# muscle stimulators and fat loss

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-stimulators-and-fat-loss/336610>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 21, 2005, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-stimulators-and-fat-loss/336610 "2005-12-21T07:59:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-stimulators-and-fat-loss/336610/1 "2005-12-21T07:59:26Z")

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Has anyone had experience of these electric muscle stimulators - I can imagine that they could help rehabilitate muscles and tone, but not sure about weight loss. I think I’ve read something about the American drug regulatory body who won’t clear them for weight loss, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t work for this too.

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**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-stimulators-and-fat-loss/336610/2 "2005-12-21T17:12:11Z")

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The electric current required to generate enough muscle activity to burn any noticeable amount of calories would burn you quite badly. These things don’t burn, ergo they don’t work.

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**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-stimulators-and-fat-loss/336610/4 "2005-12-21T17:25:14Z")

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Studies have shown they do an excellent job of making your wallet lose weight.

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-stimulators-and-fat-loss/336610/5 "2005-12-21T17:30:15Z")

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[Can electric shocks condition muscles?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=61420)

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**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-stimulators-and-fat-loss/336610/6 "2005-12-21T17:32:44Z")

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but… but… this means that _Matrix_ was scientifically inaccurate! :eek: