STUDY PROTOCOL article
Front. Med.
Sec. Family Medicine and Primary Care
Efficacy of Acupuncture in The Treatment of Asthenospermia in Obese Men: Study Protocol for a Randomized Control Trial
Hao Wang 1
Yongqing Zhao 2
Hongyuan Chang 1
Wenguang Zhou 1
Jun Guo 1
Linda L D Zhong 3
1. Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
2. Xiyuan Hospital of Clinical Medical College of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
3. Biomedical Sciences and Chinese Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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Abstract
Background: Asthenospermia is one of the most common causes of male infertility. In recent years, with changes in dietary habits, the number of obese patients with asthenospermia has been increasing, leading to a decline in male fertility. However, there remains a lack of safe and effective treatments for this condition. Objective: This study aims to confirm the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in obese patients with asthenospermia. Methods: In our randomized controlled trial, 72 patients will be randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either acupuncture treatment or sham acupuncture treatment. Each group will receive treatment two times weekly for twelve weeks with another twelve weeks for follow-up. The primary outcome is the progressive sperm motility (PR). And the secondary outcomes include PR plus non-progressive sperm motility, sperm concentration, semen volume, sperm morphology, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat percentage. We will also evaluate adverse events that occur during the acupuncture process. Results: This study is expected to demonstrate whether acupuncture is effective and safe in the treatment of asthenospermia in obese men. Conclusion: The research findings will firstly provide new therapeutic evidence in treating asthenospermia of obese men and offer an alternative treatment options for improving the fertility of obese men. Trial Registration: International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry, ITMCTR2025002025, Registered 28 October 2025, https://itmctr.ccebtcm.org.cn
Summary
Keywords
Acupoint, Acupuncture, Asthenospermia, male infertility, Obesity
Received
19 November 2025
Accepted
09 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Wang, Zhao, Chang, Zhou, Guo and Zhong. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Jun Guo; Linda L D Zhong
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.