- The study highlights that brief, 10 minutes long, weekly exposure to low energy pulsed electromagnetic fields improve muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics and attenuate systemic lipotoxicity.
- After 12 weeks, improvements were significant in mobility, body composition, particularly in older patients.
Skeletal muscle plays a central role in maintaining the body’s metabolic balance due to its large and adaptable mitochondrial pool. Exercise promotes health and longevity by activating these mitochondria, which produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) that trigger molecular pathways leading to the release of beneficial muscle-derived factors, collectively known as the muscle secretome. These secreted molecules support regeneration, metabolism, immunity, and overall tissue health, explaining many of exercise’s systemic benefits.
With aging, mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to sarcopenia—the progressive loss of muscle mass, strength, and function—reducing resilience to disease. However, regular physical activity and caloric restriction can help preserve mitochondrial efficiency and counteract sarcopenia. The key regulator of these beneficial effects is PGC-1α, a master controller of mitochondrial biogenesis. Despite this, muscle has been underutilized in therapies using pulsed electromagnetic field technologies, representing a missed opportunity for rehabilitation.
In older adults, muscle loss is often accompanied by increased fat accumulation in inappropriate (ectopic) sites such as visceral and intramuscular areas, leading to severe metabolic and functional problems. Identifying high-risk individuals early is challenging, as Body Mass Index (BMI) does not accurately reflect harmful visceral fat levels—especially in Asian populations, who tend to have higher body fat and earlier onset of metabolic diseases at lower BMIs. For example, Singapore uses a lower BMI cutoff (23 kg/m²) for overweight than international standards (25 kg/m²).
In the referenced study, participants experienced only modest BMI decreases after 8 weeks of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, yet showed significant reductions in visceral and total fat, suggesting such therapies may have clinical benefits.
Age-related fat redistribution to visceral and intramuscular sites promotes inflammation, lipotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress—factors that impair muscle health and perpetuate a cycle of inflammation and decline characteristic of sarcopenia and frailty. Maintaining a healthy balance between muscle and fat is therefore essential for extending healthspan. The study found that pulsed electromagnetic field therapy not only reduced fat but also helped preserve muscle and improve mobility, particularly in older adults, indicating its potential as an adjunct to traditional geriatric care.
In summary the study demonstrated the therapeutic potential of 10 minutes impulse electromagnetic therapy in improving mobility and body composition in patients even in 12 weeks.
Reference
Full reference from: REVIEW ARTICLE Aging (Albany NY)
. 2023 Mar 19;15(6):1768–1790. doi: 10.18632/aging.204597
Venugobal S, Tai YK, Goh J, Teh S, Wong C, Goh I, Maier AB, Kennedy BK, Franco-Obregón A. Brief, weekly magnetic muscle therapy improves mobility and lean body mass in older adults: a Southeast Asia community case study. Aging (Albany NY). 2023 Mar 19;15(6):1768-1790. doi: 10.18632/aging.204597. Epub 2023 Mar 19. PMID: 36934330; PMCID: PMC10085623.
Title: “Brief, weekly magnetic muscle therapy improves mobility and lean body mass in older adults: a Southeast Asia community case study”