{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,24]],"date-time":"2026-10-24T00:31:06Z","timestamp":1792801866349,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,11]],"date-time":"2025-06-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1749600000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Endocrinol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>This meta-analysis aimed to ascertain the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating clinical symptoms of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to summarize the acupoints and meridians involved.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang were thoroughly retrieved to acquire randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating acupuncture as an adjunct treatment for T2DM. Outcome measures focused on improvements in T2DM clinical symptoms. The meta-analysis was implemented leveraging RevMan 5.4 and Stata 15 software, with sensitivity and subgroup analyses to assess the stability of results and identify heterogeneity sources.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>21 RCTs encompassing 2,117 individuals with T2DM were analyzed. The results of 2-hour postprandial glucose (2h PG), body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), bilateral median nerve motor conduction velocity, and plasma viscosity were reliable. No publication bias was noted, except for Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Score Scale (TCMSS). The meta-analysis showed that acupuncture significantly improved clinical markers such as glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), 2h PG, FBG, and fasting serum insulin (FINS). Subgroup analysis for FBG, 2h PG, and triglycerides (TG) indicated that the primary source of heterogeneity for FBG was related to participants with uncomplicated T2DM and a treatment duration of less than three months. No significant heterogeneity was observed for 2h PG, while the TG data were unstable.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Acupuncture can significantly alleviate the main clinical symptoms of T2DM, but significant heterogeneity was observed for individual indicators. Further investigation is needed to corroborate its precise therapeutic effectiveness and identify potential influencing factors.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Systematic review registration<\/jats:title><jats:p><jats:uri>https:\/\/www.crd.york.ac.uk\/PROSPERO\/view\/CRD42024602165<\/jats:uri>, identifier CRD42024602165.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fendo.2025.1596062","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,11]],"date-time":"2025-06-11T05:14:39Z","timestamp":1749618879000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["The effect of acupuncture on blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Yuqi","family":"Si","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jiayao","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lizhu","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yan","family":"Zheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yixuan","family":"Qiu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Beibei","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yiwen","family":"Liang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yubo","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yaling","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.diabres.2018.02.023","article-title":"IDF Diabetes Atlas: Global estimates of diabetes prevalence for 2017 and projections for 2045","volume":"138","author":"Cho","year":"2018","journal-title":"Diabetes Res Clin practice."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107843","DOI":"10.1016\/j.diabres.2019.107843","article-title":"Global and regional diabetes prevalence estimates for 2019 and projections for 2030 and 2045: Results from the International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas, 9(th) edition","volume":"157","author":"Saeedi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Diabetes Res Clin practice."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1357","DOI":"10.13703\/j.0255-2930.20240604-0003","article-title":"Research progress in molecular mechanism of acupuncture for diabetes mellitus","volume":"44","author":"He","year":"2024","journal-title":"Chin Acupuncture Moxibustion"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.16658\/j.cnki.1672-4062.2024.09.022","article-title":"Effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on blood glucose control in dia-betes mellitus","volume":"27","author":"Li","year":"2024","journal-title":"Diabetes New World"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1745","DOI":"10.13288\/j.11-2166\/r.2011.20.013","article-title":"Acupuncture treatment with warming-yang method for the patients of diabetic peripheral neuropathy:A report of 32 cases","volume":"52","author":"Liu","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Traditional Chin Med"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.13457\/j.cnki.jncm.2019.02.063","article-title":"Balance acupuncture combined with life style intervention has effect on patients with impaired glucose tolerance","volume":"51","author":"Luo","year":"2019","journal-title":"J New Chin Med"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11655-021-3450-2","article-title":"Effect and safety of acupuncture for type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 randomised controlled trials","volume":"28","author":"Li","year":"2022","journal-title":"Chin J Integr Med"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7326\/M14-2385","article-title":"The PRISMA extension statement for reporting of systematic reviews incorporating network meta-analyses of health care interventions: checklist and explanations","volume":"162","author":"Hutton","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ann Internal Med"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/14651858.ED000142","article-title":"Updated guidance for trusted systematic reviews: a new edition of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions","volume":"10","author":"Cumpston","year":"2019","journal-title":"Cochrane Database systematic Rev"},{"key":"B10","article-title":"Effect of acupuncture on serum leptin level in patients with type II Diabetes mellitus","volume":"36","author":"Cai","year":"2011","journal-title":"Acupuncture Res"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"964","DOI":"10.19945\/j.cnki.issn.1006-3250.2014.07.042","article-title":"Electroacupuncture treatment of female patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus Clinical observationn","volume":"20","author":"Feng","year":"2014","journal-title":"Chin J Basic Med Traditional Chin"},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.13703\/j.0255-2930.2018.01.003","article-title":"Skin needle embedding for obese impaired glucose tolerance","volume":"38","author":"Liang","year":"2018","journal-title":"Zhongguo Zhen Jiu"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3878","DOI":"10.1016\/s0899-9007(01)00747-x","article-title":"Clinical effects of acupuncture with liuwei dihuang pill on type 2 diabetes lipidmetabolic disorder and its influence on insulin resistance","volume":"19","author":"Wang","year":"2016","journal-title":"Chin Gen Pract"},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3760\/cma.j.issn.0254-1424.2014.02.010","article-title":"The influence of acupoint transcutaneous electrical stimulation on blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin and the physical fitness of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus","volume":"36","author":"Yang","year":"2014","journal-title":"Chin J Phys Med Rehabilitation."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.13193\/j.archtcm.2011.04.45.zhangqy.090","article-title":"The effect of acupuncture on serum adiponectin in patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus","volume":"29","author":"Zhang","year":"2011","journal-title":"Chin Arch Traditional Chin Med"},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.13193\/j.archtcm.2010.07.218.zhengshy.040","article-title":"Observation of the effect about glimepiride combined acupuncture and medicine treatment of qi and yin deficiency type-2 diabetes","volume":"28","author":"Zheng","year":"2010","journal-title":"Chin Arch Traditional Chin Med"},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.13457\/j.cnki.jncm.2014.05.061","article-title":"Clinical observation of 43 cases of diabetic peripheral neuropathy treated by Chinese integrative therapy","volume":"46","author":"Zhu","year":"2014","journal-title":"J New Chin Med"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.13703\/j.0255-2930.2017.06.004","article-title":"Effect and postoperative reactions of acupoint catgut embedding for prediabetes","volume":"37","author":"Xue","year":"2017","journal-title":"Chin Acupuncture Moxibustion"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"(969824)","DOI":"10.1155\/2013\/969824","article-title":"Electroacupuncture and rosiglitazone combined therapy as a means of treating insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized controlled trial","volume":"2013","author":"Lin","year":"2013","journal-title":"Evidence-Based Complementary Altern Med"},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.12659\/MSM.909733","article-title":"Acupuncture combined with hydrotherapy in diabetes patients with mild lower-extremity arterial disease: A prospective, randomized, nonblinded clinical study","volume":"24","author":"Qi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Med Sci monitor: Int Med J Exp Clin Res"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/acu.2019.1398","article-title":"Effects of laser acupuncture and dietary intervention on key obesity parameters","volume":"32","author":"Sebayang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Med acupuncture"},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nutd.2016.16","article-title":"Comparative evaluation of the therapeutic effect of metformin monotherapy with metformin and acupuncture combined therapy on weight loss and insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients","volume":"6","author":"Firouzjaei","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nutr Diabetes"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/acm.2008.0107","article-title":"A single-blinded, randomized pilot study evaluating effects of electroacupuncture in diabetic patients with symptoms suggestive of gastroparesis","volume":"14","author":"Wang","year":"2008","journal-title":"J Altern complementary Med (New York NY)."},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1089\/acu.2020.1457","article-title":"Acute effect of acupuncture on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes measured by continuous glucose monitoring: a pilot study","volume":"33","author":"Vencio","year":"2021","journal-title":"Med acupuncture."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5114\/fmpcr.2022.110370","article-title":"Immediate fasting blood glucose response to electroacupuncture of ST36 versus CV12 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: randomized controlled trial","volume":"23","author":"Ali Ismail","year":"2021","journal-title":"Family Med primary Care Rev"},{"key":"B26","first-page":"12","article-title":"Clinical study on the wrist-ankle acupuncture treatment for 30 cases of diabetic peripheral neuritis","volume":"26","author":"Jiang","year":"2006","journal-title":"J traditional Chin Med = chung i tsa chih ying wen pan"},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jtcms.2019.02.003","article-title":"Therapeutic effects of acupuncture on blood glucose level among patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized clinical trial","volume":"6","author":"Kazemi","year":"2019","journal-title":"J traditional Chin Med Sci"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102985","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ctim.2023.102985","article-title":"Effect of Zuo's warming Yang acupuncture therapy combined with lifestyle interventions on prediabetes: a randomized controlled trial","volume":"78","author":"Li","year":"2023","journal-title":"Complement Ther Med (Elsevier)"},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00125-019-4909-y","article-title":"Type 2 diabetes: a multifaceted disease","volume":"62","author":"Pearson","year":"2019","journal-title":"Diabetologia."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ctcp.2019.04.004","article-title":"Acupuncture for type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials","volume":"36","author":"Chen","year":"2019","journal-title":"Complementary therapies Clin practice."},{"key":"B31","first-page":"4","article-title":"Observation on therapeutic effects of acupuncture and exercise therapy on type 2 diabetes","author":"Qin","year":"2002","journal-title":"Chin Acupuncture Moxibustion"},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.13702\/j.1000-0607.20230372","article-title":"Research progress on the mechanism of acupuncture on type II diabetes mellitus","volume":"49","author":"Zhang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Acupuncture Res"},{"key":"B33","article-title":"Research progress on the mechanism of action of adipocytokines in the development of diabetes","volume":"58","author":"Wang","year":"2020","journal-title":"China Modern Doctor."},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"115012","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bcp.2022.115012","article-title":"Obesity I: Overview and molecular and biochemical mechanisms","volume":"199","author":"Lustig","year":"2022","journal-title":"Biochem Pharmacol"},{"key":"B35","article-title":"Obesity, metabolic syndrome X, and inflammation","volume":"18","year":"2002","journal-title":"Nutrition"},{"key":"B36","article-title":"Correlation between serum myonectin level and insulin resistance in overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus","volume":"59","author":"Gu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Chin J Med"},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.13288\/j.11-2166\/r.2014.02.001","article-title":"The origin, development status and prospect of acupuncture treatment technology","volume":"55","author":"Liu","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Traditional Chin Med"},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.16294\/j.cnki.1007-659x.2011.04.012","article-title":"Observation of therapeutic effect of acupuncture on obesity of type 2 diabetes","volume":"35","author":"Xu","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Shandong Univ Traditional Chin Med"},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.16658\/j.cnki.1672-4062.2023.18.195","article-title":"Analysis of the mechanism of action of acupuncture in treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy","volume":"26","author":"Cao","year":"2023","journal-title":"Diabetes New World"},{"key":"B40","article-title":"Effects of acarbose combined with sitagliptin on glucose and lipid metabolism disorder and chronic inflammatory response in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus","volume":"21","author":"Chen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Chin J Difficult Complicated Cases."},{"key":"B41","first-page":"88","article-title":"Research advances in effect of acupuncture on pancreatic beta-cell","volume":"35","author":"Tng","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Clin Acupuncture Moxibustion"},{"key":"B42","article-title":"Afferent projections of zusanli point in developing rat","author":"Lu","year":"2002","journal-title":"Chin J Basic Med Traditional Chin Med"},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.13703\/j.0255-2930.2016.08.016","article-title":"Discussion on specificity of acupoint effect based on \"Sanli acupoint for du-fu diseases","volume":"36","author":"Lu","year":"2016","journal-title":"Chin Acupuncture Moxibustion"},{"key":"B44","volume-title":"Literature study on acupuncture point selection for treating Xiaothirst from abdomen based on the theory of spleen-stomach lifting and lowering in Dongyuan","author":"Fu","year":"2022"},{"key":"B45","article-title":"Effects of preventive acupuncture at the fenglong acupoint on obesity prevention and PPAR-\u03b3 Expression level in rats fed a high-fat diet","volume":"22","author":"Wu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Chin Gen Pract"},{"key":"B46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fendo.2021.728032","article-title":"Syndrome differentiation and treatment regularity in traditional chinese medicine for type 2 diabetes: A text mining analysis","volume":"12","author":"Dou","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front endocrinology."},{"key":"B47","article-title":"Clinical application and study of zhongwan (CV 12) acupoint in the past and present","author":"Zhan","year":"2006","journal-title":"Acupuncture Res"},{"key":"B48","volume-title":"Study on the hypoglycemic effect of low-frequency electroacupuncture at Zhongwan Point on diabetic rats and its mechanism","author":"Yang","year":"2014"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Endocrinology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fendo.2025.1596062\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,11]],"date-time":"2025-06-11T05:14:56Z","timestamp":1749618896000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fendo.2025.1596062\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,11]]},"references-count":48,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fendo.2025.1596062"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fendo.2025.1596062","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-2392"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-2392","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,11]]},"article-number":"1596062"}}