Microcurrent and Aerobic Exercise Effects on Abdominal Fat

The purpose of this study was to analyze microcurrent short and long term effects used with aerobic exercise on abdominal fat.

Nutritional patterns have been changed during XXI century with sugar and fat's high proportions that allied to sedentarism increased body fat. There is already a well establish relationship between total body fat excess, cardiometabolic diseases and increased mortality, knowing that abdominal fat (android pattern), different from body index, presents an additional influence to health risks. Women with their abdominal adipocytes (visceral fat) show an increased lipolitic activity that releases free fat acids to the systemic and portal circulation leading to a metabolic syndrome, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases Aerobic exercise is a way to decrease fat as it stimulates lipolysis through an increase in catecholamine's level resulting from a sympathetic system nervous activity raise. The most used exercise for lipid elimination is the prolonged aerobic moderate exercise with a minimum of 30 mn. Nevertheless aerobic exercise practice reduce globally lipidic sources and not locally . Electrolipolysis using microcurrent has been used in clinical practice as a technique to reduce abdominal fat. This technique can be applied transcutaneously or percutaneously seeming that the former is not so effective as skin can be an obstacle to the current effect on visceral and subcutaneous fat . Abdominal fat excess is associated with cardiometabolic diseases and can be prevented using microcurrent and aerobic exercise to stimulate lipolysis.

Experimental group 1 performed aerobic exercise just after microcurrent in the abdominal region with four transcutaneous electrodes in a parallel position, intensity below the sensivity threshold and a maximum of 1 mA. Every 15 minutes changed from 25Hz to 10 Hz.

Experimental group 2 performed aerobic exercise just after microcurrent in the abdominal region with four transcutaneous electrodes in a parallel position, intensity below the sensivity threshold and a maximum of 1 mA. Every 15 minutes changed from 25Hz to 50Hz.

Experimental group 3 performed aerobic exercise just after microcurrent in the abdominal region with four percutaneous electrodes in a parallel position, intensity below the sensivity threshold and a maximum of 1 mA. Every 15 minutes changed from 25Hz to 10 Hz.

Experimental group 4 performed aerobic exercise at the same time microcurrent in the abdominal region with four transcutaneous electrodes in a parallel position, intensity below the sensivity threshold and a maximum of 1 mA. Every 15 minutes changed from 25Hz to 10 Hz.

Control group performed aerobic exercise just after microcurrent in the abdominal region with four transcutaneous electrodes in a parallel position, but microcurrent device was switched off.

Aerobic exercise just after microcurrent in the abdominal region, intensity below the sensivity threshold and a maximum of 1 mA. 30 minutes of aerobic moderate-intensity exercise (50%VO2 max) using Karvonen´s formula, performed on a cycloergometer. Were used Borg scale (12-13) and Polar® heart monitors to control heart rate.

Aerobic exercise at the same time microcurrent in the abdominal region, intensity below the sensivity threshold and a maximum of 1 mA. 30 minutes of aerobic moderate-intensity exercise (50%VO2 max) using Karvonen´s formula, performed on a cycloergometer. Were used Borg scale (12-13) and Polar® heart monitors to control heart rate.

Microcurrent device in the abdominal region with four transcutaneous electrodes in a parallel position, intensity below the sensivity threshold and a maximum of 1 mA.

Microcurrent device in the abdominal region with four percutaneous electrodes in a parallel position, intensity below the sensivity threshold and a maximum of 1 mA.

microcurrent device in the abdominal whith intensity below the sensivity threshold and a maximum of 1 mA. Every 15 minutes changed from 25Hz to 10 Hz.

microcurrent device in the abdominal whith intensity below the sensivity threshold and a maximum of 1 mA. Every 15 minutes changed from 25Hz to 50 Hz.

Ultrasound was performed at the end of expiration to measure subcutaneous abdominal fat between xiphoid apophysis and navel, below navel, and above left and right anterior superior iliac spine. Between xiphoid apophysis and navel was also measured visceral abdominal fat

The height was measured with the volunteers on respiratory apnea. To minimize the influence of electrolyte balance changes in bioimpedance assessment, was given some rules to volunteers. It was calculated BMI using the body weight divided by height squared.

The volunteers were on fasting (12 hours) and was collected a blood sample on finger to measure cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose levels. The results were recorded through the classes

The perimeters measurements were done, at the end of expiration, at waist level (below last rib), at navel level, at the point immediately above the iliac crests and at trochanters level. The waist-hip ratio was calculated using the waist level perimeter divided by trochanters level perimeter

Suprailiac, vertical and horizontal abdominal skinfolds were performed three times in right hemi body, by caliper

Inclusion Criteria: age between 18 and 30 years presenting a normal to pre-obese body mass index (18.5 - 29.9 Kg/m2) moderate physical activity level (between 600 and 3000 metabolic-minute/week (MET-min/week)) scored by International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) Exclusion Criteria: submitted to other fat reduce procedure to show cardiovascular risk factors or diseases and/or any physical condition limiting aerobic exercise to present any contra indications to microcurrent and/or aerobic exercise to take medication that influence lipid metabolism, and to be pregnant

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