WB-EMS Effects on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors

NCT07406191 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: EMS-KHK
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 28
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

From the age of 50 onwards, there is a disproportionate decline in muscle strength, mass and function, which can be prevented or at least delayed by physical training. Unfortunately, many training programmes are very time-consuming and strenuous and are therefore not carried out consistently. Whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS), a technology in which all major muscle groups are stimulated with an adjusted stimulation level, could be a time-effective and joint-friendly alternative. However, there are some contraindications to the widespread use of this technology, which are particularly common in middle-aged and elderly people. For example, high blood pressure, which affects more than half of men over the age of 50 in Germany, is considered a contraindication for WB-EMS training. However, this assessment is not very reliable; at least, acute WB-EMS application does not lead to an increase in blood pressure. In addition, there are no study results available for long-term WB-EMS application in people with high blood pressure. The present study particularly investigate whether and to what extent several weeks of WB-EMS training has an effect on resting blood pressure in people with mild blood pressure. Additionally, the effect of WB-EMS on other cardiometabolic risk factors and physical function will be addressed.

Conditions

Hypertension; Metabolic Syndrome; Hypercholesterolemia; Hypertriglyceridemia; Overweight and Obesity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Resting blood pressure

  Changes of mean arterial blood pressure after 10 min of rest in a sitting position as assessed by an automatic sphygmomanometer

  At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

• Metabolic syndrome

  Changes of the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) as determined by the MetS-Z-Score

  At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

Secondary Outcomes (11)

• Body fat rate

  At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

• Lean body mass

  At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

• Maximum muscle strength

  At baseline and after 12weeks of intervention

• Aerobic capacity

  At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

• Lower extremity muscle power

  At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

Study Arms (2)

Whole-body electromyostimulation

EXPERIMENTAL

12 weeks of Whole-body electromyostimulation, 1.5x 20min/week

Other: WB-EMS

Control group

OTHER

12 weeks without additional intervention.

Other: Control

Interventions

WB-EMS OTHER

12 weeks of WB-EMS, 1.5x20 min/week

Also known as: Electromyostimulation

Whole-body electromyostimulation

Control OTHER

12 weeks without additional intervention and without life style changes

Also known as: Non-intervention control group

Control group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 50 Years - 70 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: Eligibility is based on self-representation of gender identity
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Grade 1 hypertension: systolic 140 and/or diastolic 90 mmHg
• overweight or obese (body mass index \> 25 kg/m2)

You may not qualify if:

• blood pressure-lowering pharmacologic therapy.
• WB-EMS application and regular resistance exercise training
• Conditions and illnesses that preclude intensive physical exertion
• Severe cardiac arrhythmia
• Heart failure
• acute pulmonary embolism
• acute myocarditis
• severe hypertension, e.g. blood pressure \> 200 mmHg systolic and/or \>110 mmHg diastolic
• Contraindications for bioimpedance analysis (e.g. pacemaker)
• Contraindications for WB-EMS application (e.g. acute infections/fever, epilepsy)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School: lead
• Universität Tübingen: collaborator

Study Sites (2)

Faculty of Medicine, University of Tuebingen

Erlangen, 91052, Germany

Location

Institute of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen

Erlangen, 91054, Germany

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Kemmler W, Kohl M, von Stengel S, Willert S, Kast S, Uder M. Effects of whole-body electromyostimulation with different impulse intensity on blood pressure changes in hyper- and normotensive overweight people. A pilot study. Front Physiol. 2024 Feb 22;15:1349750. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1349750. eCollection 2024.

  PMID: 38455842 BACKGROUND

• Johnson JL, Slentz CA, Houmard JA, Samsa GP, Duscha BD, Aiken LB, McCartney JS, Tanner CJ, Kraus WE. Exercise training amount and intensity effects on metabolic syndrome (from Studies of a Targeted Risk Reduction Intervention through Defined Exercise). Am J Cardiol. 2007 Dec 15;100(12):1759-66. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2007.07.027. Epub 2007 Oct 29.

  PMID: 18082522 BACKGROUND

• Buysse DJ, Reynolds CF 3rd, Monk TH, Berman SR, Kupfer DJ. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: a new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Res. 1989 May;28(2):193-213. doi: 10.1016/0165-1781(89)90047-4.

  PMID: 2748771 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hypertension; Metabolic Syndrome; Hypercholesterolemia; Hypertriglyceridemia; Overweight; Obesity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Insulin Resistance; Hyperinsulinism; Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Metabolic Diseases; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Hyperlipidemias; Dyslipidemias; Lipid Metabolism Disorders; Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Body Weight; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Wolfgang Kemmler, PhD

  Institute of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Germany

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: The study is blinded exclusively for the measurement assistants, who do not know the status of the participant and are not permitted to ask about it.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Randomized controlled study with two study arms

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 5, 2026
• First Posted: February 12, 2026
• Study Start: February 15, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2027
• Last Updated: May 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

DE (2)