A study reveals an exciting surprise about the metabolism process!
In a recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers from Poland examined the effect of repeated sessions of whole-body vibration on resting metabolic rates in healthy young men under the age of 25.
According to the News Medical & Life Sciences website, resting metabolic rate or metabolism is the body's energy expenditure when the individual is awake, at rest, in a thermoneutral state, and has not exercised during the past 12 hours.
Increase total energy expenditure
Increased resting metabolic rate is beneficial in weight management because it contributes significantly to total energy expenditure. While physical activity also increases the resting metabolic rate. However, the growing problem of obesity and obesity-related diseases has led to the need for more ways to increase total energy expenditure.
Whole body vibration is a method with promising metabolic effects, including improving circulation, body density, muscle strength, and nervous system function.
Whole body vibration technology has been used to treat various diseases such as osteoporosis, muscular dystrophy, chronic low back pain, and even improve quality of life after complications associated with COVID-19. Whole-body vibration has also shown positive effects on resting metabolic rates, but the effect of repeated sessions has not yet been evaluated.
10 times within two weeks
An experiment was conducted using the whole body vibration technique 5 times a week for 2 weeks in a vibration therapy laboratory where environmental conditions were kept constant. The vibration used in this intervention was a circular oscillator performed by a physiologist or physical therapist.
As the participant was required to be in a prone position during the intervention, the experiment included applying vibration to the upper extremities, torso, and thighs, with additional local vibration applied to the abdomen. During the 29-minute duration of each session, the frequency range, acceleration, and amplitude of vibration were 25-52 Hz, 6.9-13.5 m/s2, and 0.1-0.5 mm, respectively.
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure body mass, fat mass, fat-free mass, and body fat percentage. Body height measurements were also recorded to calculate BMI.
A 4-day food diary kept by all participants was also used to assess diet, with calorie content assessed by a qualified dietitian. A physical activity questionnaire was used to determine physical activity levels. The researchers asked the participants to avoid exercising 3 days before the measurement and not to consume any stimulants such as caffeine or nicotine.
Oxygen absorption rate
Results indicated that participants in the whole body vibration group had a higher resting oxygen uptake and resting metabolic rate after the intervention compared to the control group.
The researchers believe that the participants' prone position while applying whole-body vibration allowed them to deactivate postural muscles and directly stimulate the abdominal cavity using local vibration.
In addition, local vibration is believed to affect the function of the digestive system and indirectly affects the thermic effect of food, which includes the energy invested in chewing, swallowing, digestion, and absorption of food and nutrients.
Sympathetic stimulation of the digestive system
Other studies have reported an approximately 15.6% increase in metabolic rate associated with sympathetic stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract, and whole body vibrations are known to improve gastrointestinal function.
Given that the thermic effect of food contributes significantly to total energy expenditure, the use of local vibrations in the abdominal cavity could explain the increase in resting metabolic rate. The increase in metabolic rate could also be due to improved blood circulation as a result of vibrations applied to other areas of the body. The study results highlight the potential of using whole-body vibration to target metabolic-related health problems, such as obesity.