Acupuncture and nutritional parallels in obesity: a narrative review of multi-pathway modulation of the microbiota–gut–brain axis
Obesity is a complex metabolic disorder that is intricately linked to dysregulation of the microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA), a key pathway also targeted by nutritional interventions. Acupuncture, as a non-pharmacological and integrative approach, has shown promising effects in weight control and met...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Nutrition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1610814/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849240653355024384 |
|---|---|
| author | Kun Ma Feifei Wang Xinying Zhang Liangqing Guo Yanqin Huang |
| author_facet | Kun Ma Feifei Wang Xinying Zhang Liangqing Guo Yanqin Huang |
| author_sort | Kun Ma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Obesity is a complex metabolic disorder that is intricately linked to dysregulation of the microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA), a key pathway also targeted by nutritional interventions. Acupuncture, as a non-pharmacological and integrative approach, has shown promising effects in weight control and metabolic improvement, yet its underlying mechanisms remain to be systematically clarified from a nutritional and metabolic perspective. This review outlines an integrative framework by which acupuncture modulates obesity through the MGBA, emphasizing shared targets with diet-based interventions such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and G protein-coupled receptors (e.g., GPR43). We discuss how acupuncture improves microbial diversity, enhances gut barrier integrity, and regulates nutrient-derived signaling molecules, thereby influencing energy metabolism, appetite control, and inflammatory responses. Furthermore, we explore the convergence of neural, endocrine, and immune networks within the MGBA, positioning acupuncture as a systemic metabolic modulator analogous to nutritional therapeutics. This conceptual model provides novel insights into multi-targeted interventions for obesity, suggesting that acupuncture may serve as a complementary strategy to nutritional modulation in restoring metabolic homeostasis. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9e9d3d2f02b44f4a9d0ba43cc9f32f00 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-861X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-9e9d3d2f02b44f4a9d0ba43cc9f32f002025-08-20T04:00:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2025-08-011210.3389/fnut.2025.16108141610814Acupuncture and nutritional parallels in obesity: a narrative review of multi-pathway modulation of the microbiota–gut–brain axisKun Ma0Feifei Wang1Xinying Zhang2Liangqing Guo3Yanqin Huang4The First Clinical Medical College of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaLiaocheng Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, ChinaDepartment of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaDepartment of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaDepartment of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaObesity is a complex metabolic disorder that is intricately linked to dysregulation of the microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA), a key pathway also targeted by nutritional interventions. Acupuncture, as a non-pharmacological and integrative approach, has shown promising effects in weight control and metabolic improvement, yet its underlying mechanisms remain to be systematically clarified from a nutritional and metabolic perspective. This review outlines an integrative framework by which acupuncture modulates obesity through the MGBA, emphasizing shared targets with diet-based interventions such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and G protein-coupled receptors (e.g., GPR43). We discuss how acupuncture improves microbial diversity, enhances gut barrier integrity, and regulates nutrient-derived signaling molecules, thereby influencing energy metabolism, appetite control, and inflammatory responses. Furthermore, we explore the convergence of neural, endocrine, and immune networks within the MGBA, positioning acupuncture as a systemic metabolic modulator analogous to nutritional therapeutics. This conceptual model provides novel insights into multi-targeted interventions for obesity, suggesting that acupuncture may serve as a complementary strategy to nutritional modulation in restoring metabolic homeostasis.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1610814/fullacupunctureobesitymicrobiota–gut–brain axisshort-chain fatty acidsvagus nervemetabolic regulation |
| spellingShingle | Kun Ma Feifei Wang Xinying Zhang Liangqing Guo Yanqin Huang Acupuncture and nutritional parallels in obesity: a narrative review of multi-pathway modulation of the microbiota–gut–brain axis Frontiers in Nutrition acupuncture obesity microbiota–gut–brain axis short-chain fatty acids vagus nerve metabolic regulation |
| title | Acupuncture and nutritional parallels in obesity: a narrative review of multi-pathway modulation of the microbiota–gut–brain axis |
| title_full | Acupuncture and nutritional parallels in obesity: a narrative review of multi-pathway modulation of the microbiota–gut–brain axis |
| title_fullStr | Acupuncture and nutritional parallels in obesity: a narrative review of multi-pathway modulation of the microbiota–gut–brain axis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acupuncture and nutritional parallels in obesity: a narrative review of multi-pathway modulation of the microbiota–gut–brain axis |
| title_short | Acupuncture and nutritional parallels in obesity: a narrative review of multi-pathway modulation of the microbiota–gut–brain axis |
| title_sort | acupuncture and nutritional parallels in obesity a narrative review of multi pathway modulation of the microbiota gut brain axis |
| topic | acupuncture obesity microbiota–gut–brain axis short-chain fatty acids vagus nerve metabolic regulation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1610814/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kunma acupunctureandnutritionalparallelsinobesityanarrativereviewofmultipathwaymodulationofthemicrobiotagutbrainaxis AT feifeiwang acupunctureandnutritionalparallelsinobesityanarrativereviewofmultipathwaymodulationofthemicrobiotagutbrainaxis AT xinyingzhang acupunctureandnutritionalparallelsinobesityanarrativereviewofmultipathwaymodulationofthemicrobiotagutbrainaxis AT liangqingguo acupunctureandnutritionalparallelsinobesityanarrativereviewofmultipathwaymodulationofthemicrobiotagutbrainaxis AT yanqinhuang acupunctureandnutritionalparallelsinobesityanarrativereviewofmultipathwaymodulationofthemicrobiotagutbrainaxis |