Effects of a single session of noninvasive auricular vagus nerve stimulation on sports performance in elite athletes: an open-label randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of noninvasive auricular vagus nerve stimulation (AVNS) on sports performance.

Methods

The intervention group (n = 30) received a single session of AVNS, while the control group (n = 30) received a single session of sham AVNS. Pre- and post-treatment isometric quadriceps muscle strength, heart rate, lower extremity balance, and grip strength were measured.

Results

It was ascertained that the differences in heart rate (−0.73 pulse/min, p = 0.032) and modified Star Balance Test scores (anterior 2.72 cm, p = 0.000, posterolateral 3.65 cm, p = 0.000 and posteromedial 2.43 cm, p = 0.000) before and after AVNS were significant in subjects in the experimental group. The results of the one-way ANOVA analysis show that the differences obtained in all measurement parameters are not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Considering the partial eta squared (η2) obtained from the measurements, a small descriptive effect in favor of experimental group was obtained for the quadriceps strength (0.016) and anterior balance (0.054) measurements.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that a single AVNS session compared to sham AVNS shows a modest benefit though not statistically significant improvement in athletic performance. Single-use of AVNS seems not effective in improving athletic performance.

Clinical trial registration

www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT05436821.

KEYWORDS:

• Auricular vagus nerve stimulation
• performance
• recovery
• strength
• balance

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

A peer reviewer on this manuscript has received funding from the NIH; institutional support for serving as an investigator from Teva, Abbvie, Trillen, and Thermaquil; consultant fees from Salvia, Pfizer, and Cerenovus; and royalties from Cambridge University Press and MedLink. Another peer reviewer on this manuscript is a founder of a medical device company that works in VNS. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no other relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Author contributions

A Çalı and AV Özden were involved in the conception and design of the study. A Çalı, AV Özden and İ Ceylan were involved in the analysis and interpretation of the data, the drafting and critical revision of the manuscript as well as the final approval of the version submitted for publication. All the authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the presented work.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.