He said more than 100 of his patients have used the machine and quite a few swear by it. At SGH, their treatment is only for four weeks. Those who want to continue need to pay for it at QuantumTX in Tiong Bahru, which charges $50 for a 10-minute session.
Earlier studies showed that the ideal treatment is 10 minutes, up to a maximum of three times a week. When done more frequently, the stimulation of the mitochondria weakens.
One of Professor Tay’s patients, Mrs Louisa Chen, 82, used to struggle to stand up. After trying out the machine at SGH two years ago, she continued her rehabilitation at AWWA, which also has the machine. Now, she has no difficulty getting up.
QuantumTX has applied to both the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the US Food and Drug Administration for approval for its next-generation machine, which allows for adjustment of signal strength so healthcare professionals can adjust it to suit the frailty of patients.
The current machine is sold as a wellness machine and does not require approval from health regulatory bodies.
Prof Tay said, once approved by the HSA, he would urge the hospital to acquire several Bixeps machines so patients undergoing physiotherapy can benefit from it.
However, the researchers are now finding that the benefits of using the machine extend beyond just increasing muscle strength.
Prof Tay said that aside from strengthening of muscle, his patients have also shown higher bone density, since the myokines generated by the mitochondria are spread throughout the body.
Prof Franco-Obregon said NUS has also initiated two clinical trials of Bixeps for patients suffering from breast cancer and leukaemia, to see if it can reduce the inflammation that exacerbates these diseases. They also hope it can slow the cancer progression. He said the preliminary results are promising.
