Acute effects of physical exercise with microcurrent in the adipose tissue of the abdominal region: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Introduction: Increased abdominal fat and sedentary lifestyles contribute to cardiovascular disease risk. Low-intensity electrical current (microcurrent) on the abdominal region, associated with physical exercise, appears to be an innovative method to increase the lipolytic rate of abdominal adipocytes, in order to reduce abdominal fat. This study aimed to analyze the acute effects of microcurrent associated with an aerobic exercise program in healthy subjects in lipolysis. Method: A double-blinded, randomized controlled trial was developed and conducted in a higher education school. Eighty-three healthy subjects, aged between 18 and 30 years old and with a 18.5 to 29.9 kg/m 2 body mass index were randomly assigned either to an experimental or to a placebo group. Subjects received a trans-abdominal microcurrent stimulation for 40 min with (experimental group) or without (placebo group) electrical current, followed by a single aerobic exercise session (60 min at 45-55% VO2max intensity). Lipolytic activity (serum glycerol), abdominal fat (waist circumference, abdominal skinfold, ultrasonography), and serum lipid profile (serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) were evaluated in all subjects. Physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire) and dietary intake (food-frequency questionnaire) questionnaires were applied. Results: After the intervention, lipolytic rate was significantly higher (p = 0.003) in the experimental group (mean = 0.15) than in the placebo group (mean = 0.09). Glycerol results showed a statistically significant increase between baseline and after the intervention for both experimental group (p = 0.001) and the placebo group (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Combined use of microcurrent and physical aerobic exercise had an acute effect enhancing lipolytic rate comparing to exercise alone, in young healthy subjects.

Efeitos da eletroestimulação percutânea associada ao exercício físico sobre a gordura abdominal de mulheres jovens

“…Aparentemente, a duração do exercício pode ter sido curta para oxidar os ácidos graxos livres, contudo as melhoras decorrentes do protocolo de exercícios, bem como o de exercícios associados à eletroestimulação, entram em consonância com estudos que relatam que o exercício realizado por mais de 30 minutos e com intensidade moderada é capaz de estimular essa oxidação. 15,16,17 Isto explica a pequena redução de peso e massa gorda nas participantes do estudo.…”

“…Tal efeito também foi evidenciado no estudo de Noites et al 25 Estudo realizado por Mello et al 4 , que realizou a comparação da aplicação da eletrolipólise nos modos transcutâneo e percutâneo na faixa de 30hz em região abdominal, também verificou que não houve alterações significantes na composição corporal. As células adiposas subcutâneas, ao serem estimuladas com corrente de 30Hz, por meio de dois canais e de forma percutânea, aparentemente não tiveram a despolarização de sua membrana celular conforme esperado, posto que isto era o que facilitaria a lipólise, como foi proposto por Ramirez-Ponce et al 26 e Noites et al 17 Segundo Aroca et al 14 , devido ao efeito joule causado pela eletrolipólise, que provocaria o aumento da temperatura, contribuindo para um crescimento do volume sanguíneo local e vasodilatação, ocorreria o aumento do metabolismo e melhora do trofismo celular levando à diminuição da perimetria. Esse aumento de temperatura local também facilitaria a quebra dos triglicérides e redução do volume dos adipócitos.…”

Physiological effects of microcurrent and its application for maximising acute responses and chronic adaptations to exercise

“…Compared to the non-MCT treatment (only training, n = 9), the athletes allocated to the MCT group (n = 9) significantly (p < 0.05) decreased lower limb fat and showed a trend (p > 0.05 and < 0.1) to reduce whole-body fat (Naclerio et al 2021). Noites et al (2017) investigated the acute effect of combined MCT with endurance exercise on normal and overweight (body mass index between 18.5 and 29.9 kg/m 2 ) male and female university students aged 18-30 years. Participants received a trans-abdominal microcurrent stimulation (MCT group, n = 42) or placebo (exercise alone group, n = 41) for 40 min prior to performing a single moderate aerobic exercise session.…”

“…The mechanistic effect of MCT on skeletal muscles could be explained by its stimulatory effect on noradrenaline secretion, which has been proposed as an additional mechanism for promoting muscle protein synthesis (Navegantes et al 2002). Catecholamine secretion was proposed to be increased following MCT application (Noites et al 2017). For instance, increased noradrenaline secretion has been recently reported in mice after transcranial direct current stimulation (Mishima et al 2019).…”

Effects of high-intensity interval training associated to microcurrent on localized adiposity: protocol of randomized clinical trial

“…However, they have inherent risks and complications such as: pain, edema, hematoma and scarring, in addition to prolonged recovery (12) . Thus, numerous noninvasive lipolytic techniques alternative to liposuction have been developed in the last decades, including: cryolipolysis, focused ultrasound, low intensity laser therapy, radio frequency and local applications of lipolytic injections (13)(14) . These techniques are less painful or even painless, but they also have minimal inherent risks.…”