Acupuncture effects on autonomic responses to cold pressor and handgrip exercise in healthy humans

Acupuncture at P6, Liv 3 and Li 4 attenuates the increase in blood pressure during mental stress in healthy humans. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that acupuncture at these points has a generalized depressor effect seen during other stimuli to the autonomic nervous system. Thirty-eight healthy humans (mean age 33 +/- 13 years) performed handgrip exercise (n = 20) or the cold pressor test (n = 18) before and after acupuncture at P6, Liv 3 and Li4. To control for repeated interventions, subjects underwent an identical protocol on a different day, during which acupuncture was replaced by quiet rest. Blood pressure and heart rate increased similarly during the first and repeat intervention (handgrip or cold pressor test). Acupuncture did not attenuate the increase in blood pressure (delta mean arterial pressure [MAP] 9.3 +/- 1.8 vs 7.3 +/- 3.1 mmHg) or the increase in heart rate (delta heart rate [HR] 6.7 +/- 2.1 vs 6.0 +/- 2.0 bpm) during handgrip exercise. Similarly, acupuncture did not attenuate the increase in blood pressure (delta mean arterial pressure [MAP] 14.8 +/- 5.0 vs 14.8 +/- 4.8 mmHg) or the increase in heart rate (delta heart rate [HR] 5.3 +/- 2.1 vs 8.7 +/- 3.6 bpm) during the cold pressor test. In summary, in normal healthy humans, acupuncture at P6, Liv 3 and Li 4 does not attenuate the blood pressure or heart rate responses during handgrip exercise or the cold pressor test.