Research Data Link
to the National
Institutes of Health:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/a
rchive/20040829/pubs/c
bm/bioelimp.html


Bioimpedance Analysis

Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA) provides a number of different measurements which are
indicative of your overall state of health.  By using these numbers as a baseline, your progress
toward greater health can be monitored.  The BIA is a body fat analyzer and analyzes body fat,
lean body mass, fat weight, basal metabolic rate, body mass index, phase angle and hydration
status broken down into intra-cellular water versus extra-cellular water.

Overall Cell Health ("Phase Angle"): This is an indicator of the overall state of your cell's health
and therefore your overall health.  The most important thing is to see the number increase
throughout the course of your treatment.  The higher the number, the healthier you are.

Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA) - an essential part of health and nutrition assessment.  
Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis or Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA) - a safe and noninvasive test -
is a method of assessing your 'body composition' - the measurement of body fat in relation to
lean body mass. Body composition is directly related to health. Improving your BIA
measurement by lowering your percentage of unhealthy body fat can help reduce your risk to a
variety of serious health conditions i.e. cardiovascular disease, diabetes. A normal balance of
body fat is associated with good health and longevity.

Most individuals are constantly thinking about their weight, without taking into account their
body fat percentage. However, realizing your weight alone doesn't distinguish whether the
pounds come from fat or muscle. In order to assess your physical fitness level, you need to
regularly monitor your body fat. Reducing body fat and building muscle is associated with
numerous benefits such as greater strength, reduced likelihood of injury, and higher
metabolism.

BIA provides accurate measurements of body composition to help create an effective,
personalized lifestyle and dietary program, including nutritional supplements, and exercise to
help you support optimal health and well-being for a lifetime.

BIA measures the impedance or resistance to a harmless imperceptible electrical current as it
travels through the water found in muscle and fat. The more muscle a person has - lean tissue,
which is over 70% water - the more water their body can hold. The greater the amount of water
in a person's body, the easier it is for the current to pass through it. The more fatty tissue, the
more resistance to the current. The signal used in body fat monitors can not be felt at all either
by an adult or child. By using the impedance measurements along with a person's height and
weight, and body type (gender, age, fitness level), it is possible to calculate the percentage of
body fat, fat-free mass, hydration level and other body composition values.

Because BIA can be affected by body hydration, many professionals may use this method as a
means of tracking the hydration status of their patients. This is especially important for athletes
who are training or performing as well as for the chronically ill.

Body Composition: Many people think that your body's percentage of fat and muscle is mainly
for athletes or people who are trying to lose weight.  However, this is completely untrue.  The
more body fat you have, the more inflammation you have in your body.  Inflammation stresses
your liver, immune system and adrenal glands and is a significant risk factor for several
diseases, including heart disease.

Metabolism: This measurement tells us whether or not your body is breaking down healthy or
unhealthy tissue for energy.

Water inside/outside of cells: When your body has a high level of toxicity, there is more water
outside your cells than inside them.  Having more water outside of your cells dilutes the toxins
and helps to make them less harmful to your body.  However, this is not a healthy state to be in
because the inside of your cells do not have enough water to function properly.

Hydration: Most people do not drink enough water and are chronically dehydrated.  When your
body is even minimally low on water your metabolism slows down.  There are many other health
problems that may result from low-level dehydration such as headaches, fatigue,
carbohydrate/sweet cravings and more.
The Genesis Center