Continued Research into How Acupuncture Works Reveals Yet Another Mechanism

Since the 1970s, scientists have endeavored to establish one, unified mechanism which would explain all of the various therapeutic effects that acupuncture can have on body. Rather than finding a single explanation, instead they have found many, many answers. This one comes from the journal Endocrinology which examined the role of acupuncture on the stress response, particularly the hypothalmic pituitary adrenal axis, which includes,

... hormones produced by three important glands. Hormones from these glands influence stress, the immune system, digestion, mood, emotion, sexuality and energy expenditure.

Researchers also looked at the presence of a peptide called NPY which is released by the nervous system in humans and rodents and is involved in the flight or fight response.

As a result of the research, a summary of which can be read here, scientists found that:

"... acupuncture blocks the chronic, stress-induced elevations of the HPA axis hormones and the sympathetic NPY pathway," Eshkevari said.  "Our growing body of evidence points to acupuncture's protective effect against the stress response."