Scientists reveal new method to boost muscle growth and strength

A new meta-analysis reveals that combining electrical muscle stimulation with resistance training leads to increased strength and muscle mass.

If building strength and muscle mass is part of your New Year’s resolution, you might consider adding a new element to your workout routine.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), also known as electrical muscle stimulation, uses electrical currents to trigger muscle contractions. According to Sudip Bajpeyi, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Texas at El Paso, these stimulation devices are user-friendly and widely available. However, he often wondered, “Can these stimulators provide benefits when used during resistance training?” What does the research say?

The latest research offers promising answers. A new meta-analysis published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that combining NMES with resistance training results in greater gains in muscle mass and strength than resistance training alone.

Bajpeyi and his team conducted the meta-analysis including more than a dozen studies using NMES and reviewed their results.

Comprehensive research approach

“A meta-analysis provides more comprehensive evidence on studies that explore the same research question,” Bajpeyi explained. “This approach allows us to go beyond the limitations of individual studies and draw more informed, evidence-based conclusions. »

Co-authors of the study are Gabriel Narvaez, a recent master’s student in kinesiology, and Jehu N. Apaflo, a doctoral student in interdisciplinary health sciences.

The team specifically analyzed research combining NMES and resistance training.

The analysis focused on studies in which participants performed traditional resistance exercises, such as bench presses or squats, while using NMES devices. That’s when you do about eight to 12 repetitions of a strength exercise, rest and repeat, Bajpeyi said.

The studies compared the results of participants using electrical stimulators during their exercises to those who performed the exercises without electrical stimulation. Participants’ muscle mass and strength were assessed at the beginning and end of each study. Participants’ training periods ranged from two to 16 weeks, with longer durations yielding better results.

“Under normal conditions, the brain activates muscles by sending signals through the nervous system,” Bajpeyi said. “NMES mimics this process by delivering external electrical currents to nerves, causing muscles to contract, without intervention from the brain. Think of it like your muscles contracting involuntarily.

Wider health benefits of NMES

Bajpeyi is the director of the Metabolic Nutrition and Exercise Research (MiNER) Laboratory at UTEP, where his team studies how NMES or other interventions can improve physical and metabolic health.

Funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the

” data-gt-translate-attributes=”({“attribute=”” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>National Institutes of HealthBajpeyi is currently studying how NMES could help regulate blood sugar and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

“Exercise is medicine, but not everyone is able or willing to engage in traditional exercise,” he said. “NMES has great potential to improve metabolic health by building muscle mass, which can help the body process blood sugar more effectively.”

Bajpeyi said the results of his NMES study would be available soon.

Reference: “The additive effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and resistance training on muscle mass and strength” by Gabriel Narvaez, Jehu Apaflo, Amy Wagler, Andrew McAinch and Sudip Bajpeyi, January 2, 2025, European Journal of Applied Physiology.
DOI: 10.1007/s00421-024-05700-2