We all insist on rinsing our mouth clean before training, when these bacteria on the tongue cut the oxygen cost of the effort by 3 to 5%
Your mouth harbors bacteria that convert dietary nitrate into a powerful performance enhancer, reducing oxygen cost during exercise by 3-5%. But one simple habit—rinsing with antibacterial mouthwash—can disable this natural advantage entirely. Here’s what exercise scientists have learned about protecting this hidden edge.