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Acupuncture increases parasympathetic tone, modulating HRV - Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Sz Hamvas1, P Hegyi2, Sz Kiss3
1Doctorate School, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; Institute for Translational Medicine, Szentágothai Research Centre, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine
|December 9, 2022
Summary
Real acupuncture significantly improves parasympathetic tone, as measured by heart rate variability (HRV), compared to sham acupuncture. This suggests acupuncture may enhance physical well-being, though results require cautious interpretation.
Area of Science:
- Integrative and Complementary Medicine
- Autonomic Nervous System Physiology
- Clinical Trial Analysis
Background:
- Acupuncture's influence on the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is increasingly recognized.
- Heart Rate Variability (HRV) serves as a key indicator of autonomic activity.
- This review critically evaluates randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on acupuncture's effect on HRV versus placebo.
Approach:
- A systematic search of EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus was conducted.
- Included RCTs focused on body acupoint needle acupuncture without electrical stimulation.
- Data from 9 RCTs were analyzed to assess changes in HRV parameters.
Key Points:
- Verum acupuncture demonstrated significant pre- to post-treatment changes in high-frequency (HF) and LF/HF power spectrum components.
- Sham acupuncture did not yield significant changes in these HRV parameters.
- Real acupuncture appears more effective than placebo in modulating HRV.
Conclusions:
- The meta-analysis indicates that verum acupuncture is superior to sham acupuncture in enhancing parasympathetic tone.
- This improvement in parasympathetic activity may contribute to enhanced physical well-being.
- Caution is advised when interpreting findings due to study quality and heterogeneity.