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HypertensionNCT07406191

WB-EMS Effects on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors

A study testing WB-EMS in people with Hypertension and Metabolic Syndrome, run by University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School at 2 sites in Germany.

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
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Trial summary

From the age of 50 onwards, there is a disproportionate decline in muscle strength, mass and function, which can be prevented or at least delayed by physical training. Unfortunately, many training programmes are very time-consuming and strenuous and are therefore not carried out consistently. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 50 to 70 years, men only
What is being tested?
WB-EMS
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
28 participants
Where
2 sitesGermany
Study dates
15 Feb 2026to 31 Dec 2027
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 50 to 70 years
  • Men only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Grade 1 hypertension: systolic 140 and/or diastolic 90 mmHg
  • overweight or obese (body mass index > 25 kg/m2)

Who cannot join

  • blood pressure-lowering pharmacologic therapy.
  • WB-EMS application and regular resistance exercise training
  • Conditions and illnesses that preclude intensive physical exertion
  • Severe cardiac arrhythmia
  • Heart failure
  • acute pulmonary embolism
Show all 10Show fewer
  • acute myocarditis
  • severe hypertension, e.g. blood pressure > 200 mmHg systolic and/or >110 mmHg diastolic
  • Contraindications for bioimpedance analysis (e.g. pacemaker)
  • Contraindications for WB-EMS application (e.g. acute infections/fever, epilepsy)

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

Germany2 sites

  • Faculty of Medicine, University of Tuebingen

    Erlangen, 91052

  • Institute of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen

    Erlangen, 91054

Other trials in Germany

About this study

Official title: Effects of Intensive Muscle Training on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors - a Randomised Controlled Study

From the age of 50 onwards, there is a disproportionate decline in muscle strength, mass and function, which can be prevented or at least delayed by physical training. Unfortunately, many training programmes are very time-consuming and strenuous and are therefore not carried out consistently. Whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS), a technology in which all major muscle groups are stimulated with an adjusted stimulation level, could be a time-effective and joint-friendly alternative.

However, there are some contraindications to the widespread use of this technology, which are particularly common in middle-aged and elderly people. For example, high blood pressure, which affects more than half of men over the age of 50 in Germany, is considered a contraindication for WB-EMS training. However, this assessment is not very reliable; at least, acute WB-EMS application does not lead to an increase in blood pressure. In addition, there are no study results available for long-term WB-EMS application in people with high blood pressure.

The present study particularly investigate whether and to what extent several weeks of WB-EMS training has an effect on resting blood pressure in people with mild blood pressure. Additionally, the effect of WB-EMS on other cardiometabolic risk factors and physical function will be addressed.

Being tested
WB-EMS, Control
Medical subject headings
Hypertension, Metabolic Syndrome, Hypercholesterolemia, Hypertriglyceridemia, Overweight, Obesity

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • WB-EMSOther

    Also called Electromyostimulation

    12 weeks of WB-EMS, 1.5x20 min/week

  • ControlOther

    Also called Non-intervention control group

    12 weeks without additional intervention and without life style changes

Study groups in NCT07406191
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Whole-body electromyostimulationExperimental12 weeks of Whole-body electromyostimulation, 1.5x 20min/week
Receives: Other: WB-EMS
Control groupOther12 weeks without additional intervention.
Receives: Other: Control

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Resting blood pressure

    Changes of mean arterial blood pressure after 10 min of rest in a sitting position as assessed by an automatic sphygmomanometer

    Measured: At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

  2. Metabolic syndrome

    Changes of the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) as determined by the MetS-Z-Score

    Measured: At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

Secondary outcomes (11)

  1. Body fat rate

    Changes of body fat rate as determined by Bio Impedance Analysis (BIA)

    Measured: At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

  2. Lean body mass

    Changes of lean body mass as determined by Bio Impedance Analysis (BIA)

    Measured: At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

  3. Maximum muscle strength

    Changes of maximum hip-/leg extension strength as determined by a leg press

    Measured: At baseline and after 12weeks of intervention

  4. Aerobic capacity

    Changes of aerobic capacity as determined by a stepwise crosstrainer test to submaximum exertion

    Measured: At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

  5. Lower extremity muscle power

    Changes of lower extremity muscle power as determined by a 5times sit to stand test

    Measured: At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

  6. Concentration of inflammatory markers

    Changes of inflammatory markers as determined by cytokines

    Measured: At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

  7. Concentration of adipose-tissue derived hormones

    Changes of adipose tissue-derived hormones as determined by adipokines

    Measured: At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

  8. Concentration of muscle-tissue derived hormones

    Changes of muscle-tissue derived hormones as determined by myokines

    Measured: At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

  9. Bluthochdruck - Fragebogen zur Lebenszufriedenheit [Hypertension - Quality of Life Questionnaire]

    Changes in QoL in people with hypertension according to a questionnaire from 1 (excellent, completely agree) to 6 (very bad/completely disagree). Lower scores indicate better outcomes

    Measured: At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

  10. Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)

    Changes in sleep quality according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire on a scale from 1 (worst outcome) to 4 (best outcome). Higher scores indicate better sleep quality.

    Measured: At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention

  11. Adverse effects

    All categories of adverse effects as determined by structured monthly telephone interview

    Measured: From baseline assessment to 12 week control assessment (during the intervention)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted12 Feb 2026
  2. Study start15 Feb 2026
  3. Primary completion30 Nov 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Randomized controlled study with two study arms
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
28 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07406191
Sponsor's protocol ID
EMS-KHK
Status last verified
Jan 2026
First submitted
5 Feb 2026
Last updated
14 May 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Kemmler W, Kohl M, von Stengel S, Willert S, Kast S, Uder M. Effects of whole-body electromyostimulation with different impulse intensity on blood pressure changes in hyper- and normotensive overweight people. A pilot study. Front Physiol. 2024 Feb 22;15:1349750. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1349750. eCollection 2024.

    PubMed 38455842

  • Johnson JL, Slentz CA, Houmard JA, Samsa GP, Duscha BD, Aiken LB, McCartney JS, Tanner CJ, Kraus WE. Exercise training amount and intensity effects on metabolic syndrome (from Studies of a Targeted Risk Reduction Intervention through Defined Exercise). Am J Cardiol. 2007 Dec 15;100(12):1759-66. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2007.07.027. Epub 2007 Oct 29.

    PubMed 18082522

  • Buysse DJ, Reynolds CF 3rd, Monk TH, Berman SR, Kupfer DJ. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: a new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Res. 1989 May;28(2):193-213. doi: 10.1016/0165-1781(89)90047-4.

    PubMed 2748771

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing WB-EMS in people with Hypertension and Metabolic Syndrome, run by University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School at 2 sites in Germany.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in Germany. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Resting blood pressure (time frame: At baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07406191, which also lists 3 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 May 2026.

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