Effects of Whole-Body-Electromyostimulation on Body Composition and Cardiac Risk Factors in Elderly Men with the Metabolic Syndrome. The TEST-II Study

Sarcopenia and (abdominal) adiposity are closely related to increased mortality morbidity and frailty in the elderly. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of whole-body-electromyostimulation (WBES) on body composition in elderly men with metabolic syndrome over 14 weeks. 28 men (69.4 +/- 2.8 yrs) with metabolic syndrome were randomly assigned either to a control-group (CG, n = 14) or to an electromyostimulation-group (WB-EMS, n = 14). Subjects of the WB-EMS-group performed training sessions with WB-EMS application (2x30 mins/10 days), while in parallel the CG exercised on vibration plates with focus on flexibility Primary study-endpoints were abdominal fat and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASSM), secondary endpoints were total fat-mass and waist-circumference. Significant differences were determined for changes of abdominal fat mass (WB-EMS: -252 +/- 196 g, p=.001 vs. CG: -34 +/- 103 g, p=.330; p=.004; Effects size (ES): d' : 1.33) and ASSM: (249 +/- 444 g. p=.066 vs. -298 +/- 638 g p=.173: p=.024. ES: d' =.97). Significant between group-differences with more favorable changes in the WB-EMS-group were also assessed for total fat mass (p=,008. ES: d' =1.23) and waist circumference (p=.023, ES: d' =1.10). After 14 weeks of low volume (45 min/week) whole-body EMS-application, body composition of elderly men with metabolic syndrome significantly improved. Therefore, we conclude that for elderly subjects unable or unwilling to perform high intensity strength or endurance type exercises, electromyostimulation may be a viable alternative to counteract sarcopenia and total/abdominal adiposity.