Medical Acupuncture
Fall/Winter 1997/98
Volume 9, Number 2
A High-Protein Regimen and Auriculomedicine for the
Treatment of Obesity: A Clinical Observation - Part 1
By Richard C. Niemtzow, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., Colonel, USAF, MC, FS,
Commander, 95th Medical Operations Squadron 30 Hospital Road Edwards AFB, CA 93524-1730*
ABSTRACT
Background Obesity is considered to be a complex, multifactorial disease. The
prevalence of overweight among American adults increased by 5% between 1987 and 1993.
Patients are more willing to accept alternative medicine solutions to this clinical
challenge; especially, the use of auriculomedicine in combination with a natural
high-protein regimen which is drug-free.
Method I treated 21 patients for obesity who were either self-referred or referred by
their primary physician. Many of the patients admitted to failing popular diets and never
reaching their weight goal. The patients were evaluated to eliminate organic causes. Each
patient underwent a history and physical examination. A high-protein diet was prescribed
in combination with auriculomedicine.
Results All patients reached their weight goals losing an average of 12 Ibs. per month.
There were no untoward reactions. Acceptability of the treatment was high. Patients
reported that auriculomedicine helped significantly to prevent "bingeing."
Conclusion A high-protein animal regimen in combination with auriculomedicine was used
successfully to lower weight in patients who had previously failed popular diets. The
regimen was well-tolerated and a statistically significant decrease in triglyc-erides was
observed.
KEY WORDS
Obesity, High-Protein Regimen. Cholesterol. HDL, LDL, Auriculomedicine
Opinions and viewpoints expressed herein by the author and publisher are
their own and not to be considered an official expression of the Department of the Air
Force.
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BACKGROUND
Obesity is a common clinical challenge at all ages. It is considered to be a complex,
multifactorial disease involving genetics, physiological, psychological, and environmental
factors, and is influenced by cultural messages: "Does It Matter What You
Weigh?" ( I ), and "The New Truth About Fat" (2). Nevertheless. obesity is
linked to many comorbidities such as coronary artery disease, stroke, hypertension,
diabetes mellitus, gout, dys-lipidemias, cholecystitis, and gallstones.
Obesity may even influence some neoplastic processes. Experts agree that overweight and
obesity pose a significant public health problem in the United States as the prevalence of
overweight among American adults increased by 5% between 1987 and 1993, and continues to
rise (3).
This paper describes a practical and safe approach to clinical obesity when the
etiology is dietary error in the management of caloric intake. The treatment protocol
incorporates an almost exclusive animal-protein regimen and the use of auricu-lomedicne.
It is safe and easily prescribed by the busy physician. I have employed this high-protein
combination with few failures over many years. The auricu-lomedicine appears to prevent
bingeing, but does not produce a weight loss in itself.
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GOAL
Each patient decided how much weight to lose on an individual basis.
METHOD
Subjects
I enrolled 21 patients with clinical obesity ranging from mild to severe. Each patient
underwent a history and physical examination. All patients had thyroid and lipid panels,
EKG, fasting blood glucose, creatinine, BUN, and urine studies. All the studies were
normal except several patients had elevated cholesterols. In cases of slightly elevated
cholesterol, the risk of a short-term, high-protein meat diet was considered less
troublesome than a lifetime of being overweight.
Auriculomedicine
Auriculomedicine suppresses the desire to binge. The therapy starts after the first
week of the regimen. The auriculomedicine is very simple, consisting of three or four
points (4): Appetite Control Point, Shenmen, and Point Zero. Tranquilizer Point may be
added or substituted for Point Zero or Shenmen.The treatment should have a duration of 15
minutes. I have found in some instances a mild suppression of the appetite with therapy
over 15-20 minutes.This should be avoided. One wants the patient to indulge in eating meat
to prompt weight loss. Seirin blue-topped needles were employed: No. 3 (0.20) x 30mm
J-type with tube.
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Statistical Analysis
Both the pre-treatment and post-treatment samples of the five groups (weight,
cholesterol level, HDL level, LDL level, and triglyceride level) were tested for normality
using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test with a Lilliefors significance correction. Based upon
these results, differences between pre-treatment and post-treatment means of the five
groups were compared using a two-tailed paired-differences t-test.
Statistical Results
Based upon the results of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, both the pre-treatment
and post-treatment samples of all Five groups were consistent with a normal distribution
with p-values greater than 0.050, with the exception of the HDL-before group which was
within rounding distance of 0.05 (Table 1).
Hence, the assumption was made that the pre-treatment and post-treatment samples of all
five groups were from a normal distribution.
Given this assumption of normality, the differences between pre-treatment and
post-treatment means of the five groups were then compared using a two-tailed
paired-differences t-test. Based upon these results, the differences of both weight and
triglyceride level were statistically significant with p-values less than 0.050 (Table 2a and Table
2b). The differences ofcholesterol level, HDL level, and LDL level were far
from being statistically significant as each difference had a p-value greater than 0.500.
In conclusion, both weight and triglyc-eride level decreased due to treatment.
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RESULTS
Twenty-one patients successfully completed aclinical program incorporating a
high-protein regimen and aui'iculomedi-cine. Each patient reached their desired weight
goal. The average weight loss was 2.7 Ibs per week (Table 3
and Figure1).There were no clinical
complications and compliance was excellent throughout the course.
Auriculomedicine was voluntary. It was the unanimous opinion of the group that the
auriculomedicine greatly decreased an urge to binge.Those patients who did not wish
auriculomedicine, and opted to try one session for the experience, requested continuation
throughout their program. In fact, all patients eventually received auriculomedicine.
There was an unexpected significant decrease in triglycerides (Figure
2).
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DISCUSSION
This paper is not a research endeavor nor was it designed as such. Instead, I am
reporting on a very efficient clinical treatment for simple obesity that combines a
high-protein diet and auriculomedicine. Very rarely is obesity the result of a disease.
Overeating is probably the major cause of overweight and obesity in the United States,
where over half the adults have 20% excess of body fat over ideal weight. There are many
popular "crash" diets that produce a rapid water loss but not a sustained weight
loss.
The high-protein versus low-protein diet controversy is more an issue of fear and
confusion than fact. From the above data, it appears that the high-protein meat regimen
does not produce an acute elevation oflipids; in fact, there is a significant drop in the
triglycerides. Unfortunately, out of the 21 patients treated, only 6 subjects were
compliant regarding lipid testing.
A high-protein and low-carbohydrate regimen apparently causes the body to burn its
stored body fat to meet energy needs throughout the day. Large amounts of meat must be
digested and this in turn requires energy. The energy required to digest large amounts of
protein in the presence of a minimal amount of simple carbohydrates may lend itself to the
rapid metabolism of adipose tissue.
Auriculomedicine and the choice of the Appetite Control Point, Shenmen, Point Zero, and
the Tranquility Point attenuate cravings for carbohydrates. It is also well-known that a
high-protein diet suppresses insulin peaks and false hunger pains. The role of
auriculomedicine, as reported by the patients, allowed them to comfortably avoid the need
to return to their previous dietary carbohydrate errors. A few patients tried it both ways
and were very emphatic about the usefulness of the ear therapy. It was noticed that
sessions over 20 minutes seemed to suppress the appetite for a few days.
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CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this paper demonstrates a practical high-protein diet that is very
successful for the treatment of obesity caused by poor carbohydrate management. When
coupled with auriculomedicine, a very subjective but definite increase in the quality of
the program is reported by the patient. Many "crash" diets produce a rapid
weight loss in the first week but gradually fall off. The high-protein regimen and
auriculomedicine yielded a sustained weight loss.
A paucity of data does not allow any further extrapolation of the data, except for the
significant fall in triglycerides. An effort to obtain more patients and data points would
be of significant interest.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The author wishes to thank Dr. William Kitto and Mr. Jeffry Corn of the United States
Air Force Flight Testing Center, Edwards AFB, California, for assistance in the
statistical analysis.
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