Ear acupuncture with beads may help lose weight: Study

Ear acupuncture using metal beads can help reduce weight, body mass index (BMI), and body fat in combination with a restricted diet, according to new research being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Dublin, Ireland (17-20 May).

The new study in 81 Japanese men living with overweight or obesity with high levels of unhealthy abdominal fat assessed auricular acupuncture with 1.5 mm metal ear beads on six points of the outer ear-shen-men, food pipe, upper stomach opening, stomach, lungs and endocrine system.

The beads were placed on both ears and kept in place using surgical tape to ensure the participants were continuously receiving uniform pressure on each of the six acupuncture points. Participants were asked to reduce their total food intake by half during the 3 months of their treatment and kept food diaries.

The study found substantial differences after 3 months, with participants losing on average 10.4cm off their waist circumference and 4% of total body fat.Measures of unhealthy abdominal body fat also fell by on average 2 points and BMI decreased by almost 3 points.

Reference:

Dr Takahiro Fujimoto et l,EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF OBESITY, MEETING European Congress on Obesity (ECO2023)