Spit it out! That liquid in your mouth doesn’t only help you swallow or gross others out. Now doctors may be able to use saliva to diagnose a concussion.

A three-year research project called SCRUM studied 1,028 professional men’s rugby players. Players tackle or run into each other. That can cause concussions. A concussion is an injury to the brain. Getting hit in the head or taking a hard fall during sports can cause those injuries.

The researchers looked at 14 biomarkers in saliva. Biomarkers are signals in the human body. They found that those markers can show if a player has a concussion. Scientists think signals from nerves in the mouth and throat affect saliva. That’s how it can quickly show an injury.

“The body knows that something has happened upstairs,” says Antonio Belli. “So every part of the body begins to adapt and respond to that injury, including saliva.” Dr. Belli is a professor who studies brain injuries and surgery. He helped lead the study.

God made the parts of your body to work together. Psalm 139:13 says, “You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” Paul used the unity of the human body as an example for the whole church of God in 1 Corinthians 12.

People who get concussions need to rest. Their brains need to heal. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if someone has a concussion. Often a doctor isn’t around. This test could help!

A company called Marker Diagnostics wants to sell the saliva concussion test. The saliva must be sent to a lab. But the researchers say they could develop a game-side test in a few years. Players could take that test right away.