Research Paper Volume 15, Issue 6 pp 1768—1790

Brief, weekly magnetic muscle therapy improves mobility and lean body mass in older adults: a Southeast Asia community case study

Sharanya Venugobal1, , Yee Kit Tai2,3,4,5, , Jorming Goh6,7,8,9, , Sean Teh1, , Craig Wong2,3,4, , Ivan Goh1, , Andrea B. Maier7,8,10, , Brian K. Kennedy6,7,8,9,11, , Alfredo Franco-Obregón2,3,4,5,6,7,12, ,

  • 1 QuantumTx, Alexandra Hospital, Block 29 Level 1 Centre for Innovation in Healthcare, Co-Working Space, Singapore
  • 2 Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 3 Institute of Health Technology and Innovation (iHealthtech), National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 4 Biolonic Currents Electromagnetic Pulsing Systems Laboratory (BICEPS), National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 5 NUS Centre for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 6 Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 7 Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 8 Centre for Healthy Longevity, National University Health System, Singapore
  • 9 Singapore Institute of Clinical Sciences, A*STAR, Singapore
  • 10 Department of Human Movement Sciences, @AgeAmsterdam, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • 11 Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 12 Nanomedicine Translational Research Programme, Centre for NanoMedicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Received: January 14, 2023       Accepted: March 4, 2023       Published: March 19, 2023      

https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204597
How to Cite

Copyright: © 2023 Venugobal et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Abstract

Brief (10 min) weekly exposure to low energy pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) has been shown to improve human muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics and attenuate systemic lipotoxicity following anterior cruciate ligament surgical reconstruction. Here we present data generated from 101 participants, 62% female, aged 38–91 years, recruited from the QuantumTx Demo Centre in Singapore, wherein 87% of participants (n = 88) presented with pre-existing mobility dysfunction and 13% (n = 13) were healthy volunteers. Participants were recruited if: (i) not pregnant; (ii) above 35 years of age and; (iii) without surgical implants. All participants completed mobility testing, pre- and post- PEMF intervention for 12 weeks, whereas bioelectrical impedance analysis was conducted in a subgroup of 42 and 33 participants at weeks 4 and 8, respectively. Weekly PEMF exposure was associated with significant improvements in mobility (Timed Up and Go, 5 times Sit-to-Stand, and 4m Normal Gait Speed) and body composition (increased skeletal muscle mass and reduced total and visceral fat mass), particularly in the older participants. Perception of pain was also significantly reduced. PEMF therapy may provide a manner to counteract age-associated mobility and metabolic disruptions and merits future investigation in randomized controlled trials to elucidate its clinical benefits in the frail and older adult populations.

Abbreviations

TUG: Time-Up and Go; 5xSTS: 5 Times sit-and-stand; 4mNGS: 4-meter normal gait speed; PEMF: Pulsed electromagnetic fields; VAS: Visual Analog Score; BMI: Body Mass Index; TRPC1: Transient Receptor Potential Canonical 1; ROS: Reactive oxygen species; RCT: Randomized controlled trial; mT: milliTesla.