Matches rarely last exactly 90 minutes anymore. With injury time and VAR breaks, the 90th minute often becomes the 100th. At that point, not only are the legs tired, but also the brain. Yet in the closing stages, players must make razor-sharp decisions and think 2 steps ahead. Why does one player succeed better than another?

The brain in the closing stages

During the final minutes of an intense match, three factors play a crucial role:

1. Energy supply - brain uses glucose and alternative fuels such as lactate.
2. Neurotransmitters - dopamine and acetylcholine control concentration and reaction time.
3. Inflammatory status - fatigue increases inflammatory signals that cloud cognitive acuity.

Nature Neuroscience (2021) confirms that mental fatigue is directly linked to gut-brain crosstalk and metabolite availability.

Gut-brain axis & extra time

• SCFAs (butyrate, propionate) → nourish brain cells and dampen inflammation.
• Histamine and cytokines → may actually provide too many stimuli in the final phase, reducing concentration.
• Microbiome diversity → determines whether players stay cognitively fresh or get "cotton wool in the head" faster.

A study in Frontiers in Physiology (2017) showed that athletes with a rich microbiome experienced less cognitive decline after strenuous exercise.

DNA and cognitive performance

Not every player has the same genetic resilience:

• COMT variants → affect dopamine degradation and thus concentration under pressure.
• BDNF variants → determine brain plasticity in stressful situations.
• CLOCK genes → circadian profile may help determine whether a person stays bright in evening games.

Practical biohacks for the closing stages

1. Measuring Cognitive Resilience
   - Multi-omics analysis links DNA (COMT, BDNF), microbiome and metabolites to mental acuity.
2. Metabolites as brain fuel
   - Personalized strategies to utilize lactate and SCFAs as alternative brain energy.
3. Inflammatory buffering
   - Microbiome profile shows whether players are susceptible to inflammatory spikes that cloud clarity.
4. Individual match strategy
   - Not everyone can sprint and decide in the 100th minute. Player profiles can determine who stays fresh for crucial picks.

Why My InnerSelfie is unique in this

• DNA → shows predisposition to dopamine and stress response.
• Microbiome → shows who produces SCFAs for cognitive support.
• Metabolites → provide real-time insight into brain fuel and inflammatory status.
• Result → personalized match profiles that help coaches guide decisions in extra time.

Key insights

• Cognitive clarity in extra time depends on energy, neurotransmitters and inflammation.
• Gut-brain axis helps determine who stays fresh in the 100th minute.
• DNA and microbiome differences explain why some players are more decisive.
• My InnerSelfie translates this into personalized strategies for the final phase.

Scientific references

• Clauss M, Gérard P, Mosca A, Leclerc M. Interplay between exercise and gut microbiome in the context of performance. Front Nutr. 2021.
• Clark A, Mach N. Gut microbiota-mitochondria crosstalk during exercise. Front Physiol. 2017.
• Nature Neuroscience. (2021). Gut-brain communication and mental fatigue in athletes.
• Springer Sports Medicine. (2022). Genetics of cognition and endurance in sport.
• Harvard Health. (2022). Neurotransmitters, stress and performance under pressure.