Changes in levels of serum insulin, c-peptide and glucose after electroacupuncture and diet therapy in obese women

Our purpose was to investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) therapy on body weight and on levels of serum insulin, c-peptide and glucose in obese women. 52 healthy women were included in this study and were allocated into three groups: 1) Placebo EA group (n = 15; mean age = 41.8 +/- 4.6 and mean body mass index {BMI} = 33.2 +/- 3.5); 2) EA group (n = 20; mean age = 42.1 +/- 4.4 and BMI = 35.9 +/- 3.6) and 3) Diet restriction group (n = 20; mean age = 42.9 +/- 4.3 and BMI = 34.7 +/- 2.7). EA was applied to the ear points Hunger and Shen Men on alternating days and to the body points LI4, LI11, St36 and St44 once a day for 30 minutes over 20 days. Diet restriction that entailed a 1450 kilocalorie (kcal) diet program was applied to the three groups for 20 days. An increase in weight loss was observed when weight loss in the EA group (p < 0.000) was compared to that in the diet restricted and placebo EA groups using the Tukey HSD test. There were increases in the serum insulin (p < 0.001) and c-peptide levels (p < 0.000) in the women treated with EA compared to those in the women treated with the placebo EA and diet restriction groups. A decrease was observed in the glucose levels (p < 0.01) in both the EA and diet restriction groups compared to those in the placebo EA group. Our results suggest that EA therapy is an effective method in treating obesity. EA therapy also helps serum glucose levels to decrease through the increase of serum insulin and c-peptide levels.