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Acupuncture may be able to greatly improve insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction and PCOS. PCOS stands for polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal disorder that occurs in women of child-bearing age. Women with this condition may have prolonged or infrequent menstrual periods or an excessive amount of male hormones (called androgens). The ovaries may develop small collections of fluid and may fail to regularly release eggs.
Mitochondrial dysfunction occurs when the mitochondria fail to work as they should due to another condition or disease. Insulin resistance is when cells in the muscles, liver and fat do not respond well to insulin and cannot use glucose from the blood to make energy.
In a recent study that lasted five weeks, a rat model containing PCOS-similar symptoms was created via sub-cutaneous injection with DHEA (short for dehydroepiandrosterone), followed by EA treatment at the acu-points SP6 and ST29. To hinder autophagy in the model rats, researchers performed intraperitoneal injection 30 minutes prior to each treatment of EA.
The results showed that EA intervention relieved PCOS-like symptoms, partly counteracted by the combo with 3-MA. In addition, DHEA-induced deficient muscle autophagy was found to improve with the EA treatment. Improvements in insulin resistance, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, were offset by 3-MA pre-treatment.
Researchers concluded that EA treatment improved insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction, and ER stress via the enhancement of autophagy in a PCOS rat model.
Another study, done in Sweden, used electro-acupuncture on females, which showed significant improvement in PCOS treatment. The acupuncture groups had a 25 percent reduction in testosterone, a 30 percent reduction in other androgens and large improvements in menstrual cycle regularity – all independent of weight loss. The study demonstrated how acupuncture alone helps to regulate hormonal levels even when other variables, like diet, are constant.
A combination of diet, exercise and Chinese Medicine can all help restore balance to a female’s hormones and alleviate many of the symptoms of PCOS. In fact, many experts believe that Chinese Medicine has a lot more to offer for gynecological and fertility issues than does Western medicine.
Contact Metro Detroit Acupuncture
To learn more about how you can improve symptoms due to PCOS and similar conditions with acupuncture, contact us at (248) 432-2846. We are proud to be Metro Detroit’s leading acupuncture and pain management clinic. Acupuncture is a safe and effective alternative to pills and traditional surgical and medical procedures that may not give you the results you want.