Needles against anemia: How acupuncture can help with iron deficiency

Needles against anemia: How acupuncture can help with iron deficiency

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a major health problem worldwide and particularly in India. An innovative study examined the effects of acupuncture on IDA by stimulating specific acupuncture points - GB39, BL17 and LR13 - in 100 women with IDA. The women were divided into two groups: one group received real acupuncture at the named points, while the other group received sham acupuncture, in which needles were placed at points not considered acupuncture points. The treatment took place daily for 30 minutes for two weeks.

The results were remarkable: the women who received real acupuncture showed significant increases in hemoglobin levels, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) – important indicators for improving iron deficiency anemia. In comparison, the control group that received sham acupuncture showed no significant changes in these values.

Possible future prospects and impacts

These findings could fundamentally change the way IDA is treated. Traditionally, treatment of IDA is based on iron-rich diets and taking iron supplements. However, the study suggests that acupuncture could be an effective alternative or adjunct, particularly for patients who have difficulty with traditional therapy or are looking for additional treatment options.

In addition, acupuncture offers a non-invasive treatment option without the side effects typical of iron supplements, such as gastrointestinal complaints.

Basic explanations of terms and connections

• Hämoglobin: Ein Protein in roten Blutkörperchen, das für den Transport von Sauerstoff im Körper verantwortlich ist. Niedrige Hämoglobinwerte sind ein Hauptindikator für Anämie.
• Mittleres Korpuskularvolumen (MCV): Ein Maß für die durchschnittliche Größe der roten Blutkörperchen und ein wichtiger Indikator für die Art der Anämie.
• Mittlere Korpuskulärhämoglobin (MCH): Ein Wert, der den durchschnittlichen Gehalt an Hämoglobin pro rotem Blutkörperchen darstellt.
• Rote Zellverteilungsbreite (RDW): Ein Maß für die Variation der Größe roter Blutkörperchen. Hohe Werte können auf eine Anämie hindeuten.
• Akupunkturpunkte: Spezifische Stellen auf dem Körper, die in der traditionellen chinesischen Medizin identifiziert wurden und bei Stimulation zu therapeutischen Effekten führen können.

In summary, this study suggests that acupuncture could be an effective alternative or adjunct to traditional treatment of iron deficiency anemia, with positive effects on hemoglobin and other relevant blood values. Further research is needed to confirm these preliminary findings and to understand more precisely how and why acupuncture works for IDA.

Significant improvement in anemia parameters through acupuncture

Research on the impact of acupuncture on iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in India provides significant insights into alternative treatment approaches. This study examined the influence of acupuncture at points GB39, BL17 and LR13 on various blood parameters in women with IDA. Study variables were hemoglobin levels (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and red blood cell distribution width (RDW).

• Studiendesign: 100 Frauen mit IDA wurden randomisiert der Akupunkturgruppe (AG) oder der Placebo-Kontrollgruppe (PCG) zugeteilt.
• Intervention: Die AG erhielt täglich für 2 Wochen 30 Minuten lang Akupunktur an den Punkten GB39, BL17 und LR13. Die PCG erhielt eine Scheinakupunktur an Nicht-Akupunkturpunkten.
• Evaluationszeitraum: Bewertungen erfolgten vor und nach der Intervention.

Results

The analysis showed a statistically significant improvement in Hb levels, MCH and RDW in AG compared with PCG, indicating that acupuncture at specific points may be an effective method for treating IDA.

The effect size analysis confirmed the clinical significance of the results with a clear effect size of 0.785 for hemoglobin, 0.418 for MCH, and 0.626 for RDW in the AG.

conclusion

The study provides convincing evidence that acupuncture at points GB39, BL17 and LR13 achieves significant improvements in patients with IDA in terms of hemoglobin, MCH and RDW. Acupuncture therefore represents a possible alternative or complementary treatment option for IDA. This approach could be particularly beneficial in regions with limited access to traditional treatments or for patients who cannot tolerate conventional therapies.

The full study is available here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38115592