The PEP talk: Under Armour ArmourBite

Performance enhancing products have forced us to rethink the way we think on the pitch. Today, our jerseys claim to draw away moisture, while base layers aid blood circulation. But a Minneapolis based company have released a new item that could force us to rethink what we have in our mouth in a game.

A few thousand years ago, a few people were onto an ingenious sports science philosophy. Ancient Greek athletes bit down on leather for an edge during competition, while Roman soldiers bit down on bits of leather to focus on the battlefield. They knew something worked, but BiteTech have partnered with Under Armour to evolve a concept lost in time.

Introducing the Under Armour ArmourBite. The two companies have come together to introduce an entirely new category of sports equipment, the ArmourBite. Even though mouth guards have been around for ages, athletes in any sport can now capitalize on innovative technology that’ll help you go further, be stronger and be better for longer.

So how does it work? Whenever you train or compete, the natural reaction is to clench your jaw. It’s a part of the human psyche. This triggers an excess production of cortisol, a performance sapping hormone. Plus your airway will be restricted. But with the ArmourBite, the multi patented Power Wedges are uniquely shaped to help maintain optimal spacing and counteract the negative effects of clenching your teeth.

So what does this mean? It pretty much means the amount of oxygen you breathe in is increased. The effects of more oxygen is incredible. BiteTech claim that with less stress and more airflow, BiteTech and UA claim that the ArmourBite will do the following:

1. Increased oxygen intake can increase strength by as much as 20%
2. Increased oxygen circulation results in 25% less lactic acid build up after 30 minutes of exercise
3. More oxygen will prevent fatigue and improve reaction times by up to 12%
4. Reduced athletic stress means you’ll recover quicker after your training session or game

Sounds great right? It seems quite a few athletes have made the most of the power that can be unleashed by the ArmourBite. Over 1,000 professional, Olympic and college players wear the ArmourBite, including Tottenham’s Heurelho Gomes and Fulham’s own Bobby Zamora. There are two types of ArmourBite products on the market, a mouthpiece for low contact sports and a mouth guard for heavy contact sports.

While the reputation of performance enhancing products took a dint after the failure of the Power Band (I’ll admit I was one who was suckered in, what’s the body’s magnetic field anyway?) The theory behind the ArmourBite is surprisingly well structured. Think about it, if you can increase your oxygen intake, it should help oxygen flow around the body and that’ll aid your performance. Plus UA aren’t silly, the original UA baselayer is genesis for baselayers and now everyone wears them. They wouldn’t throw their money at a placebo.

However, Soccer Reviews haven’t taken BiteTech’s word on the product. Our own ArmourBite arrived yesterday and we’ll put it through its paces over the next few weeks in a number of different tests, including interval training, gym sessions and matches to see if the ArmourBite will live up to its claims.

The ArmourBite retails at $60. Interested? Head over to Under Armour to buy your own ArmourBite. Until then, could this be the next thing that influences what we all buy or is it all a bit silly?