Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Chuzhen Therapy as a Non-Invasive Traditional Chinese Therapy for Neck Pain
04:24

Chuzhen Therapy as a Non-Invasive Traditional Chinese Therapy for Neck Pain

Published on: June 6, 2025

1.8K

Is acupuncture a placebo therapy?

Yong-Chen Zheng1, Ting-Ting Yuan2, Tao Liu1

  • 1Medical Research Center, 2nd Teaching Hospital, University of Jilin Norman Bethune School of Medicine, Changchun, PR China.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine
|August 23, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Acupuncture may function as a potent placebo, engaging psychological mechanisms for symptom relief. Evidence suggests symptom improvements in both real and sham acupuncture groups, highlighting the power of placebo effects in complementary therapies.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

[A study on the relationship between glutathione S-transferases gene polymorphism and susceptibility response to hypoxia].

Zhongguo ying yong sheng li xue za zhi = Zhongguo yingyong shenglixue zazhi = Chinese journal of applied physiology·2010
Same author

Synthesis and biological evaluation of new 4β-anilino-4'-O-demethyl-4-desoxypodophyllotoxin derivatives as potential antitumor agents.

European journal of medicinal chemistry·2010
Same author

Roles of reactive oxygen species and mitochondria in cadmium-induced injury of liver cells.

Toxicology and industrial health·2010
Same author

[Neuroprotective effects of emodin on primary rat cortical neurons apoptosis induced by hydrogen peroxide].

Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials·2010
Same author

[The protective effect of XD in ConA-induced liver injury].

Xi bao yu fen zi mian yi xue za zhi = Chinese journal of cellular and molecular immunology·2010
Same author

The modulation of surface texture for single-crystalline Si solar cells using calibrated silver nanoparticles as a catalyst.

Nanotechnology·2010

Area of Science:

  • Integrative Medicine
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

  • Complementary therapies, including acupuncture, are often associated with significant placebo effects.
  • High-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) frequently show acupuncture is not superior to its placebo controls.
  • Patients report meaningful symptom improvements regardless of whether they receive real or sham acupuncture.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide further evidence that acupuncture may act as a potent placebo.
  • To explore the mechanisms by which acupuncture might engage placebo effects.
  • To address significant concerns arising from the suggestion that acupuncture's efficacy is primarily placebo-driven.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of existing high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing real acupuncture to sham acupuncture.
Keywords:
AcupuncturePainPlacebo effectsRCT

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Improving Anesthesia Protocols for Enhanced Mouse Acupuncture Research
03:26

Author Spotlight: Improving Anesthesia Protocols for Enhanced Mouse Acupuncture Research

Published on: December 8, 2023

2.1K
Influence of Emotional Factors on the Efficacy of Acupuncture Treatment for Overweight Complicated with Hyperlipidemia: A Retrospective Cohort Study
03:05

Influence of Emotional Factors on the Efficacy of Acupuncture Treatment for Overweight Complicated with Hyperlipidemia: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Published on: November 21, 2025

737

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Chuzhen Therapy as a Non-Invasive Traditional Chinese Therapy for Neck Pain
04:24

Chuzhen Therapy as a Non-Invasive Traditional Chinese Therapy for Neck Pain

Published on: June 6, 2025

1.8K
Author Spotlight: Improving Anesthesia Protocols for Enhanced Mouse Acupuncture Research
03:26

Author Spotlight: Improving Anesthesia Protocols for Enhanced Mouse Acupuncture Research

Published on: December 8, 2023

2.1K
Influence of Emotional Factors on the Efficacy of Acupuncture Treatment for Overweight Complicated with Hyperlipidemia: A Retrospective Cohort Study
03:05

Influence of Emotional Factors on the Efficacy of Acupuncture Treatment for Overweight Complicated with Hyperlipidemia: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Published on: November 21, 2025

737
  • Analysis of patient-reported outcomes and symptom improvements across different study arms.
  • Examination of the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms potentially underlying placebo responses in acupuncture.

    • Main Results:

    • Consistent findings across numerous RCTs indicate no statistically significant difference in efficacy between real acupuncture and sham acupuncture.
    • Clinically meaningful symptom improvements are reported by patients in both real and sham acupuncture groups.
    • These results support the interpretation that acupuncture's therapeutic effects may be largely mediated by placebo mechanisms.

    Conclusions:

    • Acupuncture may function as a potent placebo, leveraging psychological and contextual factors for symptom management.
    • The observed improvements suggest that the therapeutic encounter and patient expectations play a crucial role in acupuncture's perceived benefits.
    • Further research and clinical practice should acknowledge and address the significant role of placebo mechanisms in acupuncture therapy.