Effect of Percutaneous Electrical Stimulation of the Leg Muscles under Acute Normobaric Hypoxic Environment on Blood Glucose Concentration

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of percutaneous electrical stimulation of the leg muscles under acute normobaric hypoxic environment on blood glucose concentration. [Methods and Results]Ten healthy subjects in a low oxygen （14.5％） environment at normal pressure received percutaneous electrical stimulation of the lower limbs for 20 minutes using a technique called Belt electrode Skeletal muscle Electrical Stimulation（ B-SES）, and its effects on glucose metabolism were measured. After 30 minutes of acclimatization to the normobaric hypoxic environment before the stimulation, decrease in percutaneous oxygen saturation was observed. The electrical stimulation did not further decrease the percutaneous oxygen saturation. Heart rate had not increased after the acclimatization or after the electrical stimulation; it is thought that B-SES had little influence on the cardiorespiratory system. B-SES caused a significant mean decrease of 16.2 mg/dl （0.9 mmol/L） in blood glucose concentration. [Conclusion] B-SES in normobaric hypoxia may enhance the efficiency of glucose metabolism and lower blood glucose concentration.