Key result
Acupuncture decreases heart rate and increases parasympathetic dominance independent of respiratory rate.
Why the study?
Heart rate variability analysis is directly affected by respiratory rate, prompting evaluation of the effects of respiratory fluctuations caused by pain and tension on HRV analysis during acupuncture.
Does acupuncture stimulation affect heart rate variability independently of respiratory rate changes in healthy male volunteers?
RCT (n=17)
Does acupuncture stimulation affect heart rate variability independently of respiratory rate changes in healthy male volunteers?
Acupuncture stimulation increases parasympathetic dominance (measured by HRV) independently of changes in respiratory rate.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Acupuncture at LI4 shifts HRV toward parasympathetic dominance independent of respiration; extends prior observations and supports trials in patients.
Objective: Due to its nature, heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is directly affected by the respiratory rate. In acupuncture experiments, we evaluated the effects of respiratory fluctuations caused by pain and tension, and their impact on HRV analysis. Materials and Methods: Seventeen healthy male volunteers underwent acupuncture stimulation (sparrow pecking method) at the Goukoku (LI4) point for 90 s. Electrocardiogram and respiratory measurements were continuously performed for a total of 11.5 min, including 5 min before and after the stimulation. Low-frequency normalized unit (LFn.u.) calculated from the ratio of all components was used to evaluate sympathetic nerve function, and a high-frequency normalized unit (HFn.u.) was used as an indicator of the parasympathetic nerve function. low-frequency/high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio was used as an indicator of sympatho-vagal balance. Results: Data from 14 participants in each group were used in the final analysis. Respiratory rates varied among subjects, with no consistent pattern of increase or decrease. The HR decreased significantly during acupuncture stimulation. HFn.u. increased significantly, whereas that of the LFn.u. and LF/HF ratio decreased significantly. No correlation with respiration was observed for any indicator. Conclusion: Even when the respiratory rate increased or decreased, the phenomenon of decreased heart rate and parasympathetic nervous system dominance due to acupuncture stimulation was observed. As there was no correlation between these responses and the respiratory rate, the response to HR and HRV analysis in acupuncture stimulation can be obtained regardless of the changes in respiration due to acupuncture stimulation.
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Hiroi et al. (2026) conducted an RCT in Healthy (n=17). Acupuncture stimulation at the Goukoku (LI4) point was evaluated on Heart rate and heart rate variability (LFn.u., HFn.u., LF/HF ratio). Acupuncture stimulation significantly decreased heart rate and increased parasympathetic dominance, independent of changes in respiratory rate.
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