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Metabolic and cardiovascular responses during voluntary pedaling exercise with electrical muscle stimulation

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Abstract

Purpose

We aimed to test the effect of additional electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) during moderate-intensity voluntary pedaling exercise on metabolic and cardiovascular responses.

Methods

Eleven healthy male subjects performed moderate-intensity pedaling exercise at a constant workload (80 % of ventilatory threshold) for 20 min while EMS was applied to thigh muscles from 5 to 10 min and from 15 to 20 min during the exercise.

Results

A significantly higher oxygen uptake (VO2), heart rate, and respiratory gas exchange ratio were observed during the exercise periods with EMS despite the constant workload. These changes were accompanied by an elevated blood lactate concentration, suggesting the existence of additional fast-twitch motor unit (MU) recruitment during the exercise with EMS.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that the use of intermittent EMS during a constant load exercise mimics the high-intensity interval training, possibly due to additional fast-twitch MU recruitment and co-contractions of the quadriceps and hamstrings muscles, leading to higher anaerobic metabolism and a lower mechanical efficiency.

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Abbreviations

ECG:

Electrocardiogram

EMS:

Electrical muscle stimulation

HR:

Heart rate

MU:

Motor unit

PETCO2 :

End-tidal CO2 partial pressure

PETO2 :

End-tidal O2 partial pressure

RPE:

Rate of perceived exertion

T2DM:

Type 2 diabetes mellitus VO2 oxygen uptake

\(\dot{V}{\text{E}}\) :

Ventilation

\(\dot{V}{\text{CO}}_{2}\) :

Carbon dioxide production

\(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{ \hbox{max} }}}\) :

Maximal oxygen uptake

\(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{2}\) :

Oxygen uptake

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (No. 23300253, PI: Moritani) and Grant-Aid for Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (No. 22-1944, PI: Watanabe).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of International Liberal Studies, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Japan

    Kohei Watanabe

  2. Laboratory of Applied Physiology, Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

    Kohei Watanabe, Yoshiki Taniguchi & Toshio Moritani

Authors
  1. Kohei Watanabe
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  2. Yoshiki Taniguchi
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  3. Toshio Moritani
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Toshio Moritani.

Additional information

Communicated by Jean-René Lacour.

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Watanabe, K., Taniguchi, Y. & Moritani, T. Metabolic and cardiovascular responses during voluntary pedaling exercise with electrical muscle stimulation. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 1801–1807 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2906-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2906-x

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