Electro-acupuncture could help with obesity management, finds scientists

Scientists led by NTU Singapore and Hong Kong University (HKU) have found evidence that electro-acupuncture – a form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment – could be used to manage obesity.

In electro-acupuncture – a variation of acupuncture – needles are inserted into various points on the body, called acupoints. A gentle pulsating electrical current is applied to selected acupuncture needles as a means of stimulating the acupoints. In TCM, this stimulation triggers the body’s natural healing abilities.

Through lab experiments, animal studies, and a clinical trial reported in the Journal of Advanced Research in August, the team led by NTU and HKU’s School of Chinese Medicine showed that electro-acupuncture helped to reverse the effects of obesity in obese individuals and mice put on a high fat diet.

In this therapeutic approach, electro-acupuncture targets osteoprotegerin, a protein known for its role in bone metabolism. The research team, which includes collaborators from Hong Kong Baptist University, found that the protein also plays a key role in fat cell formation and obesity development, making it a potential target for obesity management.

With one in eight people living with obesity globally , there is a need for obesity management to be integrated into healthcare. According to the research team, the study findings point to electro-acupuncture as a promising therapy.