Best Ab Stimulators in 2022. The Truth You Need to Know: Do They Work for Muscle Strengthening and Weight Loss?

You might have come across an ad for ab belts that promises a slim waist and weight loss. Don’t fall for it and keep in mind that these devices are not designed to work that way. Ab stimulators simply cannot burn fat. The only way to burn fat is to create a calorie deficit, either by exhausting exercise or by eating less.

What these devices do is strengthen muscles, but you will hardly notice the difference if you have a fat belly. Ab belt toners typically include adhesive pads that attach to the abdomen. Once the unit is turned on, each pad delivers an electric current to the muscles, causing slight contractions. This procedure is great for rehabilitation and muscle strengthening, but not for weight loss. The emitted electrical signal will not penetrate well through the fat layers and will not make muscles burn your calories.

Now, what about muscle toning? Electrical muscle stimulation has long been used in rehabilitation for injured and sore muscles. Such devices increase blood flow and help muscles recover more easily and faster. Researchers from the University of Nevada, who were investigating the ways to decrease delayed onset muscle soreness, came to the conclusion that recovery with the use of electric stimulation was just as effective as active recovery.

In other words, this is a good therapy tool, but not the same as muscle building. Just like with weight loss, you need to exercise a lot and do it properly to get six-pack abs. Then why do you need an ab stimulator at all? If you work out hard and consistently, you will inevitably damage your muscles. To keep on exercising efficiently, you should first help your muscles recover and this is where an ab stimulator comes in handy! The same holds true for weight loss, too.

If your strategy is not only limited to dieting and you exercise to shed weight, particularly in your belly area, an ab stimulator might be a good auxiliary tool. If you have decided on an ab belt toner, opt for a model manufactured by a trusted brand, such as AbFlex and Slendertone. Avoid cheap 20-dollar products from unknown producers as they are inefficient at best.

What’s Wrong with Slendertone? False Advertising

Slendertone products are actually among the best ab belt toners on the market. The Slendertone CoreFit Abdominal Toning Belt uses clinically proven muscle stimulation technology, features 10 programs and 150 intensity levels. The device does the job well but the problem was with the way it was advertised.

Late in 2020, Lead plaintiff Jane Loomis of San Diego brought several causes of action against Slendertone Distribution, Inc., claiming that the company had been using false advertising and misleading statements regarding its product. These advertisements allegedly suggested that the Flex Belt would give benefits comparable to traditional exercise. In particular, the product was perceived as a tool that helped lose weight and create a “six-pack ab”. Buyers were allegedly tricked into thinking that the ab stimulator could give them well-defined abs without the need for exercise. According to the class-action lawsuit, there was little if any scientific evidence to support these claims.

 “Aside from some limited science showing some strength and endurance improvements to the abdominal muscle tissue as a result of extended [electrical muscle stimulator] use, no science supports the conclusion that use will rid belly fat, provide more attractive abs, contour the body, provide visible ‘six-pack’ abs, or that use can ever be a replacement for traditional exercise,” the class action complaint said.

Slendertone Distribution Inc. agreed to pay $175,000 to settle a class-action lawsuit. Besides, the company will also stop advertising the Flex Belt in ways that mislead consumers. More importantly, the deal covers anyone in California who purchased the Slendertone Flex Belt in the period between May 7, 2015, and the date of the settlement approval. Buyers who fall within this criterion will get a refund ranging from 9.5% to 28% of the purchase price.

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