Magnetic field therapy shows promise in mimicking exercise benefits for type 2 diabetes patients with central obesity

Singapore, 31 October 2025 – Researchers from Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and National University of Singapore (NUS) found that using pulsed electromagnetic fields to stimulate muscle tissue and mimic the effects of exercise could benefit patients with type 2 diabetes with excess belly fat.

The non-invasive treatment, known as magnetic mitohormesis, activates the same metabolic pathways that exercise would normally trigger. This mimics endurance exercise and may improve glucose control, without the physical strains of exercise.

“We (doctors) often tell patients with diabetes to exercise because it helps control blood sugar, but we found that most people (over eight out of 10 in our study) do not exercise regularly. Many of our patients cannot do so easily due to age, health problems, or other barriers. This treatment could give similar benefits to exercise without having to work out physically”, said Dr Tan Hong Chang, Senior Consultant, Department of Endocrinology, Singapore General Hospital, and the study’s senior author.

The exploratory study involving 40 adults with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes was conducted at SGH from June 2023 to January 2024. During each visit, each patient’s leg is placed into a special chamber device that delivers a gentle magnetic field to stimulate the leg muscles for 10 minutes. This treatment continued weekly over 12 weeks, and none of the participants experienced any side effects.

While there was no significant improvement in diabetes control for all participants, researchers discovered a differential response in patients with excess belly fat or central obesity. Nearly 90% of patients in this group experienced improved blood glucose control, and their HbA1c, a key indicator of diabetes control, decreased significantly from 7.5% to 7.1% over a 3-month period. The researchers believe patients with central obesity may respond better because they tend to have muscles that have poorer cellular function and harmful fats in their blood. Since this magnetic treatment works by gently “exercising” the muscles at a cellular level, people with cells that are more “out of shape” have more room for improvement.

The study was supported by Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) under its Industry Alignment Fund – Pre-Positioning Programme (IAF-PP), and QuantumTX Pte Ltd. The study findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine in September 2025.

This research represents a significant step towards personalised diabetes care, particularly for the growing population of patients with type 2 diabetes who struggle with conventional exercise recommendations. However, while these initial results are promising, larger, randomised controlled trials are needed before the treatment can be widely implemented.

“The NUS team has pioneered the novel use of magnetic pulses to trigger lasting physiological changes – without drugs, genetic modification, or surgery. Our early research has shown potential across areas such as health enhancement, sustainable food production, and medical therapy,” said Professor Alfredo Franco-Obregón from the Institute for Health Innovation & Technology at NUS and the Department of Surgery in NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, and study’s corresponding author.

“Notably, the findings of this clinical study – conducted in partnership with SGH – aligns with our previous preclinical and clinical work showing that fat tissue responds very well to the magnetic muscle treatment, helping to lower inflammation and potentially driving better health outcomes,” he added.

SGH and NUS researchers are looking at future studies that will focus on determining optimal treatment duration and frequency and identifying which patient profiles benefit most.

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About Singapore General Hospital (SGH)

Singapore General Hospital, established in 1821, is the largest tertiary hospital in Singapore and ranked among the world’s best. It provides the most comprehensive patient-centred care with over 50 clinical specialties on its campus. As an Academic Medical Centre, it takes pride in training healthcare professionals and conducting cutting edge research to meet evolving needs of the nation as well as the region. Driven by a strong sense of purpose, SGH is committed to give of its best to heal and bring hope, as it has for over 200 years.

For more information, please visit www.sgh.com.sg

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About National University of Singapore (NUS)

The National University of Singapore (NUS) is Singapore’s flagship university, which offers a global approach to education, research and entrepreneurship, with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise. We have 15 colleges, faculties and schools across three campuses in Singapore, with more than 40,000 students from 100 countries enriching our vibrant and diverse campus community. We have also established more than 20 NUS Overseas Colleges entrepreneurial hubs around the world.

Our multidisciplinary and real-world approach to education, research and entrepreneurship enables us to work closely with industry, governments and academia to address crucial and complex issues relevant to Asia and the world. Researchers in our faculties, research centres of excellence, corporate labs and more than 30 university-level research institutes focus on themes that include energy; environmental and urban sustainability; treatment and prevention of diseases; active ageing; advanced materials; risk management and resilience of financial systems; Asian studies; and Smart Nation capabilities such as artificial intelligence, data science, operations research and cybersecurity.

For more information on NUS, please visit nus.edu.sg.