Recent research suggests that acupuncture may offer measurable benefits for individuals living with type 2 diabetes, particularly in enhancing blood glucose control and other metabolic factors.
A systematic review and meta-analysis, which included 21 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with a total of 2,117 participants, examined acupuncture as an adjunct therapy alongside conventional diabetes treatments.
Key findings from the study revealed significant improvements in several important clinical outcomes.
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Patients who received acupuncture demonstrated notable reductions in fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and 2-hour postprandial glucose (2h PG).
Specifically, acupuncture led to statistically significant decreases in FBG (SMD: –0.35; p<0.00001), HbA1c (SMD: –0.54; p<0.00001), and 2h PG (SMD: –0.31; p≤0.02).
Additionally, the treatment improved other metabolic indicators such as fasting insulin levels (SMD: –1.09; p=0.0007), high-density lipoprotein (HDL; SMD: 0.68; p=0.0007), low-density lipoprotein (LDL; SMD: –0.46; p=0.008), and body mass index (BMI; SMD: –0.36; p=0.009).
Benefits were also noted in insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance measurements, suggesting acupuncture may positively influence lipid metabolism and nerve function.
Researchers conducted rigorous statistical analyses, employing tools like RevMan 5.4 and Stata 15, and performed sensitivity checks to ensure reliability.
Despite these promising results, the authors cautioned that significant variations existed across studies, particularly in acupuncture techniques, patient demographics, and treatment duration.
Moreover, most trials originated from China, potentially affecting the broader applicability of these findings.
In clinical practice, acupuncture could be considered a valuable complementary treatment option, especially beneficial for those with newly diagnosed or uncomplicated type 2 diabetes.
However, the authors stress the need for further large-scale, high-quality, multicentre trials to better understand the potential of acupuncture and to refine clinical guidelines.
Read the study here.
