ABSTRACT
Objective: To observe the difference of the effect of low-frequency electroacupuncture (EA) on blood lipids between male and female patients with simple obesity due to damp induced by spleen deficiency. Methods: Eighty patients with simple obesity were recruited, including 37 males and 43 females, to receive low-frequency EA by selecting Yinlingquan (SP 10), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40), Quchi (LI 11), Tianshu (ST 25), Zhongwan (CV 12), Shuifen (CV 9), Qihai (CV 6) and Guanyuan (CV 4), with needles retained for 30 min. The treatment was given once a day, 10 sessions as a treatment course, for 2 courses in total. The contents of body fat percentage (F%), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), blood glucose (Glu) and adiponectin (ADPN) in serum were observed to see the changes, and the two groups were compared and analyzed. Results: After the treatment, F%, and serum contents of TC, TG, LDL, Glu and ADPN dropped significantly in the two groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01) and the serum content of HDL increased significantly in male group (P<0.05). The decrease of F% in female group was more significant than that in male group (P<0.01); the decrease of ADPN in male group was more significant than that in female group (P<0.05). Conclusion: EA can regulate the disordered blood lipids in male and female patients with simple obesity, with certain differences between genders. The decrease of subcutaneous fat content is more significant in females than that in males, while the decrease of ADPN is more significant in males.