A range of dietary bioactive ingredients have claimed to improve mental clarity and reduce fatigue, including blackcurrant, pine bark, and l-theanine. These active ingredients provide a good source of dietary polyphenols which could be useful in reducing mental fatigue in a sports setting. The aim of the investigation was to test the effect ofĀrepa ® a blackcurrant-based nootropic-drink also containing pine-bark and l-theanine (BC+), on mental clarity in a sport setting. Twenty-three rugby league players completed a cross-over design, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Intervention and control phases lasted 7 days, with a washout in between. Cognition was assessed pre and post intervention following a standardized training session. Our study found the total score, accuracy, and average time per response scores improved significantly more after drinking the BC+ drink (p = 0.001, 0.003, and 0.043 respectively). The BC+ improved the perception that participants were reliable (p = 0.02) and less distracted (p = 0.03), while placebo supplementation increased participant perception they could control their nervousness (p = 0.03). Thematic analysis of post-trial questionnaire indicated participants found the BC+ sour, most reported no side effects, and opinion on which drink was more effective was not unanimous. The results indicate that the BC+ drink may be useful for athletes.Antioxidants 2020, 9, 316 2 of 12 adverse physiological changes that occur in response to increased stress hormones. Stress hormones, such as cortisol, impair immune function, inhibit anabolic pathways, and promote catabolism, driving an increased risk of injury/illness, impaired ability to adapt and repair muscles, as well as increased perception of pain and fatigue [3]. Interventions that may independently reduce excess stress may indirectly assist in improving cognitive outcomes in high pressure sporting situations.With emerging evidence suggesting anthocyanin-rich blackcurrants may have a role in preventing cognitive decline [4] and enhancing physical performance [5,6], there is interest that the richly colored berries may elicit further benefits such as acute improvements in cognition. Alongside the increasing evidence for blackcurrant polyphenols, pine bark extract has also shown to improve the speed of response for the spatial working memory and immediate recognition tasks in humans [7,8], although most research has tested non-athletic, older adult participants. Nootropics are defined as substances that may improve cognitive function, particularly executive functions, memory, creativity, or motivation, in healthy individuals. For many years caffeine has been used as a successful nootropic aide, as moderate doses of caffeine can improve cognitive function, including vigilance, learning, memory, and mood state [9]. However, caffeine can become addictive, hence the search for alternative nootropic agents.A recent narrative review highlighted the physiological mechanisms behind the potential of blackcurrant polyphenols to influence co...