People with cancer can benefit from EMS training

Regular physical activity can protect against cancer, promote healing, and prevent relapse. This is well known.

A research group at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg ( fau.de ) has found in a study that whole-body EMS training can help cancer patients fight tumors. The scientists have shown that EMS training releases so-called myokines, which can be effective against tumors even in severely ill cancer patients.

What are myokines?

Myokines (derived from "mys" for muscle and "kinos" for movement) are important neurotransmitters produced and released by muscle cells during active muscle exercise. These myokines:

• stop inflammation
• regulate the immune system
• slow down the growth of diseased cells and
• can even destroy them.

Previous studies primarily examined patients in the early stages of cancer, as it was assumed that patients in advanced stages could not train intensively enough to stimulate myokine production. However, EMS training offers a way to activate these important neurotransmitters even with low physical exertion.

Study by the Friedrich-Alexander University

The study examined 30 subjects, 12 of whom had colon cancer and 18 of whom had prostate cancer. All participants were given the same guidelines for a healthy, protein-rich diet. The research results were published in the journal " The Journal of Physiology ."

Fourteen subjects (six with colon cancer and eight with prostate cancer) performed EMS training twice weekly for 12 weeks. The remaining 16 patients formed the control group. EMS training was conducted using the following parameters:

• Frequency: 85 Hertz
• Pulse depth: 350 microseconds
• Pause time: 4 seconds
• Pulse duration: 6 seconds

Before and after the training phase, blood samples from all patients were analyzed to evaluate the effect of EMS training.

Results of the study

The results showed impressive effects of EMS training:

• The blood serum of EMS-trained prostate cancer patients inhibited cancer cell growth by 7 to 11.6%.
• In colon cancer patients, inhibition was 9.1 to 13.2%.
• 28.1% of a prostate and 14.4% of a colon cancer cell line were destroyed by the “myokine-loaded” blood serum.
• Healthy cells, however, remained undamaged.

These results demonstrate that EMS training can be an effective complement to cancer treatment, especially for patients who are unable to perform intense physical activities.

Conclusion

To increase the level of tumor-hostile myokines in the blood serum , the study recommends stimulating the large skeletal muscle groups with EMS training twice weekly. Especially for cancer patients who find physical activity difficult, EMS training offers an effective and gentle way to support the healing process.

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The results of this study were published in the journal "The Journal of Physiology." You can find out more here: " The Journal of Physiology ."

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. If in doubt, always consult your doctor before making any decisions or taking any action.