Auricular Acupuncture with Beads Supports Sustained Weight Loss

Abstract

Obesity causes serious long-term health problems in people worldwide. Since the effect of dietary advice is possibly limited, weight loss can be a major challenge; therefore, additional weight control techniques may be beneficial. We conducted four experiments to evaluate if auricular acupuncture point stimulation with simple metal beads (AA) rather than the popular use of intradermal needle (DA) to stimulate auricle would support weight loss. In this retrospective study, weight change in Japanese women (aged 18 to 78) was confirmed based on changes in body composition after receiving auricular acupuncture with AA for three months. Furthermore, as a prospective study, we compared three groups—AA, DA, and non-intervention groups—to evaluate if AA, which is simpler than DA, can adjust hunger and reduce food intake and snacking (n = 58). We evaluated the effect of treatment using a questionnaire that recorded changes in weight, number of snacking time, and the amount of food intake (appetite suppression monitoring study). Furthermore, to evaluate changes in post-prandial blood glucose by AA stimulation by comparing groups, we switched AA and non-intervention periods every 24 h to measure changes in blood glucose by the AA. Finally, to evaluate long-term weight loss, we conducted a follow-up study 6 months after AA intervention. The rate of weight loss in subjects who received AA intervention (n = 1362) was -11.15%, confirming a significant decrease. By comparing people who underwent AA with people who did not, we demonstrated that AA reduces snacking between meals and improves satiety. Compared to the non-intervention group (42.75 (65.23) times), the AA (6.6 (10.53) times) and DA (7.93 (4.92) times) groups saw significant decrease in the number of snacking times (p = 0.04 and p = 0.05). The rate of weight loss was -3.57%, -2.74%, and -1.38% in the AA, DA, and untreated groups, respectively; thus, presenting a significant difference (p = 0.02). Glucose decreased in the intervention group, where a significant difference was observed for the median value at 90 and 105 min (p = 0.05, p = 0.007, respectively). Interestingly, weight loss by AA was maintained for six months after the end of treatment. AA had effects equivalent to or even better than DA while being safe and simple. Thus, it can effectively support weight loss and maintain body weight.