Electro-Acupuncture Shows Promise in Obesity Management, Study Finds
NTU Assoc Prof Linda Zhong with NTU PhD candidates Lyu Zipan, Lam Wai Ching and Chen Huangyan who were involved in the research
A collaborative study by researchers from Nanyang Technological University Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Hong Kong University (HKU) has unveiled promising evidence that electro-acupuncture, a variant of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), could aid in managing obesity.
Electro-acupuncture involves inserting needles into specific acupoints and applying a gentle electrical current to stimulate these points, activating the body’s natural healing processes. The research team conducted laboratory experiments, animal studies, and a clinical trial published in the *Journal of Advanced Research* in August, revealing that electro-acupuncture significantly reversed obesity effects in both obese mice and individuals on a high-fat diet.
Central to this therapeutic method is the protein osteoprotegerin, which influences bone metabolism and fat cell formation. The study highlights osteoprotegerin’s potential as a target for obesity management, aligning with the World Health Organization’s data that indicates one in eight people globally live with obesity.
NTU Associate Professor Linda Zhong, a lead researcher, emphasized the importance of their findings: “We confirmed osteoprotegerin’s pivotal role in fat cell development, suggesting electro-acupuncture may provide therapeutic benefits in obesity management. This enhances TCM’s credibility among practitioners and patients.”
The study further established a link between osteoprotegerin and adipogenesis (fat cell formation) through lab experiments with adipocyte progenitor cells. Elevated glucose and insulin levels triggered osteoprotegerin production, promoting fat cell formation. In animal studies, increased osteoprotegerin levels led to weight gain and glucose intolerance, while silencing its gene reduced obesity development.
To investigate electro-acupuncture’s effects, the researchers administered treatment to mice on a high-fat diet for two months. Results indicated significant reductions in body mass, fat percentage, and improvements in glucose tolerance and insulin resistance among treated mice.
A clinical study with 80 participants aged 18 to 65, all with excess visceral fat, was also conducted. Participants received either electro-acupuncture or a sham procedure. Although no significant weight loss was observed in the test group, improvements in waist-to-hip ratios and insulin resistance were noted. Blood analysis revealed a correlation between electro-acupuncture treatment and lower osteoprotegerin levels.
Dr. Quah Teik Joo, Head of Complementary Integrative Medicine at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, remarked on the study’s implications, noting it lays a solid foundation for future research on the long-term effects of electro-acupuncture in managing obesity and related medical conditions.
Moving forward, the researchers plan to validate their findings with larger, more diverse populations and explore the mechanisms behind osteoprotegerin’s impact on metabolism and obesity, as well as the potential of varying electro-acupuncture frequencies to enhance treatment efficacy.
