New Oregon State study shows that whole body vibration slows the acquisition of fat

The publication can be found in the latest issue of the International Journal of Obesity. August 25, 2009

Researcher Gianni Maddalozzo with OSU’s Department of Nutrition and Exercise Science looked at the effects of whole body vibration on 7-month-old rats that were placed on vibration platforms at OSU’s Bone Research Laboratory. Both groups were fed the same diet and kept in a sedentary environment. One group was put on the vibration platform for 30 minutes a day, five days a week for 12 weeks. The other group was not put on the platform.

“After 12 weeks, the whole-body vibration exercise group weighed less, showed no changes in lean muscle mass, and had a lower overall percentage of body fat than the age-matched non-vibration group,” Maddalozzo said. “Over the course of the study the vibrated rats were healthy, tolerated the vibration well and exhibited no obvious signs of distress following adaptation to vibration.”

Maddalozzo said prevention is often the key to preventing obesity in society. More than 50 percent of adults in the United States do not get enough physical activity. Recent studies suggest that whole-body vibration has been proposed as a potential alternative, or adjuvant, to exercise. Whole-body vibration has been reported to increase energy metabolism through an increased oxygen uptake to values comparable to moderate walking.
“Vibration increases energy expenditure,” Maddalozzo said. “It’s equivalent to walking at moderate intensity.”

While not a magic bullet solution to weight gain, Maddalozzo said that whole body vibration has promise as another tool that can be used to help keep weight off. And past studies at research institutions such as the Societa Stampa Sportiva in Rome and at Stony Brook University in New York have already shown that vibration platform regimes have a significant effect on bone formation and muscle strength. Building on that research, Maddalozzo is involved in a human study with older adults who have had hip replacement surgery. He plans to publish his results in 2009.

“Vibration Training has been shown to improve strength and balance in older women,” he said. “Vibration Exercise Training can give you the same results as a moderate-intensity workout.”

Provided by OSU

New Whole-body Vibration Exercise Craze hits Hollywood

Whole-body Vibration Craze has hit North America and is shaking things up. Vibration training which originated in Europe has been gaining momentum and being integrated into daily routines by top universities, NFL teams, medical centers, gyms and celebrities alike. A gaggle of celebrities and models - such as Madonna, Jessica Alba, Claudia Schiffer, Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Heidi Klum have been known to be users. Ever since Madonna admitted to using it sales have skyrocketed around the globe.

Vibration exercise training is looking to be the next big thing in fitness. With the average price for a Vibration Machine between $5500 - $13,000, it is a little pricey for the average consumer. But one company has developed a new product that might break the US market. VibraSlim has produced a machine and made it available for $1699, thousands cheaper than their competitors.

Vibration exercise technology allows you to burn fat and cellulite, increases Human Growth Hormone, increases muscle strength, increase metabolism, builds bone density, and improves flexibility. With the USA facing record obesity rates this company may have what consumers are looking for.

History of Whole Body Vibration

Vibration Exercise technology is supported by decades of scientific research, originating with the Soviet Space Program, which pioneered the technology now applied in the fields of health and fitness. Russian scientists discovered that cosmonauts that spent extended amounts of time in space experienced significant loss in bone density and muscle tissue due to the lack of gravity. Russian researchers were led to experiment with Vibration Exercise technology, finding that by using this equipment they could not only stopped the loss, but amazingly increase bone density and strengthen muscle tissue.

Using Vibration Exercise technology the Russians were able to set a record of more than 420 days in outer space. Our American astronauts, training on conventional fitness equipment, were forced to return after just 120 days due to bone and muscle degeneration. It wasn’t until after the fall of the Iron Curtain, that Vibration Exercise technology found its way to other countries. Today NASA fully embraces Vibration Exercise technology with much success.

How Does Vibration Plate Training Actually Work?

Lots of people have heard about vibration training. This is the exercise you get by standing on a vibration plate and doing various moves and positions to help you tone muscle and help you lose weight. But while many people have heard about it, many are skeptical that it will work. This is because it really does seem too good to be true.

Vibration training is a low-impact form of exercise and all you really have to do is stand on a platform that vibrates. There’s little sweating that’s involved, and you also probably won’t find yourself huffing and puffing either. Because of this, vibration plate training gets a lot of criticism. But, it’s true! Vibration plate training really does work! And here’s how.

When standing on a vibration plate, the platform will vibrate and move in many different ways. The speed at which the vibration plate moves is totally up to you but of course, the faster you go, the more benefits you’ll get out of your vibration plate training. But as the plate moves, your muscles are also forced to move. As the platform drops, your muscles are forced to elongate and tighten. Then, in less than a half of a second, the platform moves back up only to repeat the cycle and have it move down again. This cycle forces your body and your muscles to move, thereby forcing it to work and get in shape!

This type of vibration workout has actually been compared to doing about 3,000 leg bends, which of course would be impossible with a traditional workout. This means that not only does whole body vibration plate training work, but it’s the best kind of workout that you can get! Not only can you exercise your muscles even more with a vibration plate, but it’s low-impact which is ideal for people who suffer from arthritis or have problems with their joints. And many people who are excessively overweight have also said that it’s a great start to getting in shape because you don’t need to be extremely fit already to do it effectively!

New Vibration Exercise Fitness Research on Obesity

A new scientific study presented at the European Congress on Obesity, found that overweight or obese people who regularly used whole body vibration equipment with a calorie restricted diet were much more successful at long term weight-loss and losing the fat around their abdomen compared to those who combined dieting with a more conventional fitness routine.

"These machines are increasingly found in gyms across the industrialized world and have gathered a devoted following in many places, but there has not been any studies proving that they help people lose weight. Our study, the first to investigate the effects of vibration in obese people, indicates it's a very promising approach. It looks like these machines could be a useful addition to a weight control package," said the study's leader, Dirk Vissers, a physiotherapist at the Artesis University College and the University of Antwerp in Belgium.

The researchers divided the study group into four groups.

DIET GROUP: One group was prescribed an individually calculated calorie restricted diet. Dietician visits were scheduled every 2 weeks for the first 90 days and every 30 days for the second 90 days. The dieters were instructed not to undertake any exercise for the duration of the 6 month........

New research study backs up the vibration fitness experts and finds Vibration Exercise machines help to shed weight and even reduce harmful belly fat