An interventional study of Placebo and Paraxanthine in Cognitive Function and Gaming Performance, sponsored by Lindenwood University. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 40 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-16.
Sponsored by Lindenwood University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
This study will evaluate the effects of daily paraxanthine supplementation on electronic gaming performance, cognitive function, sleep quality, and autonomic responses in healthy adult gamers. Participants will be enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study and assigned to receive either paraxanthine or placebo daily for 6 weeks.
Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, Week 3, and Week 6 and will include electronic gaming performance, cognitive function, visual analog scale ratings, sleep quality questionnaires, hemodynamic responses, and heart rate variability. The study is designed to determine whether paraxanthine supplementation improves performance and selected physiological and psychological outcomes during prolonged electronic gaming sessions.
Electronic gaming has grown substantially in popularity, with increasing interest in strategies that may improve performance, cognitive function, sleep quality, and stress management. Despite this growth, there is limited controlled research evaluating nutritional interventions that may influence gaming-specific performance and associated physiological responses.
Paraxanthine is a primary metabolite of caffeine and has been shown to exhibit physiological effects related to alertness, cognitive performance, and central nervous system activity. However, limited research has evaluated the direct effects of paraxanthine supplementation on performance outcomes in electronic gaming environments.
This study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial designed to examine the effects of paraxanthine supplementation on electronic gaming performance and associated cognitive, psychological, and physiological responses. Participants will be assigned to receive paraxanthine or placebo daily for 6 weeks. All participants and study personnel involved in testing and outcome assessment will remain blinded to group assignment throughout the study.
Following screening and informed consent, eligible participants will complete a familiarization session to practice cognitive testing procedures and become oriented to the gaming environment. Participants will complete testing visits at baseline (Week 0), Week 3, and Week 6. Prior to each visit, participants will replicate their dietary intake for 24 hours, maintain their normal caffeine intake pattern, avoid non-habitual stimulants for 48 hours, limit caffeine intake within 3 hours of testing, and complete a 3-hour fast.
At each visit, participants will undergo assessment of body mass, resting heart rate, and blood pressure, followed by completion of sleep questionnaires, cognitive testing, and visual analog scales. After ingestion of the assigned supplement, participants will complete heart rate variability assessment and then perform two standardized 60-minute gaming sessions. Cognitive outcomes, hemodynamic responses, and subjective measures will be reassessed after each gaming period. Heart rate variability will also be assessed following completion of the gaming session.
Electronic gaming performance will be assessed using standardized gameplay metrics collected during each session. Cognitive function will be evaluated using validated neurocognitive tests, and sleep quality will be assessed using standardized questionnaires. Autonomic function will be evaluated using heart rate variability measures.
The primary objective of this study is to determine whether paraxanthine supplementation improves electronic gaming performance, cognitive function, and subjective measures of fatigue, concentration, and focus compared with placebo. Secondary objectives include evaluating the effects of supplementation on sleep quality, heart rate variability, and hemodynamic responses.
Lindenwood University is the lead sponsor of 29 studies on the registry; 5 are open to participants now.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants assigned to this group will ingest a placebo supplement daily for 6 weeks. All participants will complete identical testing procedures at baseline (Week 0), Week 3, and Week 6.
Dietary Supplement: Placebo
Participants assigned to this group will ingest paraxanthine daily for 6 weeks. All participants will complete identical testing procedures at baseline (Week 0), Week 3, and Week 6.
Dietary Supplement: Paraxanthine
Participants will ingest a placebo supplement daily for 6 weeks. The supplement will be consumed with approximately 8 ounces of water at a consistent time each day.
Participants will ingest paraxanthine daily for 6 weeks. The supplement will be consumed with approximately 8 ounces of water at a consistent time each day.
Gaming Performance Score
Electronic gaming performance will be assessed using standardized gameplay metrics collected during 60- and 120-minute gaming sessions. Primary variables include knock-outs, falls, damage given, damage taken, hit percentage, and peak damage.
Time frame: Time Frame: Change from baseline (Week 0) to Week 6
Trail Making Test Part A (Completion Time)
Cognitive processing speed and visual attention will be assessed using Trail Making Test Part A, including total time to completion.
Time frame: Time Frame: Change from baseline (Week 0) to Week 6
Trail Making Test Part B (Completion Time)
Cognitive processing speed and visual attention will be assessed using Trail Making Test Part B, including total time to completion.
Time frame: Time Frame: Change from baseline (Week 0) to Week 6
Trail Making Test Part A (Errors)
Cognitive processing speed and visual attention will be assessed using Trail Making Test Part A, including total number of errors.
Time frame: Time Frame: Change from baseline (Week 0) to Week 6
Trail Making Test Part B (Errors)
Cognitive processing speed and visual attention will be assessed using Trail Making Test Part B, including total number of errors.
Time frame: Time Frame: Change from baseline (Week 0) to Week 6
Stroop Color and Word Test Performance
Cognitive performance will be assessed using the Stroop Color and Word Test, including response time and accuracy.
Time frame: Time Frame: Change from baseline (Week 0) to Week 6
Profile of Mood States (POMS) Total Mood Disturbance Score
Mood state will be assessed using the Profile of Mood States questionnaire, with calculation of total mood disturbance score.
Time frame: Time Frame: Change from baseline (Week 0) to Week 6
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Score
Sleep quality will be assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global score.
Time frame: Time Frame: Change from baseline (Week 0) to Week 6
Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Autonomic function will be assessed using heart rate variability metrics including RMSSD, high-frequency power, low-frequency power, and LF:HF ratio.
Time frame: Time Frame: Change from baseline (Week 0) to Week 6
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This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Studies of the drug tested here: Paraxanthine
Lindenwood University