Acupuncture for Fertility

Research and anecdotal reports both suggest that acupuncture is a useful form of fertility enhancement and may improve outcomes of IVF.

Do you know any recent parents who say that acupuncture helped them conceive -- after years of trying to get pregnant? If you’re part of a growing population of Gen-X and Gen-Y who has sought out methods to enhance fertility, then you probably do have a few people in your social network who can attest to the powers of Traditional Chinese Medicine for helping couples to conceive.

A growing number of people trying acupuncture in San Diego are requesting acupuncture treatment for fertility enhancement. Some are actually using acupuncture as part of Western Medicine to help with the success of in-vitro fertilization (IVF). There are reported success rates of up to 70% for acupuncture assistance with IVF, which is greater than the success rate of IVF alone.

There was a scientific meta-analysis of the usefulness of acupuncture for IVF success, which was published in the Oxford Journal in 2013, and the conclusion of the large study was that acupuncture was not effective. The study’s authors actually said that acupuncture decreased the chances of IVF being successful. This was an alarming conclusion for many patients who had achieved success with acupuncture. Clinicians had witnessed great success using acupuncture in their IVF clinics. So why the discrepancy? It turns out that this study was funded by a drug company that makes fertility drugs and anti-depressants!

This is one reason why it’s so important to look at the source of anything you read nowadays, whether it’s a news-related article, magazine article, or scientific journal. Everyone has their own bias, and it’s impossible to be completely neutral when writing anything, but consumers should still be aware of the source and potential biases. Who do you trust the most? Your best friend who just got pregnant because of acupuncture? Or a scientist working for a drug company, who has a vested interest in “proving” that acupuncture doesn’t work?

Some acupuncture for fertility studies compare “true” acupuncture with “sham” acupuncture. Sham acupuncture often involves the use of special fake acupuncture needles that are placed at the acupuncture points and appear to get shorter as they’re “inserted” into the body. They don’t stimulate the acupoints in the same way as an actual needle that penetrates the epidermal layer of the skin. Many studies show that even the sham acupuncture enhances fertility and the success rates of IVF. Many suspect that the reason for this is that the acupuncture point is stimulated regardless of whether the needle actually penetrates the skin or not. In fact, some modalities of Japanese acupuncture actually use the non-insertion technique, in which acupuncture needles are held on the acupuncture points, but not inserted. Therefore, “sham” acupuncture is not really a sham. Some patients -- especially those who may have a deficiency condition -- may even do better with the “sham” or non-insertion technique. Ask your acupuncturist in San Diego about Japanese acupuncture or the non-insertion technique if you are needle-sensitive or deficient.

Another issue to keep in mind when reading the news about scientific studies concerning the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for various conditions is that each study typically tests only one acupuncture protocol to gauge the effectiveness of acupuncture as a whole. If one protocol appears ineffective, and the study concludes that acupuncture as a whole is 

ineffective for a particular condition, this is synonymous to saying that Western Medicine is ineffective if aspirin fails to treat H.pylori infection (stomach ulcers). Obviously some antibiotics can treat H. pylori, but aspirin does not. No researcher or doctor would discount the effectiveness of antibiotics -- or Western Medicine as a whole -- simply because aspirin does not treat H. pylori (and may even exacerbate a stomach ulcer).

Is acupuncture good for weight loss?

This article explains how acupuncture can help you lose weight.

The hot weather is quickly approaching, and many of us are thinking more about the appearance (and size) of our waistlines, arms, legs, and overall appearance in a swimsuit or wetsuit. How will we look in our vacation photos? With nearly 70% of people in our country now overweight or obese, the majority of people are looking to lose some weight in time for the warmer weather. And you may be wondering, “Can acupuncture help me lose weight?”

The simple answer to this question is “yes,” but the complicated answer is “it depends.” Acupuncture in La Jolla, CA is no magic bullet for weight loss if you aren’t paying attention to what you’re eating, how much physical activity you’re getting throughout the day, your stress level, and the amount and quality of sleep you’re getting at night. Simply put, if you’re overeating, being sedentary all day, not sleeping, or experiencing a huge amount of stress in your life right now, fat loss will be difficult no matter what.

However, if you’re eating nutrient-dense, whole foods, paying close attention to meal proportions and your internal hunger/satiety signals, plus getting a healthy amount of physical activity each day, managing stress through yoga and meditation, sleeping at least eight hours every night, and not stressing your body with too much exercise or under eating; acupuncture can provide a boost.

Are you seeking a little edge to help you jump-start your weight loss and metabolism, to help you overcome cravings, to break through a weight loss plateau, or to shed that last ten pounds? Acupuncture for weight loss can help you! Metabolic and digestive imbalances can be brought back in to balance using Chinese herbal medicine combined with acupuncture. When combined, it becomes a powerful healing resource for activating the metabolism. Acupuncture also involves the thyroid and digestion to aid in weight loss.

Anecdotal evidence that acupuncture can help you lose weight can be found everywhere, either online or by talking to people in your yoga class or gym. In addition, scientific research has also found acupuncture to be effective for weight loss. In 2009, a study was published in the International Journal of Obesity that stated that acupuncture was associated with a significant reduction of body weight, in comparison to lifestyle management alone. According to the study, those who received acupuncture lost an average of 3.78 pounds more than those who simply tried to lose weight with diet and exercise. Acupuncture was found to be more effective than conventional medicine for weight loss.

Acupuncture in La Jolla, CA can promote healthy weight loss by balancing your endocrine system, normalizing a variety of hormones involved in metabolism, stress response, and hunger and satiety cues. Different hormones released by the brain and the gut in response to food and hunger can get out of balance during times of stress or when we eat overly processed foods. When you switch to a whole foods diet based on unprocessed foods, and when you get adequate sleep, this can help you achieve a more normal appetite. Acupuncture can also help you normalize your appetite. Some researchers believe that acupuncture may work to lower your bodyweight set-point, which is the weight that your body naturally wants to be even when you aren’t dieting. If your natural bodyweight set-point is 150 pounds, for instance, and you’re 20 pounds overweight, acupuncture may lower your bodyweight set-point to 130 pounds so that your body naturally settles at that weight without having to struggle with calorie counting or extreme exercise. With good self-care, when the optimal weight is achieved, there is no “rebound” weight gain up to where you were before.