Laser Acupuncture versus Liraglutide in Treatment of Obesity: A Multi-Institutional Retrospective Cohort Study

TL;DR

A study found that laser acupuncture led to greater weight loss than the drug liraglutide in obese individuals over 180 days.

Contribution

This is the first multi-institutional study comparing laser acupuncture with liraglutide for obesity treatment.

Findings

Laser acupuncture users lost significantly more weight than liraglutide users after 180 days.

A higher proportion of laser acupuncture users achieved 5% and 10% weight loss compared to liraglutide users.

Laser acupuncture showed no adverse events and maintained effectiveness after balancing baseline differences.

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a global concern, driving the search for alternative treatments beyond lifestyle changes and medications. Laser acupuncture (LA) shows promise in obesity management, yet few studies compare it with FDA-approved medications. This study aimed to assess and compare LA’s impact with liraglutide on weight reduction in obese individuals. Methods: Data from the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD) (2013–2018) were analyzed. Primary outcomes included changes in body weight and BMI within 180 days, with secondary outcomes measuring the proportion achieving 5%, 10%, and 15% weight loss. Adverse events were also assessed. Results: Of 745 subjects (173 LA users, 572 liraglutide users), LA users lost more weight by day 180 (5.82 ± 4.39 vs. 2.38 ± 5.75 kg; p < 0.001) and had a greater BMI reduction (−2.27 ± 1.73 vs. −0.93 ± 2.25 kg/m2; p < 0.001). More LA users achieved 5% and 10% weight loss compared to liraglutide users (64.2% vs. 22.7%, 26.6% vs. 4.2%; all p < 0.001). After balancing baseline differences, LA’s benefits remained significant. No adverse events were reported with LA. Conclusions: LA may offer superior weight reduction compared to liraglutide. Future studies should explore LA alone or in combination with liraglutide for obesity management.

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