It has been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of ailments -; and now acupuncture could also help fight one of the biggest health challenges of the 21st century.
A new study from Edith Cowan University has found that acupuncture therapy can be a useful tool in preventing type 2 diabetes.
The research team looked at dozens of studies covering the effects of acupuncture on more than 3,600 people with prediabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal without being high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes
The results showed that acupuncture therapy significantly improved key markers, such as fasting plasma glucose, two-hour plasma glucose, and glycated hemoglobin, in addition to a greater decrease in the incidence of prediabetes .
There were also no reports of adverse reactions among patients.
PhD candidate and lead researcher Min Zhang said this showed great promise for acupuncture therapy as an additional option to prevent diabetes, which is estimated to affect 11% of the world’s adult population.
The International Diabetes Federation estimates that nearly 1.3 billion people will have diabetes or pre-diabetes by 2045.
Without intervention, 93% of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within 20 years.
But unlike diabetes, prediabetes is reversible with lifestyle interventions such as improved diet and increased exercise.
But many people struggle to stick to long-term lifestyle changes, so non-pharmacological treatments such as acupuncture could prove valuable.”
Min Zhang, PhD Candidate and Principal Investigator
A holistic approach
Although diabetes is often associated with lifestyle factors, other aspects of life can also have an impact -; which is where acupuncture comes in.
“It’s not just about blood sugar levels,” Ms Zhang said.
“If you experience sleep problems, high blood pressure, a lot of stress, these can also contribute.
“So acupuncture can help with these factors and work holistically to help people balance their lives.”
Ms. Zhang said it’s important to note that acupuncture therapy is more than just using needles; refers to a large family of acupuncture point stimulation techniques, such as light and electrical pulses, and includes other traditional Chinese medicine therapies such as moxibustion.
“This is important because people with diabetes can have problems with their skin, so it may not always be ideal to use needles,” she said.
“We need to do more research on acupuncture and diabetes, because we need to find more ways to prevent prediabetes from developing into type 2 diabetes.”
“Many people with prediabetes have no symptoms and feel well, but some people progress to diabetes within 6 months of being diagnosed with prediabetes.
“In fact, prediabetes intervention is an investment rather than an expense.
“So the best time to prevent type 2 diabetes is now.”
Source:
Journal reference:
Zhang, M. et al. (2022) Should acupuncture-related therapies be considered in the management of prediabetes? Results of a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Holistic nursing practice. doi.org/10.1097/HNP.0000000000000530.