γ-Aminobutyric Acid Intake Improves Psychological State and Performance in Esports: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Crossover Study

<b>Objective</b>: This study focused on the effect of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) intake on psychological state and game performance during esports gameplay. <b>Methods</b>: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was conducted with eight healthy male university students aged 20-24 years who regularly play esports. The participants ingested either 200 mg of GABA or a placebo prior to gameplay and then completed a standardized esports task using the Mobalytics Proving Ground™ (MPG), a perceptual-cognitive task within "League of Legends" designed to train and evaluate player performance. Subjective psychological states were assessed pre- and post-gameplay using the Profile of Mood States 2 (POMS2^®) short version. Esports task performance was evaluated based on MPG scores. <b>Results</b>: GABA intake significantly reduced psychological confusion-bewilderment and fatigue in the POMS 2^® short version during esports gameplay. Furthermore, the game scores were significantly higher in the GABA group compared to the placebo group. <b>Conclusions</b>: These findings suggest that GABA intake may serve as a potential strategy to enhance both the mental state and performance of esports players.