Scientists have discovered a surprising connection between the microscopic world that lives in our gut and common sleep disorders in nearly a billion people around the world. New research suggests that the gut microbiome may play a crucial role in the development and management of sleep apnea.
“Sleep breathing (SDB) is characterized by a gradual decrease or interruption of airflow during sleep, called Hypopneas and apneas, respectively,” the researchers explained in a comprehensive comment published in the Journal of Sleep. “This disease not only destroys mass rest, but is also associated with serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and cognitive decline.
What’s particularly interesting about this discovery is how it connects two seemingly unrelated systems. The microbial community (called the gut microbiota) that exists in our digestive tract communicates with the brain through multiple pathways, affecting sleep regulation and potentially leading to sleep apnea.
Several studies have identified a clear association between sleep apnea and altered intestinal bacterial diversity. When the researchers encountered mice mimicking sleep apnea, they observed significant metastasis in the gut bacterial population, especially in the ratio of the two main bacterial groups –company and Bacterial plants.
These changes are not just accidental. In a revealed experiment, fecal material transplanted from mice exposed to intermittent hypoxia (simulated sleep apnea) to healthy mice resulted in similar sleep disorders and cardiovascular problems in recipient animals.
The concept obtained among researchers is “the intestinal leakage,” a damaged intestinal barrier that allows inflammatory molecules to enter the bloodstream. This inflammation may affect brain regions through what scientists call the gut axis to control sleep and breathing patterns.
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by gut bacteria when fermenting dietary fiber seem particularly important in this relationship. These compounds act as signaling molecules that can affect immune responses in the brain, and inflammation may even regulate sleep effects.
The discovery opens up promising treatment pathways. Preliminary studies have shown that probiotics may help alleviate some cardiovascular diseases associated with sleep apnea. In a mouse study, partially normalized gut bacteria administered by probiotics were disturbed by intermittent hypoxia and reduced some of the populations with related cardiovascular problems.
In this gut communication, it also appears as a potential participant, a small membrane-adhesive particle called extracellular vesicles or exosomes. These microscopic “messengers” carry molecules between cells and may represent biomarkers used to diagnose sleep disorders, and may also represent possible vehicles that may provide targeted treatment.
As the research continues, these findings may fundamentally change the way doctors treat sleep apnea. In addition to current standards for stress airway treatment, future interventions may include personalized dietary recommendations, specific probiotic formulas, and even novel therapies targeting the intestinal brain communication pathways.
For nearly a billion people around the world with sleep apnea effects, these emerging insights offer hope that treatments that address gut health may one day help them breathe and sleep—more comfortable.
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