What kind of electrical current is used in bioimpedance?

Bioimpedance employs a low-frequency alternating current to assess body composition and fluid distribution. This low frequency is crucial because it allows for better measurement of intracellular and extracellular fluids, enhancing the accuracy of lymphatic assessments. At low frequencies, the electrical impedance of the tissues can be measured with respect to how the different compartments (such as the fluid in the lymphatic system) react to the current.

In this context, low-frequency current effectively penetrates various tissue types, allowing practitioners to obtain insights into fluid levels and distribution within the body, making it particularly effective in managing conditions such as lymphedema. Higher frequencies tend to penetrate less deeply into tissues and can alter the distribution of currents, leading to less reliable readings for lymphatic assessments. Thus, the choice of low frequency is intentional to optimize the diagnostic capabilities of bioimpedance in understanding lymphatic health and function.