Hard work pays off, and people often say that most good things don’t come easy. Every time you slip on your running shoes and head out the door, pick up the weights, or step on your yoga mat, you should be proud of the effort you’re putting into your fitness and wellness.
When I heard about the research on an ear device that boosts exercise performance even without making any other changes to your workout schedule, I definitely raised an eyebrow or two, but I was also instantly curious. It turns out that this Vagus nerve stimulation ear device can enhance performance, according to new research. Let’s explore.
The study
In a recent randomized double-blind, crossover trial published in the European Heart Journal, the researchers aimed to investigate whether vagus nerve stimulation can enhance exercise capacity. The researchers pointed out that vagal parasympathetic dysfunction is strongly linked to impaired exercise tolerance. In other words, individuals with this condition affecting the vagus nerve find exercise more challenging than others, and they may have reduced exercise capacity, accompanied by symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue.
What is vagal parasympathetic dysfunction, and what is the vagus nerve?
Vagal parasympathetic dysfunction is a condition where the vagus nerve doesn’t function properly, which can lead to a range of symptoms from bloating to changes in heart rate, dizziness, and tiredness. As the longest nerve in your body, the vagus nerve plays a big role in your parasympathetic nervous system and relays signals between your gut and digestive system and your brain and heart.
When the nerve is damaged by causal factors such as infection, inflammation, or chronic stress, this dysfunction occurs, making it much harder to tolerate exercise.
The study methods
The vagus nerve stimulator is a small device perched on the external part of the ear that transmits gentle electrical impulses to the vagus nerve. This trial involved 28 healthy individuals, and half wore the vagus nerve devices on both ears, while the other half wore a dummy device.
Participants wore the devices for 30 minutes every day for seven days, and researchers focused on measures of cardiorespiratory fitness during exercise to exhaustion. Study participants took a two-week break before swapping devices, and all individuals completed an exercise test at the start and end of the weeks when they used the ear devices.
The results
The researchers concluded the following:
- Wearing a nerve stimulator device for just one week enhanced oxygen intake while working out by 4%. Individuals had increased exercise capacity after just seven days of vagus nerve stimulation with an ear device. They were able to work out more vigorously compared to after using the dummy ear device.
- The nerve stimulator lowered the inflammatory response after exercise in blood samples from five individuals.
- During physical activity, the stimulator also enhanced the maximum breathing rate by an average of four breaths per minute and the maximum heart rate by an average of four beats per minute.
The take-home
More research is needed, but vagus nerve stimulation is a promising way to boost your cardiorespiratory fitness. This study shows that a nifty little device on your outer ear can improve exercise performance, even if nothing else in your workout schedule changes.
