Today I thought I would get a little academic and share what the research tells us about acupuncture and weight loss.

Most people are familiar with what acupuncture is, but just to give a little background, acupuncture is a system of complementary medicine that involves stimulating certain points on the body, most often with a needle penetrating the skin, to help treat various health conditions or alleviate pain by restoring balance to the flow of energy, or Qi.

A premise for using acupuncture for weight loss is based on the thought that acupuncture could help with area of the brain that focuses on hunger. Acupuncture is also known to release endorphins, which can help with stress management, which in turn could help us with emotional eating. It is also thought that acupuncture helps balance systems, for example, your metabolism.

Auricular acupuncture (AA), which is the stimulation of acupuncture points on the ear surface, has been researched for its effect on weight loss. A study of auricular acupuncture/acupressure for weight loss pooled data from 9 studies and found that AA did not show a significant effect on its own, but did have more effect when combined with diet, or diet and exercise, than just diet and/or exercise alone (Zhizhong et al., 2016).

However, a more recent pilot study on auricular acupuncture found that there was a significant difference in the change in body weight and ghrelin levels in each participant in the acupuncture group suggesting that auricular acupuncture may help to decrease appetite by lowering ghrelin production, and therefore promote weight loss (Ito, Yamada, Kira, Tanaka, & Matsuoka, 2015).

Three separate review studies that looked at all types of acupuncture for weight loss concluded that acupuncture is an effective treatment for obesity (Belivani et al., 2013; Cho, Lee, Thabane, & Lee, 2009; Sui et al., 2012). The seventy-three studies included in the reviews varied in methodology of acupuncture, duration, frequency and control/comparison, and in total found that the evidence supports effectiveness of acupuncture for weight loss (Belivani et al., 2013; Cabyoglu, Ergene, & Tan, 2006; Cho, Lee, Thabane, & Lee, 2009; He et al., 2015; Lacey, Tershakovec, & Foster, 2003; Sui et al., 2012; Wang, Tian, & Han, 2008; Yeo, Kim, & Lim, 2014).

So, the evidence is supportive that acupuncture can be useful in weight loss, especially when combined with other weight loss efforts.

I have had acupuncture in the past for other reasons, and know first hand the benefits, but have not tried in support of weight loss.

What do you think? Have you had acupuncture? Would you try for weight loss?