[Effects of chewing exercise on the maximum biting force and chewing performance]

Area of Science:

• Oral physiology
• Nutritional science
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Chewing ability is crucial for nutrient intake and overall health.
• Limited effective interventions exist to enhance masticatory function.
• Glucomannan shows potential for use in functional food applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of Chewing Ability Enhancing Substances (CAES) in improving masticatory performance.
• To assess the impact of CAES training on maximum biting force and chewing efficiency.
• To determine the duration of training-induced improvements in chewing ability.

Main Methods:

• Adult subjects underwent a four-week training regimen using CAES, a glucomannan-based substance.
• Maximum biting force and chewing performance (number of strokes, time to swallow) were measured.
• Measurements were taken before, after training, and at two weeks post-training cessation.

Main Results:

• Chewing CAES required significantly more strokes and time compared to usual foods.
• Four weeks of CAES training led to significant increases in maximum biting force and chewing performance.
• Improvements in chewing ability began to diminish two weeks after discontinuing CAES training.

Conclusions:

• Short-term training with CAES effectively enhances maximum biting force and chewing performance.
• The positive effects of CAES training on chewing ability are not permanent and require continued use.
• CAES represents a promising, albeit temporary, intervention for improving masticatory function.