Overview

• In a randomized crossover trial of 28 healthy volunteers, daily 30-minute ear-clip stimulation outperformed a sham device in exercise tests.
• Active stimulation raised oxygen uptake during exercise by 4% and increased peak breathing and heart rates by an average of four units.
• Blood analyses revealed measurable reductions in inflammatory markers after one week of vagus nerve stimulation.
• The wearable device clips to the outer ear and delivers gentle electrical pulses to the vagus nerve to modulate cardiovascular, respiratory and immune functions.
• Researchers now plan larger studies in patients with heart failure and hypertension with the goal of sustaining activity levels and enhancing quality of life.