A team of researchers has discovered that combining neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) with resistance training can significantly enhance muscle mass and strength, yielding better results than resistance training on its own.
If your New Year’s resolutions include boosting your strength and developing muscle, think about adding a novel technique to your fitness regimen.
NMES, which stands for electrical muscle stimulation, uses electrical currents to stimulate muscle contractions. Sudip Bajpeyi, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Kinesiology at The University of Texas at El Paso, points out that NMES devices are both user-friendly and readily available for purchase. He has often pondered, “Do these stimulators offer any benefits when integrated with resistance training? What do the research studies indicate?”
The results are in, and they look encouraging. A new meta-analysis published this month in the European Journal of Applied Physiology by Bajpeyi shows that combining NMES with resistance training significantly boosts muscle mass and strength compared to using resistance training alone.
For the meta-analysis, Bajpeyi and his colleagues reviewed over a dozen studies that investigated NMES and their outcomes.
“A meta-analysis provides more comprehensive evidence across various studies addressing the same question,” Bajpeyi explained. “This approach enables us to overcome the limitations of individual studies and reach more informed, evidence-based conclusions.”
The research team also included Gabriel Narvaez, a recent master’s graduate in kinesiology, and Jehu N. Apaflo, a doctoral student in interdisciplinary health sciences.
The researchers focused on studies that paired NMES with resistance training exercises.
The analysis examined studies where participants did typical resistance exercises, such as bench presses or squats, while utilizing NMES devices. This often involved performing around eight to twelve repetitions of a weight-training exercise, taking a break, and then repeating, according to Bajpeyi.
The studies compared the results of participants who used electrical stimulators during their workouts with those who did not. Muscle mass and strength measurements were taken at both the beginning and end of the studies. Training durations varied from two to sixteen weeks, and longer training periods generally produced more favorable results.
“Normally, our brains activate muscles by sending signals through the nervous system,” Bajpeyi explained. “NMES simulates this by using external electrical currents to activate the nerves, causing muscle contractions without brain signals. It resembles involuntary muscle contractions.”
Bajpeyi leads the Metabolic Nutrition and Exercise Research (MiNER) lab at UTEP, where his team explores how NMES and other techniques can improve physical and metabolic health.
His research, supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, is also investigating how NMES could help regulate blood glucose levels and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
“Exercise plays a crucial role in health, but not everyone can or wants to do traditional workouts,” he emphasized. “NMES holds significant potential for enhancing metabolic health by building muscle mass, which helps the body process blood glucose more effectively.”
Bajpeyi indicated that further findings from his NMES research will be released soon.
