ACUPUNCTURE IMPROVES MUSCLE ATROPHY Japanese Researchers Show. The elderly and the sick often have loss of skeletal muscle mass and have great difficulty in engaging in physical activity. Akiko Onda, graduate Waseda University School of Sport Sciences gave presentation at American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting. Research of 4 years of studies showed showed that decreases in muscle mass in the mRNA expression level of the E3 ubiquitin ligase atrogin-1 can be significantly reversed by acupuncture. Results have uncovered one molecular mechanism responsible for the efficacy of acupuncture treatment and clarified its usefulness in preventing skeletal muscle atrophy,” Onda said.