Skip to main content
Log in

Acute metabolic, hormonal and psychological responses to cycling with superimposed electromyostimulation

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of superimposed electromyostimulation (E) during cycling on the acute hormonal and metabolic response, as E might be a useful tool to intensify endurance training without performing high external workloads.

Methods

Thirteen subjects participated in three experimental trials each lasting 60 min in a randomized order. (1) Cycling (C), (2) cycling with superimposed E (C + E) and (3) E. Human growth hormone (hGH), testosterone and cortisol were determined before (pre) and 0′, 30′, 60′, 240′ and 24 h after each intervention. Metabolic stimuli and perturbations were characterized by lactate and blood gas analysis (pH, base excess, bicarbonate, partial pressure of oxygen, partial pressure of carbon dioxide). Furthermore, changes of the person’s perceived physical state were determined.

Results

C + E caused the highest increases in cortisol and hGH, followed by C and E. Testosterone levels showed no significant differences between C + E and C. Metabolic stress was highest during C + E, followed by C and E. C + E was also the most demanding intervention from an athlete’s point of view.

Conclusion

As cortisol and hGH are known to react in an intensity dependent manner, the present study showed that superimposed E is a useful method to intensify endurance training, even when performing low to moderate external workloads. Even at lower exercise intensities, additional E may allow one to induce a high (local) stimulus. It can be speculated, that these acute hormonal increases and metabolic perturbations, might play a positive role in optimizing long-term training adaptations, similar to those of intense training protocols.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

AMP:

Adenosine monophosphate

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

ATP:

Adenosine triphosphate

BE:

Base excess

C:

Cycling

C + E :

Cycling with superimposed electromyostimulation

E:

Electromyostimulation

Hb:

Haemoglobin

HCO3 :

Bicarbonate

Hct:

Hematocrit

hGH:

Human growth hormone

HIT:

High-intensity training

PCO2 :

Partial pressure of carbon dioxide

PEPS:

Person’s perceived physical state

pO2 :

Partial pressure of oxygen

PPO:

Peak power output

PV:

Plasma volume

RPE:

Rating of perceived exertion

T/C ratio:

Testosterone/cortisol ratio

VC:

Voluntary contraction

VO2max:

Maximal oxygen uptake

References

  • Adams GR, Harris RT, Woodard D, Dudley A (1993) Mapping of electrical muscle stimulation using MRI. J Appl Physiol 74:532–537

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bergstrom M, Hultman E (1988) Energy cost and fatigue during intermittent electrical stimulation of human skeletal muscle. J Appl Physiol 65:1500–1505

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coffey VG, Hawley JA (2007) The molecular bases of training adaptation. Sports Med 37:737–763

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Enoki T, Yoshida Y, Lally J, Hatta H, Bonen A (2006) Testosterone increases lactate transport, monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 1 and MCT4 in rat skeletal muscle. J Physiol 577:433–443

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Galbo H (2001) Influence of aging and exercise on endocrine function. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 11(Suppl):S49–S57

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Godfrey RJ, Madgwick Z, Whyte GP (2003) The exercise-induced growth hormone response in athletes. Sports Med 33:599–613

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gosselink KL, Grindeland RE, Roy RR, Zhong H, Bigbee AJ, Grossman EJ, Edgerton VR (1998) Skeletal muscle afferent regulation of bioassayable growth hormone in the rat pituitary. J Appl Physiol 84:1425–1430

  • Goto K, Ishii N, Kizuka T, Takamatsu K (2005) The impact of metabolic stress on hormonal responses and muscular adaptations. Med Sci Sports Exerc 37:955–963

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gregory CM, Bickel CS (2005) Recruitment patterns in human skeletal muscle during electrical stimulation. Phys Ther 85:358–364

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamada T, Hayashi T, Kimura T, Nakao K, Moritani T (2004) Electrical stimulation of human lower extremities enhances energy consumption, carbohydrate oxidation, and whole body glucose uptake. J Appl Physiol 96:911–916

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim CK, Bangsbo J, Strange S, Karpakka J, Saltin B (1995) Metabolic response and muscle glycogen depletion pattern during prolonged electrically induced dynamic exercise in man. Scand J Rehabil Med 27:51–58

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kleinert J (2006) Adjective list for assessing perceived physical state (PEPS). Zeitschrift für Sportpsychol 13:156–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA (2005) Hormonal responses and adaptations to resistance exercise and training. Sports Med 35:339–361

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laursen PB (2010) Training for intense exercise performance: high-intensity or high-volume training? Scand J Med Sci Sports 20(Suppl 2):1–10

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paillard T (2008) Combined application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and voluntary muscular contractions. Sports Med 38:161–177

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shahidi NT (2001) A review of the chemistry, biological action, and clinical applications of anabolic-androgenic steroids. Clin Ther 23:1355–1390

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spriet LL, Soderlund K, Bergstrom M, Hultman E (1987) Anaerobic energy release in skeletal muscle during electrical stimulation in men. J Appl Physiol 62:611–615

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stokes K (2003) Growth hormone responses to sub-maximal and sprint exercise. Growth Horm IGF Res 13:225–238

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Takarada Y, Nakamura Y, Aruga S, Onda T, Miyazaki S, Ishii N (2000) Rapid increase in plasma growth hormone after low-intensity resistance exercise with vascular occlusion. J Appl Physiol 88:61–65

  • Viru A, Viru M (2004) Cortisol–essential adaptation hormone in exercise. Int J Sports Med 25:461–464

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Viru M, Jansson E, Viru A, Sundberg CJ (1998) Effect of restricted blood flow on exercise-induced hormone changes in healthy men. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 77:517–522

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wahl P, Haegele M, Zinner C, Bloch W, Mester J (2010a) High Intensity Training (HIT) für die Verbesserung der Ausdauerleistungsfähigkeit im Leistungssport. Schweiz Zeitschr Sportmed Sporttraumatol 58:125–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahl P, Hagele M, Zinner C, Bloch W, Mester J (2010b) High intensity training (HIT) for the improvement of endurance capacity of recreationally active people and in prevention & rehabilitation. Wien Med Wochenschr 160:627–636

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wahl P, Zinner C, Achtzehn S, Bloch W, Mester J (2010c) Effect of high- and low-intensity exercise and metabolic acidosis on levels of GH, IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and cortisol. Growth Horm IGF Res 20:380–385

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wahl P, Schaerk J, Achtzehn S, Kleinoder H, Bloch W, Mester J (2012) Physiological responses and perceived exertion during cycling with superimposed electromyostimulation (EMS). J Strength Cond Res 26:2383–2388

  • Wahl P, Mathes S, Kohler K, Achtzehn S, Bloch W, Mester J (2013) Acute metabolic, hormonal, and psychological responses to different endurance training protocols. Horm Metab Res 45:827–833

  • Wolfe RR (2001) Control of muscle protein breakdown: effects of activity and nutritional states. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 11(Suppl):S164–S169

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the grant funding of the German Sport University Cologne.

Conflict of interest

None declared.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrick Wahl.

Additional information

Communicated by Martin Flueck.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wahl, P., Hein, M., Achtzehn, S. et al. Acute metabolic, hormonal and psychological responses to cycling with superimposed electromyostimulation. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 2331–2339 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2952-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2952-4

Keywords

Navigation