NUROPOD VAGUS NERVE STIMULATOR
Back in January, we featured vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in 31 Days of Wellness, and VNS devices, the hot new trend in biohack tools. Knowing there was much more on the topic than could fit into the short 31 Day posts, we wanted to go in for a deeper dive…
Vagus Nerve Stimulation was originally used as a medical neuromodulation treatment for epilepsy and seizure control, as well as severe psychological disorders such as depression. The invasive VNS devices used were surgically implanted pulse generators that resembled a pacemaker, and shown to have about 50% efficacy, which was considered beneficial as a treatment.
In the past decade, the effect of VNS on general psychological and cognitive functioning has gained a lot of attention in the health and wellness space, with the introduction of non-invasive VNS methods shown to be capable of activating the vagus nerve, similarly to the invasive techniques, for overall wellbeing.
The vagus nerve is the longest of the 12 cranial nerves in the body, stretching from the brainstem to the colon. It’s like an information superhighway and plays a crucial role in regulating the autonomic nervous system which is divided into two main branches: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS).
One of the essential functions of the vagus nerve is to regulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the “rest and digest” response, and includes calmness and relaxation – as opposed to our sympathetic nervous system, which activates the “fight or flight” stress response.
The vagus nerve carries the majority of parasympathetic fibers of the autonomic nervous system, and is key to many physiological processes in the body. Vagus nerve stimulation involves delivering gentle energy pulses to the vagus nerve to balance the autonomic nervous system branches, leading to a wide range of benefits by altering both sympathetic and parasympathetic activities.
Popular brands of VNS devices marketed for wellness include Pulsetto, Truvaga, and Nuropod. These non-invasive devices use gentle electrical pulses on the neck or ear to promote relaxation, boost mood, relieve stress, improve sleep and digestion, and decrease pain and inflammation. Vagus nerve stimulation also affects the levels of crucial neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin, for improved overall wellbeing.
Elisabetta Burchi is a psychiatrist and head of research at Parasym, the company that produces the Nuropod. Nuropod uses Auricular VNS Stimulation — as opposed to Truvaga and Pulsetto which use cervical stimulation on the neck — and the device clips onto the tragus of the ear.
In a conversation with Style of Sport, Burchi detailed the difference between stimulating the cervical and auricular branches of the vagus nerve. The cervical branch is both afferent (information goes to the central nervous system) and efferent (information goes away from the central nervous system to the internal organs). Burchi explained that the auricular branch of the vagus nerve is only afferent, arguing that it does not directly stimulate internal organs, like the heart, and thus safer. It stimulates a series of nuclei in the brainstem, leading to a cascade of central and peripheral effects.
I have used both Nuropod and Truvaga Plus for the purposes of this article over a two-week periods. Both devices preface that everyone will experience their benefits differently and within their own time frames. Truvaga Plus is a handheld cervical stimulation device requiring only a 2-minute session. I did feel immediately more relaxed after using it, supporting their marketing statement, that Truvaga is designed to alleviate stress, quickly and gently.
For Nuropod, which is hand-free so you can conveniently just leave it on your ear, the default is a 60-minute session. Though I have only been using it for two weeks and not everyday, I have not noticed changes thus far. It was suggested I try increasing the frequency and duration of the sessions. I would be curious to try Pulsetto, a hands-free cervical VNS device that features two-sided stimulation, as opposed to Truvaga’s one side. The session is 4 minutes.
There are numerous non-invasive VNS options available for the consumer: hands free or handheld, auricular or cervical, bilateral or unilateral stimulation. Each manufacturer will argue why theirs is superior to the others. My vagul observation is we are all wired differently, and the effectiveness will vary from person to person. The best one is the one that works for you.
