When your acupuncturist inserts a needle, they are containing or releasing a group of neuro-transmitting gases like nitric oxide (NO). This gasotransmitter acts to restore and maintain body homeostasis by working as a biological mediator and important chemical transmitter throughout the body.
By working up stream of so many chemical processes acupuncture gives you many
positive side effects. Here are three of the best.
1- Direct Blood Circulation
Acupuncture influences how and where your blood circulates, and which tissues are given priority. Nitric oxide ‘s most important function is vasodilation, meaning it relaxes the inner muscles of the blood vessels, causing them to widen and increase circulation.
Nitric oxide production is essential for overall health because it allows blood, nutrients and oxygen to travel to every part of your body effectively and efficiently.
In fact, a limited capacity to produce nitric oxide is associated with heart disease, diabetes and erectile dysfunction.
2. Kills pathogens
Nitric oxide is also antiviral. NO has been researched for its role in the immune
response and specifically how to reduce viral load in the blood stream. The recent
global pandemic has fast-tracked research into new drugs which can treat viral
respiratory infections in innovative ways.
3. Turns fat into energy
In human and animal studies acupuncture helps burn fat. It has been shown to help
with energy balance so that if you have extra fat, your energy levels increase and your
appetite decreases so you feel like moving and exercising longer.
There is an increasing body of peer reviewed research that is focusing on how
acupuncture works and what mechanisms are being influenced with acupuncture.
If you or someone you know could benefit from what you’ve just read, please feel free
to share!
References Ma, Sheng-Xing. "Enhanced nitric oxide concentrations and expression of nitric oxide synthase in acupuncture points/meridians." The Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine 9.2 (2003): 207-215. Tang, Lina, et al. "A sensitive acupuncture needle microsensor for real-time monitoring of nitric oxide in acupoints of rats." Scientific reports 7.1 (2017): 1-10. Liu, Qi, et al. "Cerebral activity changes in different traditional Chinese medicine patterns of psychogenic erectile dysfunction patients." Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: eCAM 2015 (2015). Chen, Shuang, and Sheng-Xing Ma. "Nitric oxide in the gracile nucleus mediates depressor response to acupuncture (ST36)." Journal of Neurophysiology 90.2 (2003): 780-785. Ma, Sheng-xing. "Nitric oxide signaling molecules in acupoints: toward mechanisms of acupuncture." Chinese journal of integrative medicine 23.11 (2017): 812-815. D FRAME, J. A. M. E. S., and D. A. V. I. D. O’HARA. "The importance of nitric oxide in medicine." Zhou, Li, et al. "Effect of electro-acupuncture at Fenglong (GV 16) on nitric oxide and endothelin in rats with hyperlipidemia." Zhong xi yi jie he xue bao= Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine 6.1 (2008): 89-92. Güçel, Funda, et al. "Influence of acupuncture on leptin, ghrelin, insulin and cholecystokinin in obese women: a randomised, sham-controlled preliminary trial." Acupuncture in Medicine 30.3 (2012): 203-207.
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