2.2. Participants
mental disorders, skin diseases, organic diseases
ORGANIC DISEASE, RECRUITMENT, GROUP B, SKIN DISEASES
From February 1, 2018, to November 30, 2019, a total of 72 healthy adults were recruited after receiving systematic examinations and randomly distributed into Group A (n = 34) and Group B (n = 38). The inclusion criteria for subjects recruitment included several factors: age 18 to 65 years; no history of acupuncture therapy; medical screening finding good physical health and no meaningful laboratory abnormalities; and providing written informed assent and cooperating with the preventive treatment. The exclusion criteria were as follows: pregnant or lactating women, and those desirous of conceiving in the near future; subjects with organic diseases; subjects with mental disorders; subjects who underwent recent acupuncture or surgical treatments; subjects with skin diseases or defects at the sites of acupoint that prevents the application of SAAT; subjects participating in other clinical trials; and subjects receiving antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, TCM, or other drugs within 3 months.