Would You Zap Yourself With Electricity To Get Into Shape?

One of the latest trends in boutique fitness is electrifying. Literally. From a report: Called whole-body electrical muscle stimulation, or EMS, the technique requires users to wear an electrode-studded suit that attaches to a machine. The suit delivers electrical impulses that make each exercise more difficult as muscles fight against the impulses. The result is a more efficient way to build muscle mass and strength, say proponents, who claim that one 20-minute session of whole-body zapping achieves the same benefits as two and half hours of conventional strength training. In the U.S., the workouts are offered by about 400 fitness centers, spas and other outlets, and do-it-yourself home training kits are proliferating online. Yet whole-body EMS isn't a shortcut to a Marvel hero's physique, scientists say. Regulators have warned the equipment can be dangerous, with risks including muscle damage or burns. Whole-body EMS is attracting more attention from researchers studying whether the technique might benefit people who don't or can't exercise. Some doctors are investigating whether it can decrease inflammation in the obese and frailty in older people. A small study presented at an American Heart Association conference in November suggested that whole-body EMS might benefit the heart. Twenty-four young, healthy adults who did 20 minutes a week of squats, lunges and bicep curls using electrical stimulation recorded greater improvements in waist and hip measurements, cholesterol levels, aerobic capacity and other indicators of cardiac health than a second group that did the same exercises without stimulation, according to the findings, which haven't been published in a scientific journal. Small studies like this suggest the approach might hold promise as a supplemental treatment for cardiac patients who don't get the exercise they need, says Jaskanwal Sara, the Mayo Clinic doctor who conducted the research.

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