We’ve all seen those late night ads that advertise platforms that vibrate, and all you do is stand on it and let it do its thing. They claim to be a magic alternative to exercise, but is there any truth to it or is it just a gimmick? Well, there just might be some science behind it. 

Scientists at Augusta University in Augusta, Georgia have done whole body vibration studies on mice which show surprising results. The vibrating hasn’t shown to directly affect weight loss, but it has shown to directly affect the gut microbiome. 

Dr. Jack Yu, paediatric surgeon and team lead, tested whole body vibration on mice with type two diabetes. The mice, and other animals with the same condition, were subject to 20 minutes of whole body vibration per day for four weeks. 

At the end of the study, researchers compared stool and adipose tissue results from samples from before the study. What was shown was that there was a massive increase in the amount of immune cells, these are the cells that fight inflammation. 

The study showed that this change in the gut microbiome from vibration can help the body use glucose more efficiently. If the body uses glucose more efficient, it means that there is a reduction in the possibility of developing obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic diseases. 

There still needs to be human tests, but the researchers are hopeful that those studies will show promising results.