Metabolic and Neuromuscular Responses to High-Intensity Training with and without Taopatch® Nanotechnology: A Pilot Randomized Control Study

High-intensity training (HIT), such as CrossFit® training, causes metabolic and neuromuscular stress. Wearable devices, such as Taopatch®, which combine photobiomodulation and proprioceptive stimulation, have been proposed to enhance metabolic responses during HIT. Our pilot study investigated the acute effects of Taopatch® on metabolic (blood lactate and glycemia) and neuromuscular (handgrip strength and push-up performance) markers in six trained female CrossFit® athletes. Participants were assigned to either experimental group (TAO), who received the Taopatch® device, or the control group (CC), who received the Taopatch® placebo device. Each athletes completed a 15-minute CrossFit® training session. Lactate and glycemia levels were measured at baseline before device application (T0). The Taopatch®, active or placebo, was then applied, and post-training measurements were collected 45 minutes after the end of training (T1), and 90 minutes after the end of training (T2). Strength tests were performed before and after the application of Taopatch®. The results showed no statistically significant differences between groups. However, TAO group showed a stable glycaemic profile and a less marked lactate peak than CC group after the workout, suggesting a potential effect of Taopatch® on metabolic regulation. In neuromuscular parameters, there were no relevant changes between the groups. A small improvement in left-hand grip strength test was observed in TAO group, suggesting that Taopatch® can improve the non-dominant limb. However, the absence of evident effects on neuromuscular parameters could be related to the small sample size and short duration of the study. These preliminary findings suggest a potential modulatory effect on metabolic response that warrants verification in larger, fully-powered trials.