💥 Can Full-Body EMS Really Help You Get Stronger and Leaner? Spanish-Portuguese-Chilean Team Reviews 26 Studies. Surprising Results for People Aged 20 to 77!

person Max Miller
calendar_today Aug 06, 2025
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🔬 From the ORIEMS FIT RESEARCH DIGEST

Every week, we share new, real research made easy to read. This blog is for you if you're curious about how modern technologies like EMS might help people of all ages. At the end of each post, we always include the original study link—perfect if you like to double-check facts or save it for your own research collection!

Today’s blog explains one of the biggest reviews ever done about EMS training. The results come from 26 different studies with real people aged 20 to 77.

🤔 Q&A Style — So Anyone Can Understand

❓Who Did This Research and When?

This research was completed in 2023. It brought together data from 26 different studies.

❓Which Countries Were the Researchers From?

The main researchers were from:

University of Extremadura in Spain
Universidad Autónoma de Chile
Sport Sciences School of Rio Maior in Portugal

They worked with multiple universities and researchers across South America and Europe.

❓Are These Researchers and Places Trustworthy?

Yes! The University of Extremadura and Universidad Autónoma de Chile are well-known academic institutions. This study was published in Medicine — a peer-reviewed medical journal, meaning other scientists checked the work before it was published.

❓Who Paid for This Research?

It was funded by the University of Extremadura in Spain. This helps make the research more independent — no company selling EMS paid for it.

📌 What Is This Research About?

The researchers wanted to know:

"Does full-body EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) help people improve body shape, strength, or muscle size — even if they’re not doing intense workouts?"

They checked data from:

1183 adults (20 to 77 years old)
26 studies
Programs lasting 4 to 54 weeks

👥 Who Were the Participants?

The people studied were:

Healthy, inactive people
Elderly people with arthritis or low muscle
Men and women (some over 70!)
Some people with chronic pain
Athletes

They were not required to be fit or sporty before starting EMS.

🧪 What Kind of EMS Was Used?

They all used whole-body EMS suits. This means the electrical signals went to many big muscle groups at once.

✔️ Most did simple movements like squats or arm raises
✔️ EMS frequency: 80–85 Hz, with 200–400 microsecond pulses
✔️ Sessions: 20 minutes, 1–3 times per week
✔️ Felt “strong” to “very strong” (based on Borg scale)

🧬 What Were the Results?

Researchers looked at four things:

Muscle size
Body fat
Strength
Muscle power (how fast/strong you move)

💪 What Positive Results Did They Find?

✅ Muscle Mass Increased
– 14 studies showed EMS helped grow muscle
– People gained muscle even when only doing light movement
– Change: Small but real (SMD = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.16–0.57)

✅ Body Fat Went Down
– 17 studies showed EMS reduced body fat
– Some people combined EMS with diet or protein
– Change: Small to moderate fat reduction (SMD = –0.38)

✅ Strength Improved
– 19 studies showed strength went up
– Biggest improvement: Strength (SMD = 0.54)

✅ Power Improved Too
– EMS helped people move faster and more explosively
– Example: better jumping or reaction
– Power gain (SMD = 0.36)

🧠 SMD = standardized mean difference. It shows how much change happened between groups.

📝 Real Numbers

1183 people studied
Aged 20 to 77
EMS sessions lasted just 20 minutes
Effects seen in as little as 4 weeks
Some studies went for 54 weeks!

🧠 Why EMS May Be Helpful

EMS can:

Wake up muscle groups without hard gym work
Help older people avoid losing muscle as they age
Be easier on joints
Fit into a short routine (20 minutes!)

🧍 How This Research Helps You

If you:

Are over 60 and want to keep your muscles
Feel too tired or sore to exercise the normal way
Want to gently improve your strength or shape
→ This shows EMS might be a useful tool to try.

📄 Research Paper Details

Research Name: The effects of whole-body muscle stimulation on body composition and strength parameters: A PRISMA systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Luiz Rodrigues-Santana et al.
Journal: Medicine (2023)
Link to Study:
Click here to access the full study

Why this link is trustworthy:
It leads to the official journal Medicine, published by Wolters Kluwer Health, one of the world’s biggest and most respected medical publishers.

🌱 About ORIEMS FIT RESEARCH DIGEST

We make real research easy for everyone.
At ORIEMS FIT, we believe in inspiring curiosity and self-learning.
Each week, we share one important study to help people understand science behind EMS and other smart tech for wellness.

Love science? Start your own research journey. We’ll give you the links to explore more.

📢 Leave a Comment Below

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🛡️ Disclaimer

This blog post is for informational and recreational purposes only. It does not give medical advice. Always speak to a healthcare professional before starting anything new.
👉 Full Disclaimer Here