Acupuncture for weight loss: how does it work?

[Article updated on 19/09/2023]

Practicing acupuncture to lose weight is a popular idea among fans of this form of therapy. How to go about it to succeed? Isn’t this a false good idea or a pure scam? In the following lines, I examine the question for you, with the attention to detail required by the scientific approach.

Acupuncture is a therapeutic system from traditional Chinese medicine. Based on an energetic vision of man, it aims to balance the vital energy (chi) of the body as part of the patient’s treatment. This treatment is distinguished by the manipulation and implantation of fine sterile needles on specific points of the body or acupuncture points. This Chinese practice is used to treat several pathologies affecting the body (digestive pathologies, migraine, hypertension, etc.) and the psyche (depression, stress, etc.). It can be used against addictions (smoking) or to treat pain.

Nowadays, acupuncture is used to treat various ailments, but also to achieve weight loss goals. It is then used for weight loss. It could thus constitute a beneficial alternative for people who wish to lose weight, with advantages, but also limits.

Acupuncture to lose weight: for whom? For what uses?

The principle of acupuncture consists of restoring energy circulation in the body using needles implanted in specific areas of the body. It proves beneficial in the context of weight loss, especially since certain energy blockages result in weight gain. Thus, acupuncture can be useful for those who wish to lose weight and who are also faced with an energy blockage that can cause dysfunction in certain organs or the accumulation of fat.

For greedy subjects who have difficulty resisting hunger, this practice proves useful in helping to control hunger. It is also intended for compulsive eaters or stressed people who are gaining weight. Stress can be the cause of extra pounds.

In addition to stressed people, other people facing weight gain for various reasons may use acupuncture. These are people who constantly snack or eat to relieve stress. So, for them, food soothes and comforts. Under these conditions, weight loss is difficult for the subject who has the profile of a compulsive snacker. Also, acupuncture is well indicated for people faced with Water retention or an addiction to food.

So, The use of acupuncture in the context of weight loss aims to:

• solve energy problems;
• better control hunger;
• regulate appetite
• address the factors likely to lead to taking weight ;
• reduce stress.

Characteristics of acupuncture for to lose weight

Yin and Yan are two main principles of acupuncture. Disorders come from an excess of Yin or Yan or an imbalance between these two forces. Implantation of needles in various energy points in the body aims to restore excess Yan or of Yin. This use therapeutic needles stimulates acupuncture points, tones energy, disperses blockages and rebalances the two strengths. This stimulation exerts an effective action on the cause of the disorder felt, on the points which are at the origin of the weight gain. She permits then proper functioning of the body.

Acupuncture works inside since all problems are in the body. To restore health, it rebalances the two forces at inside, helps to rebalance the flows in order to establish circulation without hindrances of energies. It’s about circulating the energies of our body to eliminate the deepest problems, including problems of overweight, because weight gain is the result of an imbalance in the energy flows.

Indeed, an imbalance between these two energies is responsible for the evils. An obstacle to the circulation of energy, any blockage or any energy disruption can be the cause of weight gain.

Acupuncture aims to treat problems related to weight gain at the source. The therapeutic use of needles aims to resolve the energy blockages which are responsible for weight gain, with the aim of eliminating the problem at the source. In other words, acupuncture helps subjects lose weight by stimulating specific points of the body in order to rebalance energy flows, thus ensuring the proper functioning of all vital organs.

Benefits

Acupuncture acts as a natural appetite suppressant

Acupuncture plays a role in effective appetite suppressant and constitutes a valuable ally for weight loss. It will allow you to better control hunger to gain less weight and to lose weight. By establishing a good balance of energy flows and better organ functioning, it provides comfort which helps reduce appetite, with an influence on body mass. With the stimulation of energy points, a signal is transmitted to the hypothalamus to induce a feeling of satiety and well-being.

Acupuncture improves metabolism

Acupuncture plays a regulatory role in metabolism by promoting the regulation of digestion, insulin and hormones. Indeed, when there is a dysfunction in the various organs of digestion, metabolism is affected and is likely to become slow. This does not allow the body to expend a lot of energy to burn fat. By stimulating specific points, acupuncture will improve the flow of energy and therefore the body’s ability to burn fat.

Metabolic processes are thus activated in the body, with the effect of accelerating the processing of body fat and eliminating toxins from the body. This effect on metabolism will promote digestion with a reduction in fat storage. Indeed, the stimulation of the points helps to relax and balance the nervous system, which facilitates and improves digestion.

Acupuncture reduces appetite

Ghrelin is a hormone that is considered a hunger hormone. Indeed, it is a hormone that stimulates hunger and reduces appetite. Stimulating acupuncture points helps regulate and lower ghrelin levels in the body.

The impact of acupuncture thus makes it possible to reduce ghrelin levels with significant effects on appetite. When hunger is regulated, it is easy to lose weight, the subject being less voracious and eating reasonable quantities of food. Acupuncture thus allows people with a sweet tooth to better control their hunger.

Acupuncture also promotes a reduction in appetite by inducing the release of endorphins when points on the body are stimulated. This hormone helps reduce appetite and improve mood.

Acupuncture reduces stress

To help with weight loss, acupuncture reduces factors that are often associated with weight gain, including stress, anxiety and anxiety. Stress and anxiety unbalance energy and internal flows. Acupuncture acts on these factors which disrupt internal balance. Indeed, stressed people, particularly with a drop in morale, tend to eat more, with a series of absorption of small quantities of food (snacking) during the day, a preference for fatty/sweet foods.

People with anxiety tend to eat without hunger. Acupuncture combats stress and induces a state of relaxation which helps resolve problems related to hunger. It helps the subject to avoid excess food (fatty/sweet), while eliminating the desire to snack. It also reduces anxiety which promotes excessive food consumption.

Acupuncture contributes to a reduction in eating linked to emotions

Some people eat without hunger in response to an emotion or based on their emotional state. Thus, weight gain can betre following an emotional shock. Acupuncture helps rebalance emotions in order to eliminate emotional eating and promote weight loss. Specifically, stimulation of energy points will promote the release of serotonin which contributes to reducing appetite and limiting emotional eating.

Acupuncture improves blood circulation and helps reduce cellulite

The therapeutic use of needles promotes the proper circulation of energies in the body, which promotes the proper functioning of the organs. It also helps balance the nervous system, resulting in improved blood circulation to better drain cellulite. It thus helps treat water retention.

Acupuncture reduces pain

Acupuncture is used to treat pain. It helps reduce body aches and pain as well as inflammation which is also linked to pain. This advantage allows the subject to stay moving and to regularly practice sports activities again that they could not undertake because of the pain. By relieving pain, acupuncture makes it possible to exercise as part of a program aimed at losing weight.

Acupuncture does not require medication

Acupuncture is characterized by the implantation of needles into the body as part of the treatment of disorders and weight loss. So there are no medications to take. Thise Chinese therapeutic practice thus allows you to avoid the more or less harmful side effects of certain medications intended to reduce body weight. Needle implantation has virtually no side effects and is not painful.

Limits

The beneficial effects of acupuncture for weight loss are limited

Weight gain can ebe linkede to various causes, including appetite. In this case, acupuncture has a significant impact and is a suitable solution. It thus makes it possible to effectively help people who have difficulty managing their hunger. But, when weight gain is linked to other causes that are not linked to appetite, particularly medical causes, acupuncture seems to be helpful.tre limited. But, it can act on stress to help people facing weight gain that is not linked to causes such as appetite.

Acupuncture alone cannot induce significant weight loss

Results are limited when acupuncture is used as the sole remedy for weight loss. In other words, it cannot, on its own, cause weight loss. It is possible to practice acupuncture to lose weight, it is combined with a healthy lifestyle, a balanced and varied diet and sport.

Acupuncture to lose weight requires several sessions with a more or less high budget

A single session in an acupuncture office cannot lead to significant weight loss. Several are needed, which suggests results that are not lasting and the need for long-term treatment. The sessions must be repeated to ensure the results last. The minimum number of recommended sessions is 10. It is recommended to perform an average of 2 sessions per week for 2 to 3 months. The price of a session is not always within everyone’s reach, sessions dedicated to weight loss will therefore require a more or less high budget.

Where and how does an acupuncture session take place to lose weight?

Place

Acupuncture for weight loss requires sessions that take place in a clinic or acupuncture office. This Chinese medical practice is carried out by an acupuncture doctor or a licensed acupuncturist.

Energy balance

During the first consultation, the acupuncturist will proceed to a series of questions in with a view to establishing an individual diagnosis or an energy assessment. To do this, he asks relativ questionsare in the state health, lifestyle, eating habits, physical activities, the personal and professional situation of the patient. He also takes the time to answer the patient’s questions and reassure them. For establish this assessment which makes it possible to develop a bilingual treatment planin specific, it proceedse to the manipulation of the body and taking Chinese pulses. Strategic points are thus identified in sight to initiate treatment adapted to each case.

Use of needles

In a quiet room, the patient lies with underwear on ae table covered with single-use paper. The acupuncturist begins the session by implanting fine, sterile needles on specific points on the body. The needles are placed on the surface of the skin at each energy point determining weight loss.

Duration and number of sessions

The duration of a session or the duration of exposureare needles varies depending on the patient’s condition. On average, it lasts around thirty minutes.

The number of sessions varies from one subject to another and depending on the case to be treated as part of a weight loss consultation. For weight loss, the number of sessions will depend on a series of factors which vary from one subject to another.

Weight is a parameter to take into account, as well as the number of kilograms to lose. Also, depending on the motivation and reactivity of the patient, the acupuncturist may consider the number of sessions. But, the patient should expect treatment for approximately 2 to 3 months, with two sessions per week.

How Does acupuncture promote weight loss?

By balancing energies

Since weight gain is due to an energy imbalance, acupuncture will therefore aim to balance energy forces and promote the proper circulation of energies in the body. For maximum effectiveness, the acupuncturist will establish a treatment plan by implanting needles at specific points on the skin. The placement of the needles thus aims to stimulate certain strategic points of the body. The points to address for weight loss are specific to each subject and depend on the cause of weight gain. The therapeutic use of needles aims to rebalance bodily tensions and establish a state of relaxation which are important in the process of weight loss.

By regulating appetite and promoting metabolism

Generally, needle placement targets the acupuncture points that control appetite. This involves regulating appetite, while also reducing the factors that cause hunger and weight gain. These factors include, among others, stress, anxiety, hormonal problems. Acupuncture thus aims to regulate appetite by taking into account the psychological and physiological aspects of weight loss. Depending on the treatment goals as part of the weight loss process, needles are implantedes in other areas to promote the activation of metabolism or facilitate digestion.

By promoting the proper functioning of organs

The acupuncturist will implant needles targeting specific points. After determining the origin of the weight gain after an energy assessment or an individual diagnosis, the correct location of the energy points is very important for the success of the treatment in the context of weight loss. When this specific location of the points is determined, the acupuncturist will implant the needles to resolve the energy blockages.

Placing the needles in the right places will thus promote energy circulation in the body, resulting in proper functioning of all organs. Healthy organ function is important when it comes to achieving weight loss goals. Thus, an improvement in the functioning of the digestive organs will promote digestion, but also the drainage of fats. Stimulating the kidneys will help reduce water retention.

So, when energy points are stimulated and promote proper functioning of the organs, acupuncture can thus constitute an aid in reaching the weight loss goals.

Acupuncture to lose weight: specific points to treat

Several acupuncture points are located in several parts of the body. The practice of acupuncture to lose weight will consist of implanter THE needles on these energetic points which are linked to appetite. There exists a diversity of points that can betre stimulated within the framework of weight loss. These points, in accordance with the principle of acupuncture, help regulate appetite.

Several points, located at ear level, helps control appetite and hunger, while promoting the improvement ofe the digestion. The ear is an area that concentrates many energy points linked to appetite. These points are thus stimulated by the acupuncturist to promote weight loss. The stimulation of these allows, among other things, to:

• control appetite and hunger or to reduce the feeling of hunger and appetite;
• increase the appetite suppressant effect;
• improve the digestion.

There is an acupuncture technique called auriculotherapy or ear acupuncture which also helps regulate appetite. This slimming technique focuses on the implantation of needles at the level of the ear, particularly on the pinna of the ear, to help you lose kilograms. Apart from needles, it can use magnets or ear clips.

Depending on the causes of the weight gain, certain areas of the body are favoredes. Thus, the needlesTHE are arranged at levelwater energy points within which the cause of weight gain.

• The mouth: for people who eat compulsively, without realizing it or who have a big appetite.
• The stomach: for people who tend to snack compulsively, often after meals
• The lungs: for those who are faced with an addiction to certain foods.
• The spleen: to resolve imbalances linked to sugar.
• The kidneys: for all those affected by water retention.

My opinion

Acupuncture is a Chinese therapeutic practice that can act on hunger control and help greedy people who have difficulty controlling themselves or have difficulty resisting hunger. It helps stimulate certain parts of the body with a view toe regulate hunger or suppress hunger. Thus, it can help and support the efforts of people who want to lose weight. However, it alone is not enough to lose weight. She must ebe combined with a healthy and balanced diet, regular physical activity and good hygiene.

Thus, acupuncture allows you to lose kilograms in a sustainable and effective way when it is integrated into a slimming diet and sporting activity. As a result, acupuncture can contribute to weight loss and is also a beneficial addition to a weight loss program.