Authors

Participants

Intervention group

Control/sham group

Outcome Measures

Results

Toda, et al. [103]

15 male mice,

5 in each group.

EA and MA groups received acupuncture at ST- 36 and ST-41 Treatment time = 15

minutes.

Control group received no treatment for 15 minutes.

Carnitine and glutathione levels in the blood and muscles.

Carnitine level in the muscle tissue of the MA group was significantly higher than those of the EA group and control group (P < 0.001).

Glutathione levels in the muscle tissues of the EA group and MA group were significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.001).

Lin, et al. [107]

24 healthy male rats.

Stomach meridian group received EA to ST-2, ST-21, and ST-36 Gall Bladder meridian group received EA to GB- 14, GB-24, and GB-

34.

Single session

Control received no treatment.

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance- (1H NMR-) to measure metabolic changes.

EA induced significant variations in 31 metabolites, e.g., amino acids, organic acids, choline esters and glucose. A significant increase in lysine and creatine levels.

Kim, et al. [106]

120 obese patients.

Received a combination of MA and EA 2 times per week for 6 weeks to LI-4, LI-11, SP-6, ST-

36, CV-6, CV-12, ST-25, and ST-28.

Received a combination of sham-MA and sham- EA 2 times per week for 6 weeks LI-4, LI-11, SP-

6, ST-36, CV-6, CV-12.

Serum lipid, carnitine, and amino acid levels.

There were no significant differences in amino acid levels between groups, while carnitine levels were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the treatment group compared with the control group.

Ma, et al. [99]

The numbers in each group were not

mentioned.

Received acupuncture to ST- 36, UB-40, UB-23, CV-4.

The control group enjoyed an extended rest.

Urine metabolic changes before and after intense exercise.

After the treatment with acupuncture, the levels of distinguished metabolites, 2-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxyisovalerate, lactate, pyruvate, citrate, dimethylglycine, choline, glycine, hippurate, and hypoxanthine were recovered at an accelerated speed in the acupuncture group in comparison with the control/sham acupuncture group.

Gao, et al. [100]

60 healthy male rats.

MA group GV-4, GV- 14, GB-30, ST-36,

EA group GV-4, GV- 14, GB-30, ST-36.

Control group received no treatment and rested.

Swimming group received no treatment.

Ca²⁺ levels and Ca²⁺ -ATPase activity in sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle

cells.

In comparison with control group, Ca2+ content and Ca2+ -ATPase activity in sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle cells in model group were lower (P < 0.01, 0.05); while compared with model group, both Ca²⁺ content and Ca²⁺ -ATPase activity in sarcoplasmic reticulum in MA and EA groups increased significantly (P < 0.01). The activity of Ca²⁺ -ATPase of MA group was higher than that of control group (P < 0.05). No significant

Treatment time 20

minutes before swimming exercise.

differences were found between MA and EA groups in Ca²⁺ content and Ca²⁺ -ATPase activity (P > 0.05).

Gao, et al. [102]

40 healthy male rats

MA group GV-4, GV- 14, GB-30, ST-36,

EA group GV-4, GV- 14, GB-30, ST-36,

Treatment time 20 minutes before swimming exercise.

Control group received no treatment and rested.

Swimming group received no treatment.

Antioxidant enzyme and Ca²⁺ (-) ATPase

activities and Ca²⁺ levels in mitochondria of skeletal muscle

cells.

The GSH-Px and Ca(²⁺)-ATPase activities in the mitochondria of the skeletal muscle decreased significantly (P < 0.05) and Ca²⁺ content increased (P < 0.01) in the swimming group as compared with the control group; in the acupuncture group, SOD activity increased significantly (P < 0.05), GSH-Px and Ca (²⁺)-ATPase activities increased as compared with the swimming group (P < 0.05); Ca²⁺ contents in the swimming group and the electroacupuncture group significantly increased as compared with the control group (P < 0.01).