DOC News October 1, 2005
Volume 2 Number 10 p. 12
© 2005 American Diabetes Association
Stimulation No Shortcut to Fitness
Electrical stimulation of muscle by way of electrodes on the skin issometimes helpful for people with neurological injury or disease, mimickingexercise sufficiently to increase measures of fitness and glucose metabolism.It makes sense to hypothesize that such an approach might help peoplestruggling with diabetes and obesity when exercise presents greatdifficulties.
It comes as no shock to learn that while electrical muscle stimulation(EMS) is exercise-like in the near term, the benefits are too small to beclinically meaningful for people with type 2 diabetes. You can't just twitchyour way to fitness, suggests a clinical study by a group of researchers atUniversity of Southampton, U.K.
Investigators tested EMS on 33 healthy volunteers—16 men and 17 womenaged 21–55 years. The study included five people with type 2 diabetes46–51 years of age. Each participant used EMS for up to 4 hours dailyfor 12 weeks. In the near term, EMS increased pulse rate, blood pressure,energy expenditure, and glucose uptake.
However, at the end of the study period, there was no difference in bodycomposition or clinical parameters. The "magnitude of this change is toosmall to have any clinical benefit," the researchers conclude.
Poole RB, Harrold CP, Burridge JH, et al.: Electricalmuscle stimulation acutely mimics exercise in neurologically intactindividuals but has limited clinical benefits in patients with type 2diabetes. Diabetes Obes Metab 7: 344–351, 2005.[Medline]
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