concerns involving anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications.

Based on this study alone, I wouldn't consider it a particularly compelling gaming supplement.

Catechins: Some Potential, but Limited Evidence

Catechins are compounds found in tea, including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

The researchers used 340 mg of catechin extract, providing approximately 255 mg of EGCG.

The catechin condition improved shooting accuracy and stability from the fatigued state.

However, the placebo improvement in shooting stability was numerically similar, and no significant advantage was established for complex cognitive tasks.

It's also important to distinguish concentrated catechin supplements from drinking green tea.

High-dose green tea extracts have been associated with liver injury in some circumstances, so concentrated EGCG products shouldn't automatically be considered harmless.

The study doesn't provide enough evidence to recommend catechin supplementation specifically for gaming performance.

What This Means for Everyday Active Adults

Although the researchers studied esports athletes, the broader issue of mental fatigue applies to plenty of people outside competitive gaming.

Think about someone who spends eight hours working at a computer before heading to the gym.

Or an endurance athlete who has to make pacing and tactical decisions after a long day.

Or someone who relies on sustained attention and precise hand-eye coordination at work.

The underlying challenge is similar: mental fatigue can interfere with performance.

However, we need to distinguish between a plausible application and something this study actually demonstrated.

The researchers did not test office workers, endurance athletes, drivers, or other populations.

They also didn't measure general productivity, memory retention, or decision-making outside the gaming tasks.

So I wouldn't extrapolate the findings too broadly.

What I do think carries over is the importance of managing mental fatigue.

Sleep, breaks from cognitively demanding work, adequate food intake, and sensible caffeine use remain practical strategies.

A supplement may help in certain situations, but it shouldn't become a substitute for those fundamentals.

The Biggest Limitations of This Study

The study included only 20 participants. The crossover design is useful, but the small sample limits statistical precision and generalizability.

Almost all participants were men. With only two women, the study cannot meaningfully evaluate sex-specific responses.

The participants were experienced FPS gamers. Results may not apply to casual players or other gaming genres.

The recovery period included 60 minutes of quiet rest. This makes it difficult to separate supplementation effects from natural recovery without careful between-condition comparisons.

Not every significant within-condition improvement demonstrated superiority over placebo. This is probably the most important limitation for interpreting the results.

Only one dose of each ingredient was tested. The study cannot establish optimal dosing or whether lower doses would work equally well.

The washout period was at least 24 hours. The authors acknowledged that this may not have been sufficient to eliminate every possible carryover effect.

The researchers did not directly measure cerebral blood flow or other proposed mechanisms. HRV was measured, but the physiological explanation for the performance changes remains uncertain.

These were simulated performance tasks. Improvements in KovaaK's scores don't necessarily translate into better tournament outcomes or higher competitive rankings.

Finally, the study examined acute supplementation.

It tells us very little about whether taking these ingredients regularly improves gaming skill over time.

The Bottom Line

This study offers an interesting look at how nutritional supplements may influence performance after mental fatigue.

All four tested supplements were associated with significant recovery in shooting accuracy.

Caffeine, nitrate, and catechins were also associated with significant improvements in shooting stability.

But the evidence was less convincing for spatial localization and multitasking, where the improvements appeared largely consistent with natural recovery.

The researchers also observed changes in heart rate variability, although the relationship between those changes and gaming performance remains unclear.

Of the four ingredients, caffeine has the most familiar rationale for improving alertness, while nitrate presents an interesting opportunity for future research into precision-based cognitive-motor performance.

My takeaway is that supplements may have a role in helping esports athletes maintain or recover certain performance skills during mentally demanding periods. But this study doesn't justify claiming that any of these ingredients reliably makes someone a better gamer.

And perhaps the most practical finding is that an hour of quiet recovery can make a meaningful difference in performance, regardless of supplementation.

That's worth remembering before reaching for another energy drink.

About the Author

Matt Mosman, MS, CISSN, CSCS, is the founder and Chief Science Officer of Simply Good Supplements. With a background in exercise science, sports nutrition, and strength and conditioning, Matt focuses on turning research into practical advice that athletes, parents, and everyday active people can actually use.

References

Chong Y, Wei M, Tu J, Li Z, Li M, Zhong Y. A study on the differences in recovery effects of different types of nutritional supplements on competitive performance of esports athletes under mental fatigue. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2026;23(1):2728354.

Read the original research study