Metabolic Syndrome FAQ

The cause of metabolic syndrome is related to being overweight which leads to a condition called insulin resistance. Normally, your body produces insulin, a hormone made in the pancreas, to help your body use blood sugar as fuel in your cells. Excess body fat can signal the cells to become resistant to insulin, which leaves excess sugar in your blood, preventing it from entering the cells to be metabolized for energy. As your blood sugar rises, the body produces even more insulin which can then have a negative effect on liver function, increasing LDL cholesterol formation, leading to high cholesterol. And these high levels of insulin also interfere with the body’s system that regulates blood pressure leading to unhealthy levels of blood pressure.

Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in improving insulin resistance and the concurrent disorders of high blood sugar and weight gain associated with insulin resistance. In a review of studies, published in 2023, it was found that acupuncture on its own was more effective in reducing insulin resistance than commonly used medications and had far fewer adverse effects. In addition it was found that acupuncture when combined with medications was even more effective in reducing insulin resistance, fasting blood glucose, and body weight than medications alone.

Type 2 Diabetes is a condition where the body cannot effectively use insulin to move blood sugar into cells to be metabolized for energy. High blood sugar, called hyperglycemia, damages the blood vessels in the body making arteries more susceptible to the accumulation of plaque, clogging off blood flow. In addition, high blood sugar reduces the compounds that normally dilate, or increase the diameter of blood vessels, while increasing the compounds that constrict the vessels. Together, these 3 effects dramatically reduce blood flow which can lead to significant health problems that affect the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and brain. Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, neuropathy, stroke, and may be a cause of dementia.

Acupuncture has shown significant therapeutic effects on reducing blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetic patients. In one study conducted in 2019, acupuncture combined with the diabetic medication metformin significantly reduced blood sugar levels more than metformin alone, with a treatment schedule of 14 sessions over 10 weeks. It is known that reducing blood sugar levels is critical in preventing the complication of type 2 diabetes. The combination of acupuncture with conventional medicines offers great promise in achieving this primary goals of reduced blood sugar levels.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is where the force of the blood circulating in the arteries is consistently too high. This forces the heart to pump harder to move the blood throughout the body. If left untreated, over time this can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other serious health problems.

Blood Pressure Measures
• Normal blood pressure: 120/80 mm Hg or lower.

• Elevated blood pressure: 120-129/<80 mm Hg.

• Stage 1 hypertension: 130-139/80-89 mm Hg.

• Stage 2 hypertension: 140/>90 mm Hg

• Hypertensive Emergency: >180/120 mm Hg. Seek immediate medical care.

High blood pressure is often called the “silent killer” because many people do not have any symptoms that their blood pressure is above normal. This is why it is important for all adults to have their blood pressure checked twice a year. For most people, there is no known cause of high blood pressure, but it can often be related to lifestyle issues such as overwork, too little sleep, sedentary lifestyle, too much alcohol, poor diet, and being overweight.

Acupuncture can be effective in helping patients reduce their blood pressure. In a review of 10 studies published in 2022, it was found that acupuncture showed significant results in reducing blood pressure, even when compared to lifestyle interventions alone.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance, mostly produced by the liver, that is necessary for the production of cell walls and certain hormones in the body. Usually due to unhealthy lifestyle choices such as poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and too much alcohol or because of diseases like diabetes and hypothyroidism. Unfortunately, there are no symptoms of high cholesterol levels, meaning that there is no way to tell if you are at risk of heart attack or stroke as cholesterol builds up in artery walls. That is why it is important to have regular blood tests to screen for high cholesterol levels, especially if you have a family history of diabetes or high blood pressure.

If you have high cholesterol levels, acupuncture can be part of an overall treatment plan to help you manage your levels. In a analysis of 36 studies published in Science Direct in 2020, found that acupuncture significantly improved cholesterol levels when compared to lifestyle modifications on their on, and that acupuncture when combined with standard care statin medications was more effective that use of statin medications alone.

The conditions of being overweight or obese are a concern for more than just your physical appearance. Having too much body fat is a risk factor for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, liver disease, sleep apnea and certain cancers. The good news is that even a modest reduction in body weight can have significant benefits to your health.

Although there can be many factors that influence body weight, such as stress, genetics, lifestyle choices, metabolic and hormonal imbalances, the basic cause of being overweight is from consuming more food calories than are burned through daily activities and exercise. Any treatment plan to reduce body weight will necessarily involve dietary changes coupled with routine, daily exercise.

Acupuncture can help with weight loss, but only as a part of an overall plan to improve diet and exercise and to manage other lifestyle factors. An analysis of 14 studies, published in Medicine in 2022, demonstrated that acupuncture can be an effective intervention to reduce body weight. However, it is best practiced as a part of an overall treatment plan that involves a healthy diet and increased daily exercise.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common secondary condition for many people who have diabetes. While the damage to the nerves from high blood sugar levels can affect the nerves anywhere in the body, it is very common for the condition to arise in the feet and lower legs. It may cause feelings of tingling or numbness in the feet or can sometimes cause intense pain. Some people may also notice weakness in the legs or muscle spasms in the feet or calves. Unfortunately, there is no absolute cure for neuropathy, but with proper management of blood sugar it can be possible to halt its advance and reduce the most troubling symptoms.

Acupuncture is part of an effective treatment plan to manage diabetic peripheral neuropathy. A review of 25 studies, published in Frontiers in Neurology in 2023, found that acupuncture as a solo treatment was effective in both reducing pain and improving loss of sensation in the limbs of those affected by DPN. In addition, the review concluded that acupuncture when combined with standard medications for the treatment of DPN was significantly more effective than the medications alone.

Many people with diabetes notice that over the time that they have been living with diabetes, their joints begin to hurt more and they progressively lose flexibility. This is likely due to diabetic tendinopathy, which is causes by metabolic changes that affect the tendons. In the bloodstream, high blood sugar bonds with proteins to form advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The AGEs then bond with the collagen fibers that make up tendons, causing adhesions that prevent the tendons from easily gliding over one another. These adhesions lead to pain, reduced range of motion, and in some instances, tears in the tendons.

The most common conditions caused by diabetic tendinopathy are:
• Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)—The tendons that make up the joint capsule of the shoulder adhere to other tendons, ligaments, and bones, resulting in stiffness or very restricted range of motion in the shoulder.
• Rotator Cuff Tears—The rotator cuff in the shoulder is made of 4 muscles that initiate shoulder movement and stabilize the joint. Tears in the tendons can lead to inability to lift the arm to the side, overhead, or may produce feelings of weakness or collapse when the shoulder is placed under load.
• Trigger Finger—The tendons in the palm of the hand pass through special lubricating membranes, call synovial sheaths. AGEs cause the tendons to adhere to these synovial sheaths, locking the finger in a flexed position. Extra force is needed to return the finger to its normal, extended position—it often quickly snaps back into place, much like pulling a trigger.
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome—A bony tunnel on the palm side of the wrist, the carpal tunnel is a small passage for the tendons, nerves, and blood vessels of the hand. When the tendons become inflamed and swell, they put pressure on the nerve causing pain, numbness, and dysfunction in the hand.
• Dupuytren’s Contracture—Much like trigger finger, this more serious condition results from a permanent adhesion between the finger tendons and synovial sheaths in the palm, locking the fingers in a flexed position, resulting in loss of function of the affected fingers.
• Achilles Tendinitis (Calcaneal Tendinitis)—Weakness in the tendon connecting the heel to the calf muscles causes pain and weakness in the lower leg. This can make it very difficult to walk or climb stairs, leading to a severe disability.

Acupuncture has been shown to be clinically effective in both reducing pain and restoring function in people suffering from tendinopathies. A review of 13 studies published in Frontiers in Medicine in 2022, electroacupuncture showed significant ability to reduce the pain of frozen shoulder, improve function and range of motion, and showed high response rates, meaning it was effective across many different patients. The review also found that electroacupuncture plus standard medical treatment produced significant results, demonstrating electroacupuncture as a viable adjunct therapy in the treatment of frozen shoulder.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is determined by clinic symptoms including no ovulation or irregular ovulation which cause irregular menstrual periods, excess androgen hormones that cause excess facial hair growth and acne, as well as, the presence of cysts (fluid filled sacs) on the ovaries. Weight gain and insulin resistance are often seen in patients with PCOS. Currently, PCOS is one of the leading causes of infertility. 

Studies show acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can significant increase pregnancy and ovulation rates for patients with PCOS by balancing levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), as well as, lower levels of testosterone. This may be achieved by influencing the production of β‐endorphin which impacts the reproductive system through the gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Electro-acupuncture has also been shown to help regulate levels of adrenaline and serotonin in patients with PCOS which helps to improve symptoms of depression and anxiety. One interesting study suggests Chinese herbal medicine may improve insulin resistance by regulating the inflammatory response in the body through the gut biome.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a condition where fat accumulates in the liver, compromising healthy liver function. NAFLD is linked to insulin resistance and obesity and is commonly seen in people with type 2 diabetes or thyroid disease. If left untreated, NAFLD can progress into nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a serious condition of liver inflammation that can lead to scarring, cirrhosis, liver failure, and potentially even liver cancer. With NAFLD, it is important to maintain a healthy weight by eating a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetable, low in saturated fats, sugar, and alcohol and to exercise daily.

Acupuncture can be an effective part of the overall treatment plan for NAFLD. A review of 8 studies, published in the journal, Medicine, in 2021, compared the use of acupuncture alone, acupuncture combined with conventional medicine, and conventional medicine alone in the treatment of NAFLD as measured primarily by clinical efficacy and secondarily by liver enzyme, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. The analysis showed that acupuncture alone was significantly effective in producing clinical efficacy compared to conventional medicine alone and that acupuncture combined with conventional medicine was also similarly effective compare to conventional medicine alone. In the secondary measures of improvements to liver enzyme, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, acupuncture showed significant results as well.