Monday, August 7, 2006

Vacunaut Exercise System

Everyone on the Medgadget team is in peak physical condition and are incredibly well sculpted human specimens, but we understand that not everyone is so fortunate. For you, there's the Vacunaut Exercise System.

Vacunaut treatment involves exercising on a treadmill whilst wearing a specially adapted diving suit which places your abdomen in a computer controlled vacuum.
The exercise is moderate so as to keep the body in the aerobic, "fat burn" range. For most people this means a brisk walk on the treadmill with the angle of incline increased as needed.

A course consists of 12 sessions carried out 3 times a week. Each session lasts 40 minutes

Measurements from around the abdomen are taken at intervals throughout the course.

All our clients have seen a significant reduction in unwanted fat around the abdomen.

Apparently the Vacunaut works on the theory of hypoxic training which says that difficult fat deposits have decreased blood flow and are therefore less likely to be utilized by the body. Never mind the fact that exercise increases blood flow or that 'hypoxic training' traditionally refers to high altitude induced erythropoiesis ,not weight loss. Color me suspicious. So the overriding theory is called HYPOIC training and yet the device is meant to increase oxygen delivery. . .which is it? I'm sure that beta-oxidation of adipose and hypoxic training are related in some sound scientific way that I just can't see it.

Read more here. . .

(hat tip: Red Ferret)

*anecdotal evidence alert: the "real cases" link for the thousands of satisfied customers is currently not working, but I'm sure this is purely coincidental and not at all reflective on the validity of the Vacunaut.

(2)

replies: 2 comments

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While as sceptical as the next person, this makes sense to me on some level.

1. Centrally depositied adipose tissue is well known to have a very poor blood supply, and is predominantly saturated fatty acids (known to reduce flexibility of cells & tissue in gereral.
2. Putting a vaccuum cleaner to ones arm makes it go red (drawing of blood to the skin)
3. Many phara companies are investigating transdermal drug delivery systems, as well as transdermal drug monitoring systems

If we put these three cases together, it could build some evidence for the techniques effectiveness.

Remember, just like acupuncture or other "lost arts", it was their best explanation at the time of invention for the reason the treatment "worked". These people may have stumbled across something that works for a reason they didnt realise. Its not like this hasnt been seen in science before (especially in drug development).

Posted by: Ben
on August 7, 2006 07:05 PM GMT

Sorry Ben, I'm going to have to disagree w/ your 3 main points. First, adipose may have decreased blood flow, but it gets ENOUGH blood to fx properly and fat metabolism is more a fx of exercise intensity than blood flow (which is increased during exercise). Secondly, a vacuum on your arm does not increased blood flow to it as much as it does hold the blood there and eventually damage the capillaries (i.e., hickies). Last, your 1st and 3rd comments are contradictory b/c you're argueing that peripheral adipose tissue has low blood flow yet it is a prime site for drug injection. If the bf is that slow, then why would I want to use it as a medium for drug induction? med school fun fact: IV > IM > SubQ

but thats just me :)

Posted by: Josh
on August 8, 2006 05:38 PM GMT

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Monday, August 7, 2006

Vacunaut Exercise System