Acupuncture for Weight Loss: Does it Work

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Acupuncture is the traditional practice of stimulating specific points of the body by inserting very fine needles through the skin.

The ability of acupuncture to control pain, especially for headaches and neck, back, knee and osteoarthritis, has been the focus of many studies.

However, not much research has been done on how acupuncture can help with other health problems such as weight loss.

Acupuncture for weight loss

Proponents of acupuncture for weight loss believe that acupuncture can affect the body's energy flow (CHO) to factors that can impair obesity:

Increasing metabolism

Decreased appetite

To reduce stress

Affects the part of the brain that feels hungry

According to traditional Chinese medicine, weight gain is due to imbalance in the body. According to ancient balances, that imbalance may be due to an error:

Liver

Spleen

Kidney

Thyroid gland

Endocrine system

Therefore, to lose weight, acupuncture treatment usually targets these areas of the body.

Ear acupuncture for weight loss

Another area of ​​the ear that acupuncture practitioners tend to lose weight with. It is believed that food cravings can be controlled by manipulating ear points.

It is used by acupuncture professionals to help break the addiction of smokers and drug users.

How many sessions do I need?

Although different acupuncture practitioners recommend different levels and durations of treatment, if you want to lose 10 to 15 pounds, a common schedule is to take multiple treatments for six to eight weeks.

The number of visits per week may decrease as the program progresses. The number of proposed visits may also vary from one acupuncture practitioner to another.

Positive attitude

If you think your acupuncture treatment is beneficial, your positive attitude can help you lose weight.

For example, if you feel that acupuncture treatment is improving your quality of life, that feeling can motivate you to choose a good diet and exercise. And these options can lead to more weight loss.

Why so many studies of acupuncture for weight loss?

If there is a possibility that acupuncture can help people lose weight, why does it seem so effective or ineffective that no more research is being done?

Studies have suggested that acupuncture may be effective for weight loss. However, a reliable review source for this study suggested that these results were not entirely reliable due to problems with how they worked.

Sometimes results obtained from trusted sources of small studies can be combined to improve their statistical relevance. In this case, acupuncture presentation studies often have a number of variables to combine, including differences:

Technology

Number of acupuncture points

Number of sessions

Session duration

Use placebo

False interference

Moreover, the results of acupuncture studies are often strongly influenced by each participant's personal beliefs, expectations, and relationship with the physician. These effects may alter the effects of actual acupuncture treatments and draw up study data.

What about the safety and side effects of acupuncture?

The safety and side effects of acupuncture depend on the training and experience of the physician and the cleaning of the needles.

Make sure your acupuncture is trained and licensed in your state. Otherwise, you may have serious side effects including:

Infection

Perforated limbs

Collapsed lungs

Injury to the central nervous system

BOTTOM LINE

Acupuncture can help you lose weight but research is limited and the evidence is mixed. It can help you lose weight personally, but the positive effects come from certain acupuncture treatments or your positive outlook, which helps you make healthier lifestyle choices.

Today, the evidence is not strong enough to prove that acupuncture can lead to weight loss, but if you try it:

Discuss the benefits and controversy with your doctor.

Combine treatment with better decisions about diet and exercise.

Choose a licensed and trained physician.