Five Chiba Lotte Marines Players Participate in "Gum Select Chewing Power Measurement Event" to Enhance Performance by Incorporating Chewing for the Season

Lotte Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hideki Nakajima), as part of its "Kamu Spo Project" to communicate the value of "chewing" in sports, conducted a chewing power measurement and customized gum selection for five players of the professional baseball team "Chiba Lotte Marines" on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

There is a close relationship between sports and "chewing," and research has revealed various benefits, such as an increase in instantaneous muscle activity when clenching, as well as improved concentration, judgment, and relaxation effects. Leveraging this knowledge and research, Lotte provides continuous support to the Chiba Lotte Marines through "chewing." At the measurement event, Dr. Tomotaka Takeda, a guest professor from the Sports Dentistry Research Laboratory, Department of Oral Health Sciences at Tokyo Dental College, was invited to provide advice to each player based on their measurement results.

Improved Explosive Power, Jumping Ability, and Balance! The Benefits of Gum Training in Sports

Research has shown that "gum training," or chewing gum to enhance training effects in sports, has various benefits. Chewing power is deeply related to whole-body muscle activity, and in baseball, it has been reported that the activation of masticatory muscles allows for the efficient and effective exertion of instantaneous power during actions like batting. It has been reported that chewing muscles work instantaneously during power-exerting movements. Furthermore, improvements in explosive power, strengthening of static balance which lowers the risk of knee injuries during exercise, and improvement of occlusal balance have been reported, and gum training is expected to contribute to raising performance levels.

Taking on the "Chewing Power Measurement" to Measure Occlusal Force and Balance The Key to Injury Prevention and Improved Explosive Power is "Chewing Power"! Player Mohri, with the Strongest Chewing Power, Comments, "I want to chew gum to enter games with a good sense of tension."

This year, a total of five players—Takabe, Kojima, Kimura, Ueda, and Mohri—underwent chewing power measurement and professional gum selection. Based on the results, Dr. Takeda provided individual feedback. Upon seeing their own numbers, players commented, "I want to train my chewing power" (Player Kimura). Player Mohri, who had the strongest chewing power among the participants, commented, "I'm the type to get nervous, so I'd like to relax by chewing during warm-ups and enter the game with a good sense of tension." Dr. Takeda commented, "Each player's occlusal force balance is ideal, and I hope that continuing gum training will help improve their performance."