Sleep Apnea Causes Gut Microbiome Imbalance, Study Says

A new study examines the relationship between OSA (obstructive sleeping apnea) and the gut.https://www.theepochtimes.com/t-microbiome”>microbiome An imbalance in microbiota is known as dysbiosis. It can be linked with mild, moderate or severe apnea.

Our body depends on its microbiota—the bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live symbiotically in and on the body—for several functions, including an effective immune response.

Previous research has shown that changing bacteria levels can cause or exacerbate systemic inflammation. Signs This goes hand-in-hand avec sleep apnea.

Inflammation can also be caused by similar shifts in bacteria levels. This is according to research from 2018. When some bacteria in the gut becomes too large, it can damage the intestinal mucosal membrane and allow for microbiota translocation. This can lead to symptoms like high insulin, hypertension and fatigue.

The study was published in ahref=”https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-27784-0″>Scientific Reports The study was carried out with 48 Chinese volunteers in a sleep lab that used stool and blood tests. It was completed in January 2023. It confirms previous animal studies and reinforces pathology hypotheses that link OSA to intestinal dysfunction. This shows that although the bacterial balance may vary depending on your location, disease progression and dysbiosis can be predicted.

“It’s not surprising. The concepts have been around for a long time. It confirms other studies that have hinted at it,” Dr. Steven Park The Epoch Times. Author of the Amazon Bestseller “Sleep, Interrupted,” He stated that the study offered a plausible explanation of the vicious cycle between disease and sleep apnea.

Nearly one billion people worldwide are estimated to have sleep apnea—China, the United States, and Brazil are the top three affected countries—with many being undiagnosed.

The word “apnea” It means to stop breathing. This is often caused by the upper respiratory system collapsing. This dysfunctional process causes intermittent hypoxia. In this case, too little oxygen is being delivered, which can cause organ dysfunction, cognitive impairment, and impaired circulation.

Sleep apnea has always been associated with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. This is also due to intestinal dysbiosis, a condition where problematic microbes multiply.

This and other studies have shown a relationship between sleep apnea and damage to the intestinal barrier and an imbalanced microbiota. But it’s repeated hypoxia that the new study says has a direct effect on dysbiosis.

“Increased tissue oxygenation can directly affect microorganisms, such as reducing anaerobes. Therefore, the gut may provide a unique environment conducive to living aerobic and facultative anaerobic organisms,” The authors wrote.

Concentrations of oxygen in the intestine These have been displayed This can have an impact on the growth and distribution of microbes. The integrity of the intestinal mucosal membrane can be affected by changes in its balance.

Previous Research The study has shown that repeated hypoxia can occur in all blood-perfused tissues. Multi-organ damage may result from microbiome changes in the different mucous membranes involved with sleep apnea. This includes the oral, nasal, and lung microbiomes.

The following observations were made during the study:

• Hypoxia causes systemic inflammation. Inflammed tissues make hypoxia worse. Hypoxia can cause blood proteins to rise rapidly that are linked with early arterial disease.
• In severe sleep apnea patients, the microbiome is associated with blood glucose and body weight index (BMI). “Therefore, alterations of these microbiota could cause low-grade chronic inflammation, immune and metabolic abnormalities,” According to the study.
• There are already certain imbalances that have been linked with cardiovascular disease, colorectal carcinoma, oral and pulmonary infections, chronic kidney disease, infection, and diabetes.
• People with severe sleep apnea had biomarkers for intestinal barrier dysfunction.

A Vicious Cycle

Park said while he agrees with the study’s assumption that sleep apnea is what is causing dysbiosis, it’s possible that in some cases it could be the other way around, too.

“It’s nice to have some explanation or answers as to why these things happen,” He said. “The problem is the gut microbiome is so sensitive to things in our environment, our stress levels, our diet, environmental toxins, sleep deprivation. It’s a vicious cycle. It’s hard to prove what causes what.”

A mouse study published in ahref=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0014488620302703?via%3Dihub”>Experimental Neurology 2020 found that healthy mice were able to experience sleep disturbances after receiving a fecal transfusion from sleep apnea-prone mice. This raises the possibility of fecal transplants—transfer of stool usually by way of colonoscopy into the large intestine—working as a treatment for sleep apnea. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration has only approved fecal transplants for Clostridium difficile (C. diff) overgrowth, which is associated with life-threatening diarrhea.

Such a “quick fix” was readily available for sleep apnea, Park warned there’s no guarantee it would be long-lasting without addressing root causes. He said more research is required to assess the long-term microbiome health following fecal transplants.

The CPAP machines were previously considered to be the standard for care for sleep apnea. A 2016 article in the Journal of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery. Data from twenty years ago shows that only 34% of patients use the device correctly. A review of studies on CPAP found that many methods to improve compliance have no effect.

Unless they have a severe gut issue, most people aren’t even aware that they have dysbiosis, nor understand what it means or what causes it. Sleep apnea may also cause quiet agitation. While snoring can be a sign that you have sleep apnea (a silent agitator), it is not a cause of the disorder. Sleep apnea can occur in people who are overweight, as well as children and those who are thin.

Because specific bacteria—Fusobacterium, Megamonas, and Lachnospiraceae—are associated with sleep apnea, the authors of this latest study suggest tests could be used as a tool to identify those at risk of related gut microbiome disorders.

Protecting the Microbiome

In the meantime, evidence isn’t necessary for those who know or suspect they’re at risk and want to end the cycle, Park said. There’s enough evidence we are losing important gut bacteria that taking basic steps for better health is essential to human health. Neglecting to eat well, taking antibiotics and other toxins are the root causes of dysbiosis. The body is also taxed by chronic sleep deprivation, regardless of whether it’s associated with sleep apnea.

Park explained that too often we place family and work above essential sleep hours. Good sleep habits are essential for everyone, as they have broad implications for our overall health and impact on those relationships.

These were his simple suggestions

1. Don’t use screens within two to three hours before bedtime. Blue light reduces melatonin which is the sleep hormone that regulates circadian rhythm. Consuming disturbing or too stimulating content can also impact sleep.
2. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day—even on weekends.
3. As much as possible, get up early in the morning. “That’s why people who walk dogs early in the morning are healthier and happier,” He said. “You need to reset your circadian clock.”
4. Maximize the light during daylight hours and minimize the light at night.
5. Don’t eat within three to four hours before going to sleep. This means that the body will prioritize digestion over detoxification tasks that take place during sleep. “If you’re already eating late at night and stop eating, your sleep quality will improve and you’ll lose weight, too,” Park spoke.

This research could open the door to new treatments for sleep disorder. According to the study it’s possible that sleep apnea treatment could be individualized by using gut microbial content. Future efforts to reduce disease will be driven by precision medicine, which will enable more individualized treatment plans.

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