A new scientific review from researchers at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine suggests that the health of your gut might play a bigger role in sleep apnea than previously thought.
The review highlights new findings connecting gut bacteria to the development and severity of sleep apnea, offering hope for new treatment options in the future.
The research was led by medical student Rebecca Hicks, in collaboration with faculty scientists, and was published in the journal Sleep Medicine.
It focuses on how the gut microbiome—the vast community of bacteria and other microorganisms living in our digestive system—might be influencing sleep disorders, especially obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition that causes breathing to repeatedly stop and start during sleep.
People with sleep apnea often have changes in their gut bacteria.
These changes may lead to something called “leaky gut,” where the intestinal barrier becomes weaker and allows harmful substances to enter the bloodstream.
This can trigger widespread inflammation, which may worsen sleep apnea symptoms and cause damage to organs.
Hicks explains that recent studies show these changes in gut bacteria could be linked to how sleep apnea starts or gets worse. The review suggests that this may happen through inflammation, immune responses, and communication pathways between the gut and the brain.
The team also looked at something called extracellular vesicles—tiny particles released by cells that carry messages throughout the body.
These vesicles might help explain how signals from the gut reach the brain, affecting sleep patterns. They could also be used in the future as markers to help diagnose or treat sleep apnea.
Senior researchers Dr. David Gozal, Dr. Sarfraz Ahmed, and Dr. Abdelnaby Khalyfa—who also served as Hicks’ mentor—believe these findings could lead to a new direction in sleep apnea treatment. Instead of only focusing on the airways, future therapies might also target gut health to ease symptoms or prevent the condition from getting worse.
Khalyfa says it’s exciting to see students like Hicks take the lead in such important research. He believes this kind of innovation shows how young researchers can play a big role in the future of sleep medicine.
While more studies are needed, this review shines a light on a promising new area: treating sleep apnea by improving what’s going on in your gut.
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Source: Marshall University.
