Acupuncture Superior to Prozac for Depression

A remarkable new study has found that acupuncture is better than Prozac for treating depression. . . .

Eighty people suffering from depression were given either acupuncture or Prozac for six weeks. Both groups demonstrated significant improvement on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD). But the surprise was that the improvement was greater in the acupuncture group: the acupuncture group’s depression score dropped from 24.48 to 8.95 while the Prozac group dropped from 24.14 to 10.79. 

Serotonin levels improved significantly in both groups.

This means that acupuncture, which is safe and involves putting no drugs in the body, raises serotonin as well as Prozac–with all of its side effects–and treats depression even better. The researchers agreed, concluding that “The efficacy of acupuncture for depression is superior to that of western medication with fluoxetine.”

Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2015;35:123-6