Effects of body electroacupuncture on plasma leptin concentrations in obese and overweight people in Iran: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of obesity, a major public health problem, is increasing in many countries, including Iran. Leptin, a peptide hormone that is released from adipocytes, is a major factor in appetite regulation. Levels of plasma leptin increase with increased body fat mass (BFM). Research has found acupuncture to be effective both in weight loss and suppression of appetite. Although a few studies have reported the effect of body and ear acupuncture on leptin levels, researchers have performed few studies on the effect of body electroacupuncture in humans. OBJECTIVE: The research team examined the effects of body electroacupuncture and a low-calorie diet on plasma leptin in obese and overweight individuals with an excess (phlegm-dampness or phlegm-heat) or deficiency (spleen/stomach qi deficiency or primary qi deficiency) pattern according to Chinese medicine. DESIGN: The research team randomly assigned participants to one of two groups, intervention or control. SETTING: This study occurred in the nutritional clinic at Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were individuals (N = 86) between 18 and 65 years of age with body mass indexes (BMI) between 25 and 45 kg/m2. INTERVENTION: The intervention group (n = 47) received actual electroacupuncture, and the control group (n = 47) received sham acupuncture. Both groups consumed a low-calorie diet for 6 weeks. OUTCOME MEASURES: The research team measured plasma leptin, BFM, body weight (BW), and BMI before and after treatment. RESULTS: For participants in the intervention group with both the excess and the deficiency patterns, the research team found a significant reduction in plasma leptin (24.96%, P = .001) and BFM (8.29%, P = .001). In the control group, the team found a less significant reduction in leptin and BFM. The difference between the two groups was significant for leptin (P = .03) but not for BFM (P = .8). CONCLUSIONS: While body electroacupuncture with a low-calorie diet can reduce plasma leptin concentration, the mechanism will require further clarification.