Influence of adjuvant EMS training on body composition and cardiac risk factors in older men with metabolic syndrome

Aim of study
It is doubtless that Sarcopenia and (abdominal) adiposity are closely associated with mortality, multi-morbidity and frailty in older people. That’s why most of the people who have weak muscles and flabby body are suffering from many health complaints. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine to what extent the Whole Body Electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) training can influence body composition and cardiac risk factors in older men with metabolic syndrome.

Results
Concerning the high effect size, there is a remarkable change in the abdominal fat mass has been noticed (ES: d’=1,33). This change in the abdominal fat mass, consequently, showed significant differences (p = 0.004) between WB-EMS and CG (-252 ±196 g, p = 0.001 vs. -34 ± 103 g, p = 0. 330). Parallel to this, the whole body fat diminished by (-1350 ± 876 g (p = 0.001) in the WB-EMS group and by (-291+ -850 g (p = 0.307), while in the CG (difference: p = 0.008, ES: d’= 1.23). The ASMM also showed significant differences (p = 0.024, ES: d’= 0.97) between the EMS group and the vibration control group (249±444 g, p = 0.066 vs. -298±638 g, p=.173), with the exception of a significant inter-group difference (p = 0.023, ES: d’ = 1.10) for the waist circumference (EMS: -5.2± 1.8 cm, p = 0.001 vs. CG: -3.3±2.9 cm, p = 0.006). In addition, no further effects on the parameters of the metabolic syndrome (see above) were shown.

Conclusion
At a low training volume (about 45 minutes/week), and a short period of intervention (14 weeks), whole body EMS training exhibits significant effects on the body composition of older people. Thus WB-EMS could be an appropriate alternative to conventional training programs for people with low cardiac and orthopedic capacity.