Acupuncture can restore Hormone Imbalance

Hormonal imbalance is a common female presentation at most acupuncture practices. The human body produces around 50 different types of hormones. Hormones act as the body’s chemical messengers activating target cells. Tightly linked to the nervous system it controls body functions e.g. growth, metabolism, homeostasis, muscle contraction and sexual activity. The effects of hormonal changes start at puberty and continue throughout a women’s life.

Premenstrual symptoms, both physical and emotional represent hormonal changes. Women struggle with hormonal changes experiencing symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, anxiety and changes in libido. There are many reasons for hormone imbalance such as, age, stress, birth control pills, lifestyle, diet and weight. Symptoms can greatly affect a women’s quality of life.

In women, hormones oestrogen and progesterone work together to maintain the menstrual cycle, both are equally important. When oestrogen levels are abnormally high there is oestrogen dominance causing PMS symptoms, menstrual problems, mood swings, weight gain, and increase in stress hormones, fibroids, ovarian cysts (PCOS), heart disease and breast cancer.

In Chinese medicine hormone imbalance can be linked to menstrual and gynaecological but also to other conditions e.g. mood swings, depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia. Depending on the condition conventional medicine offers treatments using birth control pills, anti-depressants, diabetes medication, IVF and fertility treatment drugs. Fortunately, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can offer a safe and effective option for many health problems including alleviating hormonal imbalance.

  • Acupuncture, balances cortisol levelsand regulates adrenal function to relieve stress and normalize stress response, positively affecting the hormone response1.
  • A study found the acupuncture balances the production of follicle-stimulating hormone in women experiencing menopause related symptoms2.
  • Acupuncture helps fertility issuesdue to hormone imbalance by supporting production of healthy levels of sex hormones3.
  • A study of 30 women with PCOS and decreased insulin resistance found improvement in symptoms after acupuncture treatments4.
  • Researchers analyzed 31 RCT with a total 2,433 participants and found that acupuncture has a homeostatic and regulatory effect on three hormones which significantly5;
    • reduce sleep problems
    • increase oestrogen levels
    • reduce follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
  • One case study of a woman with endometriosis causing infertility saw a decrease in the size of the endometrial cysts and later became pregnant after acupuncture treatment6.

Treating hormone imbalance can be complex and often diet, lifestyle and stress play an important role in its successful management. Acupuncture’s regulating effects on the body enables regaining normal function of the body systems including; energy levels, sleep, mood and digestion. With regular treatments the body realizes a healthy equilibrium by correcting imbalances.

References:

  1. Yang JW, Li QQ, Li F, Fu QN, Zeng XH, Liu CZ. The holistic effects of acupuncture treatment. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:739708. doi:10.1155/2014/739708
  2. Aziz H, Feng Lui Y, Du L, et al. Menopause-related symptoms: traditional Chinese medicine vs hormone therapy. 2011. Altern Ther Health Med. 2011; 17(4): 48-53.
  3. Zhu J, Arsovska B, Kozovska K. Acupuncture Treatment for Fertility. Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2018;6(9):1685–1687. Published 2018 Sep 19. doi:10.3889/oamjms.2018.379
  4. Shen LY, Liang CM, Yang WJ, et al. Acupuncture treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome patients with abdominal obesity by regulating dai meridian: A randomized controlled clinical trial. Zhen Ci Yab Jiu. 2018; 43(4): 255-9.
  5. Acupuncture decreases insomnia due to menopause, increases estrogen. (2017, Jan 17) https://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1707-acupuncture-decreases-insomnia-due-to-menopause-increases-estrogen
  6. Zhu J, Arsovsk B, Sterjovska-Aleksovska A, Kozovska K. Acupuncture treatment of subfertility and ovarian endometrioma. Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2018; 6(3): 519-522.

 

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