| Summary: | The aim of this investigation was to determine whether, after Ramadan, pre-exercise caffeine intake can reduce any possible negative effects of this month on short-term maximal performances in young female handball players. A randomized study involved thirteen young female handball players. Participants performed a squat jump (SJ), Illinois agility test (AG), and 5 m run shuttles test (total (TD) and peak (PD) distances) at 08:00 AM and 06:00 PM on three different occasions: one week before Ramadan (Pre-R), the last week of Ramadan (R), and the week after Ramadan (Post-R). A placebo (Pla) or caffeine (Caff) (6 mg·kg<sup>−1</sup>) was administered 60 min before exercise test sessions at two distinct times of day (08:00 AM and 06:00 PM) during the two periods: Pre and Post-R. The PSQI and dietary intake were assessed during all testing periods. The results revealed that Pre-R, (SJ, AG, TD, and PD) test performances were greater in the evening (PM) than in the morning (AM) (all <i>p</i> < 0.001). However, compared with Pre-R, PM performances declined significantly during R (all <i>p</i> < 0.001) and Post-R (<i>p</i> < 0.05, <i>p</i> < 0.01, <i>p</i> < 0.01 and <i>p</i> < 0.001, respectively). In addition, Pre-R, AM Caff produced moderate significant improvements compared with AM Pla, with small-to-no beneficial effects observed with PM Caff in SJ (4.8% vs. 1%), AG (1.8% vs. 0.8%), TD (2.8% vs. 0.3%), and PD (6% vs. 0.9%). Nevertheless, Caff produced moderate ergogenic effects during both AM and PM sessions during Post-R in SJ (4.4% vs. 2.4%), AG (1.7% vs. 1.5%), TD (2.9% vs. 1.3%), and PD (5.8% vs. 3%) with values approaching those of Pre-R Pla within the same time of day (<i>p</i> > 0.05, <i>p</i> > 0.05, <i>p</i> < 0.05, and <i>p</i> < 0.05, respectively). In summary, pre-exercise Caff intake with a dose equivalent to 6 mg·kg<sup>−1</sup> reduced the negative effects of Ramadan fasting in several aspects of short-term maximal performances in young female handball players at both times of the day.
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