Therapies, like medication and lifestyle changes, are frequently successful in T2DM patients but could not completely regulate blood sugar levels or avoid side effects. Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture has drawn increasing attention as an adjunctive strategy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It is thought to promote pancreatic β-cell activity, increase insulin sensitivity, and control the autonomic nervous system.
According to recent research, acupuncture may improve glycemic management by influencing lipid profiles, glucose metabolism, and inflammatory markers. Additionally, it provides a non-pharmacological substitute that might lessen reliance on prescription drugs. Examining the effectiveness and processes of acupuncture in type 2 diabetes may offer important information on how to combine conventional and contemporary medical procedures for better diabetic care. This study assessed how acupuncture affects T2DM outcome variables connected to blood glucose.
From the beginning until July 3, 2025, this research examined 4 databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) to find randomized controlled studies that compared acupuncture with non-acupuncture and recruited patients with type 2 diabetes. Prediction Intervals (PI) for every outcome were included in the study, along with normalized mean differences with 95% CI. Additionally, sensitivity analysis, meta-regression, subgroup analysis, and publication bias assessment were carried out.
There were 20 RCTs with 1479 subjects. Where FBG (SMD: -0.52; 95% CI: -0.91 to -0.13; P = 0.009), HbA1c (SMD: -0.76; 95% CI: -1.24 to -0.27; P = 0.002), 2hPG (SMD: -0.69; 95% CI: -1.00 to -0.39; P < 0.00001), and HOMA-IR (SMD: -1.72; 95% CI: -2.57 to -0.86; P < 0.0001) were all significantly lower in the acupuncture group.
However, there was no statistically significant difference in the insulin level (SMD: -1.16; 95% CI: -2.36 to 0.04; P = 0.06). Overall, in T2DM patients, acupuncture successfully lowers FBG, HbA1c, 2hPG, and HOMA-IR; however, insulin levels are not much impacted. Future studies have to concentrate on refining acupuncture procedures, evaluating its long-term impacts, and examining the molecular processes behind its influence.
Reference:
Li, N., Xu, G., Lin, J., Li, H., He, X., Huang, J., Du, X., Xiang, Z., Shi, Z., & Wang, Y. (2025). Effect of acupuncture for type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Postgraduate Medical Journal, qgaf132. https://doi.org/10.1093/postmj/qgaf132
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