Acupuncture has been an important part of traditional Chinese medicine for thousands years, and in recent decades it has increasingly found its way into Western medicine. But how exactly does it affect the female reproductive system? A 2010 study by a Swedish-Chinese research team led by Elisabet Stener-Victorin and Xiaoke Wu examined this question in detail.
How does acupuncture affect the body?
When acupuncture needles penetrate the skin and muscle tissue, they activate mechanoreceptors and send signals to the nervous system in the A-δ and C-type fibers. This signal travels through the spinal cord to the brain and affects a number of organs, including the ovaries, pituitary gland, and hypothalamus. Low-frequency electroacupuncture (EA, 1–15 Hz) is particularly effective because it triggers physiological processes similar to those of physical exercise: it releases endorphins and neuropeptides, which have effects throughout the body.
The HPO axis and the hormonal system
One of the most important findings of the research is that acupuncture directly affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis: It increases the production of β-endorphin in the hypothalamus, which regulates GnRH and, through it, the levels of LH and FSH – the two key hormones of ovulation. It reduces the sympathetic nervous activity of the ovaries, improving blood supply and ovarian function. It reduces the levels of stress hormones (cortisol), which have a detrimental effect on fertility.
PCOS – the most common hormonal disorder
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine-metabolic disease in women of reproductive age. It is characterized by elevated androgen levels, insulin resistance and irregular ovulation. Women with PCOS have been shown to have higher levels of β-endorphin, increased sympathetic nervous system activity, and disrupted GnRH/LH secretion. Low-frequency electroacupuncture can bring measurable improvements in all three areas:
It reduces androgen levels (testosterone), normalizes the LH/FSH ratio, improves insulin sensitivity, and – perhaps most surprisingly – has been clinically proven to help trigger ovulation.
In a clinical trial, 9 out of 11 women with anovulatory PCOS began ovulating after electroacupuncture treatment. The ovulation rate increased from 0.15 to 0.66 – a statistically significant result.
Assisting in assisted reproduction
The research also suggests that acupuncture can complement in vitro fertilization (IVF) protocols. A single treatment – in combination with hCG – can induce ovulation equivalent to conventional hormonal treatment, while reducing the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), a serious side effect of IVF.
Through the research, it is showed that acupuncture – especially low-frequency electroacupuncture – is not a “mystical” remedy, but it is an intervention with measurable, documented physiological effects. Its effects are exerted through the nervous system, the hormonal system and the neuroendocrine axis. Obviously further clinical trials with standardized protocols are needed int he future. However, based on the existing evidence, acupuncture is shown to be a well-established adjunct option in the treatment of PCOS, infertility and hormonal disorders – without side effects.
Source: Stener-Victorin E, Wu X. “Effects and mechanisms of acupuncture in the reproductive system.” Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical 157 (2010) 46–51.