Q: I am a woman in my 20s and would like to lose some weight. I am healthy and do not have any long-term medical condition. Can acupuncture help me lose weight and keep it down?

How does acupuncture work? Is it effective as a way of losing a modest amount of weight?
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A: Acupuncture can be an effective alternative treatment to help control weight, but it should be combined with changes in lifestyle and diet to enhance and maintain its effectiveness.

In a study titled ‘Acupuncture versus sham acupuncture for simple obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis’, published in 2020 in the British Medical Association’s peer-reviewed The BMJ, acupuncture was found to have positive effects in lowering body mass index, body weight and body fat mass percentage.

The results of the study also suggest that acupuncture is an effective therapy for obesity rather than merely having a placebo effect. Other research has shown that acupuncture regulates the endocrine system, promotes digestion and suppresses appetite.

According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), weight gain or obesity is related to what it considers ‘phlegm’ and ‘dampness’ stagnation in the body. Overconsumption of sweet and greasy food, and a lack of physical activity can impede the function of the spleen over time. In TCM, acupuncture strengthens the spleen’s function and treats any underlying constitutional imbalances.

Patients can undergo manual acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, auricular acupuncture, or auricular acupressure, where small herbal seeds of a plant, known as vaccaria, are pasted on the acupuncture points on the ear. Treatment is tailored to a person’s medical condition, and not on how overweight he is. Acupuncture should be avoided for pregnant women and those with tumours and bleeding disorders.

A 10-session course typically starts with biweekly sessions. If the patient does not show much weight loss after one or two courses of acupuncture, he would be advised to stop treatment and seek alternatives.

Acupuncture carries little risk when administered by qualified practitioners. Some patients may experience dizziness, brief aching or tingling sensations around needling sites, and light bleeding or bruising after the acupuncture needles are emoved. A doctor’s referral is needed to book an appointment at the SGH Acupuncture Services.
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Ms Jeraldine Seah, Senior Acupuncturist, Acupuncture Service Centre, Department of Pain Medicine, Singapore General Hospital