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Which supplements help basketball performance?

Caffeine has the best evidence in basketball players, and its gains are small. Pooled crossover trials found slightly faster sprints and higher jumps but no better shooting or dribbling, and in one trial of 20 experienced players it also made sleep worse after the game. Grade B. Creatine, beta-alanine and baking soda have only a few small basketball trials. Teens should ask a clinician before using any of them.

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How we grade evidenceEditorial policy

What the studies found

  • Grade B. Caffeine gives small physical gains, not better shooting. Pooled crossover trials in basketball players found slightly faster sprints, higher jumps and quicker agility tests, while low doses (2.3 to 3 mg per kg of body weight) did not improve shooting or dribbling. In women players, a 2026 review found a gain only in power. In 20 experienced players, caffeine raised jump height and a game performance score, but insomnia after the game rose from 19.0% to 54.4%. (Liu 2026; Zhang 2026; Puente 2017)
  • Grade C. Creatine has only small basketball trials, mostly in younger players. In 23 players under 16 doing 8 weeks of strength and jump training, creatine improved one of four jump tests and points per game compared with training alone, in an open-label trial. In 40 players aged 13 to 14, 5 days of creatine improved dribbling, passing and shooting during a mental-load task. (Vargas-Molina 2022; Wu 2025)
  • Grade C. Beta-alanine: mostly no clear difference in basketball players. Six weeks did not improve repeated sprints or free throws in 27 young elite players, and it changed nothing on its own in 68 highly trained women; 8 weeks raised peak power in 20 elite men. (Milioni 2017; Adamczewski 2026; Turcu 2022)
  • Grade C. Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda): small, mixed trials. Three days of loading gave faster sprints and higher jumps in 15 women players; a single dose slowed muscle fatigue in 10 players but did not change sprint times or layups; in 68 women, protocols that included it raised peak power. (Delextrat 2018; Ansdell 2020; Adamczewski 2026)

Who should be careful

  • For most adults, the FDA cites 400 mg of caffeine a day as an amount not generally linked to harm. The FDA also notes that medical experts advise against energy drinks for children and teens (FDA).
  • Caffeine before a game can cost you sleep that night (Puente 2017). If you take a stimulant medicine (for ADHD, for example) or have a heart rhythm problem, ask a clinician before adding caffeine.
  • Baking soda's most common side effects are bloating, nausea, vomiting and belly pain (Grgic 2021).
  • If you are drug-tested, you are responsible for what is in your supplement. A 2026 review found about 9 to 15% of tested supplements held banned or undeclared drugs, most often pre-workout, weight-loss and muscle-building products (Al-Saad 2026).
  • Stop and get checked for chest pain, fainting, or a racing or uneven heartbeat during play.
  • If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or under 18, ask a clinician first.

Try first

  • Sleep more. When 11 college players aimed for 10 hours in bed for 5 to 7 weeks, sprint times dropped and free-throw and 3-point accuracy each rose by about 9%; there was no comparison group (Mah 2011).
  • Jump training. In controlled studies of basketball players, plyometric (jump) training improved jump height, sprint and change-of-direction times, balance and strength (Ramirez-Campillo 2022).

Sources

  1. Liu J, et al. Effects of caffeine intake on exercise performance in basketball players: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2026. PubMed 42180581 · doi:10.3389/fnut.2026.1837912
  2. Zhang Z, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence on the acute effects of caffeine on sport-specific skills, physical performance, and physiological function in female basketball players. Front Nutr. 2026. PubMed 41809105 · doi:10.3389/fnut.2026.1766993
  3. Puente C, et al. Caffeine Improves Basketball Performance in Experienced Basketball Players. Nutrients. 2017. PubMed 28925969 · doi:10.3390/nu9091033
  4. Vargas-Molina S, et al. A randomized open-labeled study to examine the effects of creatine monohydrate and combined training on jump and scoring performance in young basketball players. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2022. PubMed 35966022 · doi:10.1080/15502783.2022.2108683
  5. Wu J, et al. Acute creatine supplementation enhances technical performance in adolescent basketball players under cognitive-motor dual-task condition. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2025. PubMed 40758095 · doi:10.1080/15502783.2025.2542369
  6. Milioni F, et al. Six weeks of β-alanine supplementation did not enhance repeated-sprint ability or technical performances in young elite basketball players. Nutr Health. 2017. PubMed 28349727 · doi:10.1177/0260106017700436
  7. Adamczewski J, et al. Effects of Combined Versus Isolated Beta-Alanine and Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation on Physical Capacity in Highly Trained Female Basketball Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2026. PubMed 41838453 · doi:10.1123/ijspp.2025-0447
  8. Turcu I, et al. Effect of 8-Week β-Alanine Supplementation on CRP, IL-6, Body Composition, and Bio-Motor Abilities in Elite Male Basketball Players. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022. PubMed 36294288 · doi:10.3390/ijerph192013700
  9. Delextrat A, et al. Effects of Three-Day Serial Sodium Bicarbonate Loading on Performance and Physiological Parameters During a Simulated Basketball Test in Female University Players. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018. PubMed 29345173 · doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0353
  10. Ansdell P, et al. Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation Delays Neuromuscular Fatigue Without Changes in Performance Outcomes During a Basketball Match Simulation Protocol. J Strength Cond Res. 2020. PubMed 29023327 · doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000002233
  11. Grgic J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: sodium bicarbonate and exercise performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021. PubMed 34503527 · doi:10.1186/s12970-021-00458-w
  12. Al-Saad N, et al. Systematic review of undeclared prohibited substances and pharmacological adulterants in dietary supplements: prevalence, detection, and risks in sport. Front Sports Act Living. 2026. PubMed 41908212 · doi:10.3389/fspor.2026.1740663
  13. Mah CD, et al. The effects of sleep extension on the athletic performance of collegiate basketball players. Sleep. 2011. PubMed 21731144 · doi:10.5665/SLEEP.1132
  14. Ramirez-Campillo R, et al. The effects of plyometric jump training on physical fitness attributes in basketball players: A meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022. PubMed 33359798 · doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2020.12.005