Clay body wrap with microcurrent: Effects in central adiposity

Abstract

Introduction: Increased fat mass is becoming more prevalent in women and its accumulation in the abdominal region can lead to numerous health risks such as diabetes mellitus. The clay body wrap using compounds such as green clay, green tea and magnesium sulfate, in addition to microcurrent, may reduce abdominal fat mass and minimize or prevent numerous health problems. Objective: This study aims at measuring the influence of the clay body wrap with microcurrent and aerobic exercise on abdominal fat. Methods: Nineteen female patients, randomized into intervention (n = 10) and control (n = 9) groups, were evaluated using ultrasound for visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat, calipers and abdominal region perimeter for subcutaneous fat and bioimpedance for weight, fat mass percentage and muscular mass. During 10 sessions (5 weeks, twice a week) both groups performed aerobic exercise in a cycloergometer and a clay body wrap with microcurrent was applied to the intervention group. Results: When comparing both groups after 5 weeks of protocol, there was a significant decrease in the subcutane-ous fat around left anterior superior iliac spine in the intervention group (ρ = 0.026 for a confidence interval 95%). When comparing initial and final abdominal fat in the intervention group, measured by ultrasound (subcutaneous and visceral fat) and by skinfold (subcutaneous fat), we detected a significant abdominal fat reduction. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the clay body wrap used with microcurrent and aerobic exercise can have a positive effect on central fat reduction.

Effects of Aerobic Exercise Associated with Abdominal Microcurrent: A Preliminary Study

“…Only the report by Melo and colleagues suggests using frequencies of 10 and 25 Hz (15 minutes each, to prevent desensitization of adipocytes); those authors emphasize these frequencies as the most adequate for stimulating lipolysis. 14 McMakin and Oschman state that microcurrent uses lowfrequency, low-level micro-amperage currents and is based on the principles of biologic resonance. 15 This technique can be applied transcutaneously or percutaneously; the former is not as effective because the skin can be an obstacle to the current's effect on visceral and subcutaneous fat.…”

Effects of microcurrents and physical exercise on the abdominal fat in patients with coronary artery disease

“…The MI participants were chosen as cardiovascular risk factors were present as well as the fact that they were sedentary and overweight. [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17 ], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30], [31], [32], [33 ], [34], [35] and [36]. Central obesity seems to be directly related to insulin resistance and to systemic inflammation that in turn increase the risk of metabolic syndrome and CVD [36].…”

“…The microcurrent program was completed 3 times per week for 2 months, before physical exercise. Each electrolipolysis session had a duration of 30 min: the first 15 min with a frequency of 30 Hz and the last 15 min with a frequency of 10 Hz (to prevent adipocyte desensitization) and an intensity below each subject's threshold of sensitivity (with a maximum limit of 750 μA) [30].…”

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

“…A 25 Hz frequency (impulse duration and resting duration of 20 ms) was used during the first 20 min, followed by another application of 20 min at 10 Hz frequency (impulse duration and resting duration of 50 ms). In the experimental group, the microcurrent's intensity was under each individual's sensitivity threshold (registered values were superior to 700 mA and inferior to 1000 mA) [16,28,29]. In the placebo group, all the procedures were similar to the EG but the microcuurent device was off.…”

“…In fact the most studied microcurrent protocols, use frequencies of 10 Hz and 25 Hz in order to potentiate the effect of microcurrent in local blood flow stimulation and through stimulation of lipolytic mediators released by the sympatic adrenergic system. [16,28,29].…”