Effects of Auricular Acupuncture on Heart Rate, Oxygen Consumption and Blood Lactic Acid for Elite Basketball Athletes

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of auricular acupuncture on athletes' recovery abilities after exercise. Subjects were selected from twenty-four male elite university basketball players, randomly divided into two groups: auricular acupuncture group (AAG), and normal control group (NCG), each group containing twelve subjects. Auricular acupuncture was experimented to each AAG athlete while no auricular acupuncture was conducted to each NCG athlete. Each subject in both groups performed a ride on the stationary bike until exhausted. The data of heart rate (HR(max)), oxygen consumption (VO(2 max)), and blood lactic acid were measured at four points of time: during the rest period after warm-ups and at the 5th, 30th and 60th minutes post-exercise, respectively. One-way ANOVA and repeated Scheffé methods were used to test the differences of the data between these two groups. The results showed that both HR(max) and blood lactic acid in AAG were significantly lower than those in NCG at the 30th and 60th minutes post-exercise. This suggests that auricular acupuncture can enhance athletes' recovery abilities after aggressive exercise.

Auricular Acupuncture and Vagal Regulation

“…It controls the activity of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems and has effects on smooth muscles, blood vessels, sweat glands, and the endocrine system. Numerous investigations showed that vagal tone was elicited by auricular acupuncture or auricular acupressure [6–8]. It is described as a reflexive treatment of physical, emotional, and neurological dysfunctions via specific zones on the ear where these dysfunctions are reflected [9].…”

“…Activation of the vagus nerve typically leads to a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure. Cardiovascular vagal regulations by auricular acupuncture have been investigated in clinical trials and animal experiments [6, 10–18]. In elite basketball athletes, the value of heart rate decreased at 30th and 60th minutes postexercise in auricular acupuncture group compared with that in normal control group [6].…”

“…Cardiovascular vagal regulations by auricular acupuncture have been investigated in clinical trials and animal experiments [6, 10–18]. In elite basketball athletes, the value of heart rate decreased at 30th and 60th minutes postexercise in auricular acupuncture group compared with that in normal control group [6]. In fourteen healthy men, auricular electrical acupuncture stimulation was found to have a positive effect on respiratory sinus arrhythmia adjusted for tidal volume, which indicated an increase in vagal activity [10].…”

Gas-Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment: When West Meets East – Actual Medical Concepts with Ancient World Ideas

“…AA is a method based on normalizing the body's dysfunction through stimulation of some definite points on the ears [72]. AA, a distinct form of acupuncture.…”

“…It as was shown that ear acupressure is effective in increasing oxygen uptake and lowering lactic acid following exercise. Lin et al [72] shown that AA enhance the physiological abilities by lowering athletes' heart rates at rest, decreasing oxygen intake, and expediting excretion of post-exercise blood lactic acids. Electroacupunture, another form of acupuncture increases the cannabinoid receptor expression not only on "stationary" keratinocytes but also on "circulating" infiltrating inflammatory cells, like macrophages or T-lymphocytes [73].…”