Introduction: The global prevalence of obesity has spurred interest in alternative therapies beyond conventional diet, exercise, and pharmacotherapy. Acupuncture, a staple of Traditional Chinese Medicine, is one such intervention, though its efficacy and mechanisms of action, particularly on fat distribution, warrant further synthesis of existing evidence.





Objective: This review aims to critically appraise and summarize the current literature on the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for weight loss, with a special focus on insights provided by MRI and CT scan imaging regarding its impact on visceral and subcutaneous fat distribution.





Methods: A narrative review of scientific literature was conducted. Key databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and ISI Web of Science, were searched for relevant clinical trials, reviews, and meta-analyses published up to September 2024. The focus was on human studies involving acupuncture for obesity that reported on weight loss outcomes, safety, and/or imaging data.





Findings: The body of literature suggests that acupuncture may contribute to reductions in body weight and BMI. A notable finding across several studies is the objective evidence provided by medical imaging. MRI scans have demonstrated significant reductions in visceral adipose tissue, with one analysis reporting a 15% decrease in abdominal fat area. Similarly, CT scans have shown a 12% reduction in subcutaneous fat surrounding internal organs following acupuncture treatment. These imaging techniques have also highlighted the potential for incidental tumor detection, though no new tumors were reported in the reviewed studies. The therapy appears to be generally safe, with most adverse effects being mild and transient, such as minor bruising or dryness of mouth.





Conclusion: Current evidence, including objective data from medical imaging, suggests that acupuncture may be a beneficial and safe complementary approach for weight management, particularly through the modulation of fat distribution. However, methodological limitations in many existing studies, such as small sample sizes and lack of blinding, preclude definitive conclusions. More rigorous, large-scale, and long-term studies are recommended to confirm these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.