Immediate fasting blood glucose response to electroacupuncture of ST36 versus CV 12 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: randomized controlled trial

Background
Electroacupuncture (EA) is one of the main alternative or complementary therapies used to treat diabetic symptoms, but the immediate hypoglycemic effect of EA at one acupoint only has not been studied in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.

Objectives
This study aimed to investigate the immediate response of fasting blood glucose (FBG) to EA at ST36 (Zusanli) versus CV12 (Zhongwan) acupoints in T2DM patients.

Material and methods
With a body mass index < 30 kg/m2, one hundred T2DM men 40–73 years of age were randomly divided into four groups: a real EA of CV12 group, placebo-controlled EA of CV12 group, real EA of ST36 group and placebo-controlled EA of ST36 group. All groups – containing 25 T2DM men – received one session of a 30-minute 2-Hz EA. Pre- and post-FBG levels were evaluated for every patient within each group.

Results
The only group that showed a significant reduction of FBG was the real EA of CV12 group (p < 0.05) while the placebo-controlled EA of CV12, real EA of ST36 and placebo-controlled EA of ST36 groups did not reveal any significant FBG decline (p > 0.05) in men with T2DM.

Conclusions
A 30-minute 2-Hz real EA of CV12 produced a highly significant decrease of FBG levels in T2DM men.