OBJECTIVE: The aim of this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was to evaluate specific effects of laser needle acupuncture at the Neiguan point (PC6) on sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve activity in healthy subjects using heart rate variability (HRV) analysis. BACKGROUND DATA: Acupuncture at the Neiguan point (PC6) has been shown to modulate the autonomic nervous system. METHODS: Forty-five healthy non-smoking males were randomly divided into a placebo group (n = 20) with no laser irradiation and into an intervention group (n = 25) for which laser needle irradiation (36.8 kJ/cm(2)) was performed on the right forearm. Monitoring of HRV was performed before, during, and after intervention. RESULTS: Repeated-measures MANOVA did not show statistically significant main effects of time (F = 1.29, p = 0.27) or of group (F = 1.67, p = 0.16). The time by group interaction was also not statistically significant (F = 0.95, p = 0.54). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that heart rate variability was not influenced by laser needle acupuncture at the Neiguan point (PC6).