AP and the Cardiovascular System
PHYSICAL STAMINA
Ehrlich_D; Haber P (1992) Influence of AP on physical performance capacity and haemodynamic parameters. Int J Sports Med Aug 13(6):486-491. Dept of Sport and Performance Med, Klinik fur Innere Medizin IV, Univ of Vienna. A single blind study examined the effects of AP-needling of specific points on the capacity for physical performance and the regulation of heart rate and blood pressure. Healthy young men were assigned at random to 3 groups (n=12/group): 1=AP; 2=Placebo AP; 3=Control (untreated). Performance was determined by means of a spiro-ergometer test which was carried out pre-trial and after 5 wk of treatment consisting of one session/wk. Overall, compared with the pre-study performance-test, Group 3 (no treatment), deteriorated; Group 2 showed no significant changes; Group 1 improved significantly. AP increased maximum performance capacity and physical performance at the anaerobic threshold, indicating functional improvement in haemodynamic and metabolic mechanisms.
Ehrlich_D; Haber P (1992) Influence of AP on physical performance capacity and haemodynamic parameters. Int J Sports Med Aug 13(6):486-491. Dept of Sport and Performance Med, Klinik für Innere Medizin IV, Univ of Vienna. In a single blind study the question as to whether the needling of specific AP points is able to produce an increase in physical performance capacity and better regulation of heart rate and blood pressure was examined. 36 healthy young men were assigned at random to 3 groups: 1=AP; 2=Placebo-AP; 3=Control (untreated). Patients were treated once/wk for 5 wk. Performance was assessed by a spiro-ergometer test at the beginning and the end of the 5-wk treatment period. The untreated control group showed unfavourable changes in the values obtained compared with the results of the performance test at the start of the study. Overall, the placebo-AP had no noticeable effect. AP (Group 1) significantly increased maximum performance capacity and physical performance at the anaerobic threshold. AP induced functional improvement in haemodynamic and metabolic mechanisms.
Kaada_B (1993) Enhanced Athletic Performance: The Chinese runners' revolution. Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening 10 Dec 113(30):3799-3801. Scientists are discussing possible explanations for the fantastic improvement in physical performance achieved by Chinese female runners in 1993. Additional procedures must have been used as well as intense training. An old study, reported in AETRIJ (1984; 9:65-80), showed a marked increase in physical performance after low-frequency (2 Hz) TENS in athletes competing in swimming, running and cycling events. The Chinese knew of this study, and TENS may have been one of the methods used. As it is impossible to show that athletes have received such treatment, neither TENS nor AP are regarded as doping.
Yu_Q; Chen Y (1990) [Effect of AP on exercise ability in rabbits]. Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih Jun 10(6):359-360, 326. Chengdu Inst of Physical Education, PRC. 7 male rabbits were exercised to tiredness on the P20 type table. Arterial blood samples were taken before and after exercise. Blood gas was tested by ABL3 acid-bases balance Lab made by Denmark's Radiometer Company. Blood pH and glucose were reduced after exercise, compared with that before exercise (p <.05). AP at bilateral BL23 prolonged their exercise-duration under the same intensity (p <.05), restored blood glucose, and maintained relatively stable blood acid-base balance. The complexity of this mechanism needs further study.