A study appearing in the International Journal of Sports Medicine (1992;13(6):486-491) shows that acupuncture may have a favorable effect on athletic performance. Thirty-six men were randomly divided into three groups. The control group received no treatment. A second group received one acupuncture treatment each week for five weeks. A third group received “sham” acupuncture as a placebo. Performance was measured by a spiro-ergometer. The subjects receiving the acupuncture had significant improvement in performance when compared to the control group and the placebo group.