Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation and exercise capacity in healthy volunteers: a randomized trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Vagal parasympathetic dysfunction is strongly associated with impaired exercise tolerance, indicating that coordinated autonomic control is essential for optimizing exercise performance. This study tested the hypothesis that autonomic neuromodulation by non-invasive transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) can improve exercise capacity in humans.

Methods

This single-centre, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover trial in 28 healthy volunteers evaluated the effect of bilateral transcutaneous stimulation of vagal auricular innervation, applied for 30 min daily for 7 days, on measures of cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak)) during progressive exercise to exhaustion. Secondary endpoints included peak work rate, card

SUBMITTER: Ackland GL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7617618 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature