5 Ways Acupuncture Can Improve Hormonal Issues

Acupuncture can be a helpful complementary healing modality for many types of health concerns, but interestingly, there is overwhelming scientific and anecdotal evidence to support its specific use for issues pertaining to hormonal health.

1. Supports fertility and pregnancy

About 8 to 12 percent of couples worldwide face problems with infertility, and in recent years that percentage has continued to rise. Acupuncture for fertility has made its way to the forefront as a treatment that has shown promising results in both women and men.

In women, acupuncture has been found to produce positive effects in supporting both ovarian and follicular function while also increasing blood flow to the endometrium—the mucous membrane that surrounds the uterus—helping to facilitate a thick, rich lining. Endometrial thickness is essential in pregnancy as it supports successful implantation of the embryo in the uterus. Because of this, acupuncture has also become a frequently used treatment prior to and during in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in hopes that it will increase the chances of successful pregnancy while also providing support with reducing stress while undergoing fertility treatment. In men, acupuncture for fertility is also beneficial, helping to improve sperm quality and motility and boosting blood flow to the male reproductive organs.

Additionally, the effect of stress reduction associated with acupuncture treatment is also thought to independently impact fertility outcomes by helping to decrease cortisol levels in the brain that when elevated, can disrupt the functioning of the pituitary gland—a pea-sized structure at the base of the brain that regulates a number of hormones, including those involved in reproduction.

Outside of infertility, acupuncture is one of the few medical interventions that is approved for use during pregnancy and helps to manage common prenatal symptoms such as morning sickness, nausea, aches, pains, low back pain, anxiety , and insomnia with positively researched outcomes .

2. Reduces period pain

A report from the journal Human Reproduction Update found that up to 95 percent of menstruating women report having some form of period pain, also known as dysmenorrhea. Commonly, dysmenorrhea can involve intense uterine cramping or blood clotting that occurs during menstruation.

Outside of popping an aspirin and cuddling up with a heating pad, women often feel defenseless against the woes of monthly period pain. However, recent studies show that acupuncture might ease period pain. A study from 2017 found that acupuncture helped to regulate menstrual cycles thereby lessening menstrual pain and normalizing blood flow. The study found that those who received three acupuncture treatments one week prior to their menstrual period over three consecutive cycles experienced significant improvements in both period pain intensity and overall quality of life.

3. Alleviates migraines and headaches

Migraines right before, during, or right after a period, called menstrual migraines, affect many people who menstruate. Menstrual migraines are tied to changes in hormone levels that occur during your monthly cycle and are commonly driven by drops in estrogen or progesterone. While migraines are not an exclusively female problem, women do suffer from migraines three times more frequently than men, with menstrual migraines affecting roughly 60 percent of these women.

Acupuncture is one way to reduce, and potentially prevent, the frequency, duration, and intensity of migraines. A systematic review of 22 clinical trials about acupuncture for migraines found that of the 4,985 participants studied, frequency of headaches decreased by 50 percent or more in up to 59 percent of those who were receiving acupuncture.

While the biological mechanism behind how acupuncture eases and decreases migraine pain remains unclear, researchers project that the needles placed on specific pressure points on the back, head, or neck may help to activate pathways in the body that play an essential role in turning pain off. For menstrual migraines, there is also likely an effect similar to acupuncture for fertility that helps to improve blood flow to the reproductive organs, reduce stress, and balance sex hormones, leading to reduced hormonal fluctuations throughout the month.

4. Helps to treat PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome —commonly referred to as PCOS—is a condition that affects 1 in 10 women of childbearing age, making it one of the most common endocrine issues seen in women. Those with PCOS have a hormonal imbalance and corresponding metabolic problems that can commonly cause issues such as irregular periods, difficulty getting pregnant, and weight gain.

Several recent clinical studies have found that acupuncture can help with treating the ovulatory dysfunction and insulin sensitivity often associated with PCOS. Acupuncture has also been reported to decrease testosterone and the release of other male hormones in patients with PCOS—a common part of the hormonal imbalance related to high levels of androgens seen in those with the condition.

Acupuncture may also work by acting on the system in the brain that releases hormones—leading to a decrease in the release of luteinizing hormone from the pituitary gland which can also suppress the release of male hormones from the ovaries. Because individuals with PCOS often have a harder time getting pregnant, this is another reason why acupuncture for fertility can be so impactful.

5. Diminishes symptoms of menopause

The natural process of menopause is about a 4-5 year experience marked by a decline in reproductive hormones when a woman reaches her 40s or 50s and is often accompanied by hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and vaginal dryness.

A recent study from 2019 that looked at 70 women experiencing menopause, found that when women received just a 15-minute session of standard acupuncture once a week, they noted a decrease in hot flashes after 3 weeks, and 80 percent reported improvements in the severity or frequency of sweating (including night sweats), sleep disturbances, emotional symptoms, and skin, and hair changes at the 6-week mark. Acupuncture for menopause may also be a more natural alternative for women who cannot or do not wish to use hormone therapy to alleviate symptoms.