Clinical Study Demonstrates that Electromagnetic Muscle Stimulation Does Not Cause Injury to Fat Cells

Abstract

Background and Objectives A previous pre‐clinical study on electromagnetic muscle stimulation (EMMS) suggested that fat cell apoptosis occurs following treatment in a porcine model. While EMMS can induce changes in muscle, the effect on fat tissue is not established. This clinical study sought to assess adipose tissue response to EMMS in comparison to cryolipolysis treatment. Study Design/Materials and Methods Study subjects were recruited prior to abdominoplasty to receive body contouring treatments and subsequently to obtain tissue for histological analysis. Non‐invasive abdominal treatments were delivered using a commercially available (n = 6) or prototype (n = 3) EMMS system or a cryolipolysis system (n = 2). Subjects received a single EMMS treatment (100% intensity for 30 minutes) or a single cryolipolysis treatment (−11°C for 35 minutes) to the abdomen. Superficial and deep (i.e., adjacent to muscle layer) subcutaneous adipose tissue was harvested at set timepoints post‐treatment. The presence or absence of an inflammatory response was evaluated using standard hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. As adipocytes that are destined to become apoptotic cannot be distinguished by traditional H&E staining during the early phases of injury, irreversible fat cell injury was assessed using perilipin immunofluorescence. Results Following H&E histological analysis at 3, 10, 11, and 17 days post‐treatment, no EMMS‐treated samples showed an inflammatory response in either the superficial or deep subcutaneous adipose tissue. For the cryolipolysis‐treated adipose tissue, however, the H&E staining revealed a marked inflammatory response with an influx of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and macrophages at timepoints consistent with previous histological studies. Further, loss of perilipin staining provided clear visual evidence of irreversible fat cell injury in the cryolipolysis‐treated adipose tissue. In contrast, the electromagnetic muscle stimulation‐treated samples showed persistence of perilipin staining of adipose tissue indicating that all fat cells were viable. Conclusion This study failed to demonstrate either fat cell injury or inflammatory response following EMMS treatment. While electromagnetic muscle stimulation may non‐invasively induce muscle changes, this clinical study found no evidence of an impact injurious or otherwise on subcutaneous fat. © 2020 The Authors. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC

A 12‐Week, Prospective, Non‐Comparative, Non‐Randomized Study of Magnetic Muscle Stimulation for Improvement of Body Satisfaction With the Abdomen and Buttocks

“…MMS is not expected to impact subcutaneous fat, and as participants maintained baseline weight by ±5%, the changes observed in waist circumference detected by three-dimensional measurement may be attributable to dimensional changes occurring in the abdominal muscles as a result of treatment (Fig. 3) [17]. Though not measured in this study, the literature describing the results following treatment with a high-intensity focused electromagnetic device has reported a decrease in the abdominal rectus muscle separation (~10%) and an increase in abdominal muscle thickness (~14%) for up to 1 year following a series of four to eight treatments in some participants [10][11][12].…”

“…In contrast to electrical muscle stimulation, MMS creates pulsating magnetic fields that penetrate skin and fat and induce an electrical current at the skeletal muscle level. This leads to depolarization and initiation of action potential for muscle contraction, delivering a rapid and sustained rate of muscular contraction that is not attainable with manual exercise [16,17].…”

Combination of monopolar 2 MHz radiofrequency and electrical multidirectional stimulation for reducing abdominal circumference and enhancing the muscle definition in subjects with overweight range body mass index

“…In contrast to the electrical stimulus that EMDS provides, HIFEM utilizes pulsating magnetic fields to induce depolarization leading to muscle contraction 16,28–31 . Studies using HIFEM have reported significant muscular changes, causing increased thickness and decreased separation of the RA muscles 8,17–19,32 . In addition, it has also been shown to cause a 15.7% average reduction in subcutaneous layer thickness following a series of four 30‐minute treatment sessions 8…”

“…16,[28][29][30][31] Studies using HIFEM have reported significant muscular changes, causing increased thickness and decreased separation of the RA muscles. 8,[17][18][19]32 In addition, it has also been shown to cause a 15.7% average reduction in subcutaneous layer thickness following a series of four 30-minute treatment sessions. 8 The recent surge of technological innovation in the field of body contouring has seen the development of various noninvasive devices that can help improve the body's appearance.…”

Combination non‐invasive radiofrequency and electrical muscle stimulation: A synergistic combination for body contouring

“…9,10 However, the aesthetic utility of EMS devices fell short due to unaddressed lipodystrophy of many patients. 6,11 The rising demand for more comprehensive non-invasive body contouring solutions, has recently been met with synergistic combinations of technology that address skin laxity, adipose hypertrophy, and muscle tone. Radiofrequency (RF) technology in combination with EMS is of particular interest.…”