Decreased exercise capacity in young athletes using self-adapted mouthguards

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Exercise Physiology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Mouthguards offer preventive benefits in sports but can affect performance and physiological responses.
• Limited data exists on the hemodynamic effects of specific mouthguard designs, such as those with breathing channels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the physiological effects of self-adapted mouthguards with breathing channels (SAMGvent) during incremental exertion tests.
• To analyze changes in airway resistance, ventilation, blood lactate, and hemodynamic responses.

Main Methods:

• A randomized crossover study involving 17 healthy, active subjects.
• Subjects performed incremental exertion tests with and without SAMGvent, undergoing body plethysmography.
• Measurements included blood lactate, spirometry, and thoracic impedance.

Main Results:

• SAMGvent significantly increased airway resistance and blood lactate levels at submaximal loads.
• Ventilation and maximum performance were reduced with SAMGvent compared to no mouthguard.
• Maximum stroke volume was notably higher when wearing SAMGvent.

Conclusions:

• SAMGvent use results in increased metabolic effort and reduced ventilation, potentially due to cardiopulmonary compensation.
• While performance is slightly affected, the unchanged oxygen uptake and preventive benefits support mouthguard use in sports.