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Microcurrent and Aerobic Exercise Effects on Abdominal Fat

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Obesity, Abdominal
Interventions
Device: Exercise after
Device: Exercise at same time
Device: Transcutaneos
Device: percutaneous microcurrent
Device: 25-50Hz microcurrent
Device: 25-10Hz
Registration Number
NCT01853761
Lead Sponsor
Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto
Brief Summary

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

Detailed Description

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.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
45
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

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
FACTORIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
25-50Hz microcurrent25-50Hz microcurrentExperimental 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.
Control GroupTranscutaneosControl 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.
Exercise after, Transcutaneos, 25-10HzExercise afterExperimental 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.
Exercise after, Transcutaneos, 25-10Hz25-10HzExperimental 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.
Exercise at same timeTranscutaneosExperimental 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 GroupExercise afterControl 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.
Exercise after, Transcutaneos, 25-10HzTranscutaneosExperimental 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.
25-50Hz microcurrentExercise afterExperimental 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.
25-50Hz microcurrentTranscutaneosExperimental 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.
percutaneous microcurrentExercise afterExperimental 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.
percutaneous microcurrentpercutaneous microcurrentExperimental 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.
percutaneous microcurrent25-10HzExperimental 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.
Exercise at same time25-10HzExperimental 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.
Exercise at same timeExercise at same timeExperimental 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.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
subcutaneous abdominal fat and viceral abdominal fatfive weeks after the intervencion

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

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose levelsfive weeks after intervention

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

bioimpedance valuesfive weeks after the intervencion

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.

perimeters measurementsfive weeks after intervencion

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 skinfoldsfive weeks after intervencion

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

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Andreia Noites

🇵🇹

Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, Portugal

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