Anti-fatigue effect of percutaneous stimulation of the hepatic region by mid-frequency pulse current in different diadynamic cycles in soldiers with exercise-induced fatigue / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the anti-fatigue effect of percutaneous stimulation of the hepatic region with the mid-frequency pulse current in different diadynamic cycles in exercise-induced fatigued soldiers. Methods One hundred twenty healthy PLA recruits who did not have physical exercise were randomly divided into four groups with thirty ones in each control, stimulation group A, stimulation group B, and stimulation group C. All the subjects of four groups were ordered intensive training (exercise from Monday to Saturday, with rest on Sunday) for five weeks to establish the exercise-induced fatigue model. Each day after the exercise, the recruits of stimulation groups A, B, and C were treated immediately with mid-frequency (1204Hz, current intensity ≤80mA) stimulation to the hepatic region with diadynamic cycles of 0.5, 1, and 2 seconds, respectively. No pulse current stimulation was given in the control group. Venous blood was collected before breakfast on Sundays to measure the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and blood lactate (LAC) contents, and liver function was determined by determination of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The 3000-m running performance of the recruits in each group was recorded on the same day. Results There was no significant difference between the four groups in terms of the FPG level at the end of the first week (P>0.05). At the end of the third and fifth weeks, the FPG level was significantly higher in the three stimulation groups than in the control group (P0.05). At the end of the first, third, and fifth weeks, the ALT, AST, LDH, and LAC levels were significantly lower in every stimulation group than in the control group (P0.05). At the end of the first week, there was no significant difference in 3000-m running performance (P>0.05) between the 4 groups. At the end of the third and fifth weeks, the 3000-m running performance was significantly better in every stimulation group than in the control group (P0.05). Conclusions Percutaneous stimulation of the hepatic region with mid-frequency pulse current in different diadynamic cycles can reduce liver injury due to exercise-induced fatigue, promote the generation of energy source in vivo, accelerate the elimination of lactate, improve the exercise endurance and exert a role in relieving exercise-induced fatigue, and the efficacy of the mid-frequency pulse current with 1204 Hz and diadynamic cycles of 1 second is the best.