BIOIMPEDANCE - Aminogram

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BIOIMPEDANCE

What is the meaning of bioimpedance?

The term electric bioimpedance refers to a technique to measure impedance in a non-biological environment and the term “bio” refers to biology hence the term bio-impedance.

The bioimpedance has to do with the study of specific electric properties of a biological environment.

BIA stands for electric Bioimpedance Analysis which is commonly used to refer to this technique.

What is the advantage of BIA over other techniques?

The multi frequency bioimpedance is the only technique that covers each and every one of the body compartments, besides, it has the advantage of being a simple, painless, non-invasive- low cost technique which provides immediate results.

Other non-invasive techniques to assess the overall body balance of an individual:

The adipometer to measure fat folds only assesses body mass fat levels and by deduction the free mass body fat levels. The technique may present a margin of error due to the thickness of the fat folds, to water and other tissues contained in the fatty tissue, as well as the election of interpretation formulas and the location of the fat folds’ measures. The expertise of the examiner is crucial factor to determine the reliability and replicability of the results.
The pletismography, the same as the adipometer to measure fat folds, just assesses the body gross mass and by deduction the fat free mass. The results can be affected by the real quantity of exhaled air before the measurement.
The absorptiometry is one of the default techniques (DXA) but just assesses the body fat mass , the lean mass and the bone mineral content.

None of these techniques are able to measure body water, nevertheless, is critical data to ascertain the nutritional state of the individual.

The values complied in impedance, resistance, reactance form and phase are used to calculate the body compartments through algorithms or through simple mathematical deductions.

The measurements can be obtained in one or more frequencies, depending on the devices, one of the frequencies can be called mono-frequency and from frequencies and on they are called multi-frequency.

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The electric multi – frequency bioimpedance is a non-invasive painless technique of analysis of the body composition that consists of sending low intensity currents to measure the tissue resistance to current flow.

FUNDAMENTALS OF THE BIA

WATHC VIDEO

Importance of contact points

There are different points of contact.

Foot - Foot

Watch the video

The electrodes are placed under the feet, the current always following the shortest path, will pass from one leg to the other, crossing only a small part of the lower part of the trunk.

The upper body part will not be analyzed.

The high part will be deducted.

Imprecise according to the morphotype of the subject.

Hand - Hand

The electrodes are placed at the level of the hands, the current always following the shortest path will pass from one arm to the other, crossing only a small part of the upper part of the trunk.

The bottom part will not be analyzed.

The lower part will be deducted.

Imprecise according to the morphotype of the subject.

watch the video

Hand - Foot

watch the video

Electrodes are placed at both ends of the body, whereby current travels through the extremities and trunk for whole-body analysis.

The body is analyzed in its entirety.

The electric current goes through the whole body.

Accurate regardless of morphotype.

The different techniques according to the devices

The design of a direct plug of single use measurement device, cordless without any electrodes, a system we have patented can explain it by means of the comparison described as follows.

The position of the subject when the measurements are taken

There are three ways of taking the measurements:

Lying down

Perfect distribution of fluids after 15 – 20 minutes.

Used in hospitals with bedridden patients.

Most of the time sitting down.

Strict fulfillment of the recommended location for installing the electrodes.

Sitting down

Intermediate position there are not effects over the distribution of the fluids.

Fast.

Convenient.

Reproducible electrode position.

Standing up

Fluids move across the body.

Fast.

Convenient.

Bad distribution of fluids

Our devices are designed to take measurements sitting down or lying down if necessary.

The differences between direct and indirect measurement:

Integrated wires

To do measurements that will provide a full representation of the body is necessary to connect the upper and lower extremities of the body, it these are the cords that will join together the hand and the foot and the measurement circuit.

It must be known that the length and the resistance of these cords will influence the result of the measurements. Example

Measurement that can be done in every patient

To check or replace the wires regularly

Be meticulous when installing the electrodes

INDIRECT

Visible wires

Easy placement of electrodes

Speed

Savings on expenses

With the jointed arms there’s the possibility of a variation in the results

Wireless

The hand and the foot are connected to the measurement analysis circuit directly which allows to register an accurate result.

Easy placement of electrodes

Speed

Savings on expenses

Take measurements lying down or sitting down

DIRECT

Our devices are designed to carry out a direct measurement.

The different tissues provide the same responses to the flow of low current of low mid and high frequencies.

ALow frequencies overlook less conducive compartments such as cellular membranes (< 7 kHz) allowing it to find extracellular water..

On high frequencies, the current goes through the more conducive compartments (> 50 kHz) Allowing it to find all the water.

On mid frequencies mainly at 50 kHz, the optimal measurement phase “PhA” can be obtained phase "PhA" (cell condition marker).

At 5 and 200 kHz define the RI which is another marker of the wellbeing of the individual (oedema, swelling, etc.)

The frequencies at 20 and 100 kHz allow the regulation of the Cole-Cole curve and to obtain control impedances that can be useful in wider studies about intra/extracellular changes among others.

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Would you like to know about the importance of the different impedances?
Discover our videos and its actions on the body.

Why use a device of mono frequency or multi frequency?

watch video

Mono-frequency

The first BIA devices were manufactured over the concept of single frequency at 50 kHz.

Possibility of measuring the phase angle
Unable to make the distinction between the total, intra and extracellular water
Limited Data (models of 2 or 3 compartments)

Multi-frequency

En multifrecuencias, los dispositivos tienen al menos 3 frecuencias entre 1 y 1000 kHz.

More information (example: intra and extracellular water)
Models from 2 to 6 compartments
Accuracy

Spectroscopy

consists of scanning a frequency spectrum ranging from 1 to 1000 kHz with a minimum of 50 frequencies to obtain a Cole-Cole model.

Real-time measurement quality control
Acquisition of raw spectroscopy parameters for the evaluation of the physiological state of individuals
Use of specific algorithms for this technique

All of our devices are multi - frequency or use spectroscopy

They allow you to obtain more advanced information about the Wellbeing and physical condition of the individual taking into account not just their fat mass and the non-fat mass but also an array of physiological data such as the intra and extracellular water, IR (Impedance Relationship), PhA (Phase Angle), active cellular mass, metabolic proteins, bone mineral content, muscle – skeletal mass of the extremities ... which are true physiological indicators. Additionally, spectroscopy allows the acquisition of specific data such as capacitance or characteristic frequency to more accurately assess the physiological state of individuals.

It is also possible to perform measurement quality control using the Cole-Cole curve by verifying if the measured data aligns with the modeled curve (graph below).

Mono and Multi Algorithms

Nowadays there are two different approaches to interpret the results obtained from the chosen electric parameters (Impedance, phase angle, resistance, reactance)

Mono-algorithms devices of the deductive type

The very principle of these devices is simple.

It is based on the following premise, in any kind of individual their hydration is constant for example, to 73,3% of their non-fat mass) and the other compartments are only defined from their coefficients based on constants.

Therefore, these devices can work on a single algorithm based on the calculation of the water. For example: non-fat mass = (total water * 0,733), proteins = (non-fat mass * 0,198) etc.

Based on the water level and weight of the individual a single spreadsheet is enough to obtain other body compartments. They are defined as the deductive type

Multi-algorithm devices of the non-deductive type

They all have the « essential algorithms » that allow the analysis in body compartments that cannot correlate by means of the application of the constants.

For example two of the “essential algorithms” which are the non-fat mass algorithm and of total water allow to obtain the real hydration rate of the mass excluding the fat, a very important piece of data because it will be able to determine if the individual has a normal level of hydration or if it is insufficient or if he is over hydrated.

The other body compartments are interpreted based on the complementary algorithms or by means of simple mathematical operations. These devices are defined as the non-deductive type.

All of our devices are of the Multi-Algorithm type

Everyone is different, all our devices provide multi-algorithmic interpretations. The interpretation of the impedance values obtained across the range of frequencies allows an individualized representation of the body composition of a measured individual.

Software

(allows the interpretation of the measurement: impedances and phase angles)

Application in proprietor mode

The software is installed in the hard drive disc of the device.

All integrated
Frozen system

SaaS mode

The software is installed in remote servers

Data Accessibility
Open System
Evolutionary
Telemedecine
Compatibility with Mac, PC, IOS, Android

Our Software Biody Manager is in SaaS Mode

Over the course of the last five years our software has been set in SaaS mode and our servers fit the health requisites of Asip.

Associated services

A wristwatch to keep track of the bioimpedance and its applications in different fields (cardiac and renal insufficiency, obesity, malnutrition, oncology, sarcopenia, etc.)
Taking into account the evolution of the HAS and WHO recommendations.
Integration of the latest breakthroughs of the main researching events and the associated statistical results.
Assistance
Webinars

Independent researchers’ association specialists in body composition, nutrition, and sports fitness.
No science is set and we are well positioned to know that these techniques will soon originate experimentation subjects and that there are many insufficiently explored elements, hence the creation of the AminoGram Academy.

The cell phase shift measurement only takes a few microseconds. The resistance and the distance to carry, through the cables, the measurement to the measurement circuit causes a message reception time that will inevitably be added to the initial phase time (DT). Therefore, the result obtained will no longer be the initial result.