Effects of single-point acupuncture (HT7) in the prevention of test anxiety: Results of a RCT

Fear of exams and evaluative situations affects millions of people around the world, especially university students. German research shows that 13% of first-year students seek psychological help due to test anxiety, a number that rises to 17% among those who dropped out of their initial courses. In this concerning scenario, interest has grown in non-pharmacological alternatives for the treatment of anxiety, including acupuncture. The Heart 7 point, known in Chinese medicine as the 'spirit gate,' has traditionally been used to calm the mind and reduce anxious states, making it a promising candidate for scientific studies on anxiety control.

This research, conducted in Germany, aimed to investigate whether acupuncture at the Heart 7 point could actually reduce physiological stress responses in controlled anxiety situations. To this end, the researchers performed a randomized controlled trial with 25 male university students, with a mean age of 28 years, who reported a history of test anxiety. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: one received true acupuncture with needles at the Heart 7 point bilaterally, while the other group received a placebo treatment with a sham laser at the same points. To induce anxiety in a standardized manner, the Trier Social Stress Test was used, a validated scientific protocol that simulates a job interview and mental arithmetic exercises in front of evaluators, faithfully reproducing the stress of real-life evaluative situations.

Throughout the experiment, saliva samples were collected to measure stress hormones (cortisol and amylase), anxiety questionnaires were administered, and heart rate variability was continuously monitored.

The results revealed that, although the protocol effectively induced stress in all participants, there were no significant differences between the group that received true acupuncture and the placebo group across any of the measures evaluated. Both groups showed similar increases in stress hormones: cortisol peaked 20 minutes after the test (with a twofold increase over baseline values) and amylase reached its maximum 10 minutes after the stressor (also doubling baseline levels). Anxiety questionnaires and heart rate measures likewise showed no differences between treatments. Interestingly, when the researchers compared their data with previous studies using the same stress protocol, they observed that the increase in hormones was smaller than expected (twofold instead of three- to fourfold), suggesting that both treatments, including the attention and care provided during the placebo procedure, may have exerted some general beneficial effect in reducing stress.

For patients who suffer from test anxiety, these results offer important, though not conclusive, information. Although acupuncture at the Heart 7 point did not demonstrate specific effects superior to placebo in this study, this does not mean the technique is useless. The fact that both groups showed stress responses lower than expected suggests that the therapeutic environment, the attention received, and the treatment process itself may provide real benefits. For health professionals, this study reinforces the importance of nonspecific treatment factors and highlights the need for integrated approaches in the management of anxiety.

Acupuncture may still be a valuable option as part of a comprehensive treatment plan, considering its clinically observed relaxing effects and the absence of side effects verified in the study.

It is important to acknowledge the limitations of this research when interpreting its results. The study was conducted only with men, limiting the applicability of the findings to women, who may respond differently to both stress and acupuncture due to hormonal and physiological differences. In addition, the sample was relatively small, which may have reduced the ability to detect subtle differences between treatments. Another crucial aspect is that only the effects of a single acupuncture session were evaluated, whereas in clinical practice multiple sessions are usually required to observe meaningful therapeutic benefits.

The absence of a control group that received no intervention also made interpretation of the general effects of therapeutic care more difficult. Despite these limitations, the study contributes valuable information to the scientific understanding of acupuncture in the treatment of anxiety and establishes important groundwork for future research that may investigate longer treatment protocols and more diverse populations.