How is sleep apnea related to the gut microbiome? Andrew Goldberg, MD, MS, vice chair of the Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF OHNS) was recently featured on the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's podcast, "Talking Sleep," to answer that question.
The microbiome is "a community and ecosystem that exists on the inside and the outside of our bodies," made up of unique bacteria, archaea, fungi and viruses, says Dr. Goldberg. While this may seem unrelated to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) initially, recent evidence has highlighted the connection between the two. More and more, researchers are discovering the impact of the microbiome on chronic conditions.
In the podcast, Dr. Goldberg discusses the ongoing research into the relationship between sleep apnea and the microbiome.
"The changes that occur in the microbiome seem to happen as a result of sleep apnea, but it is absolutely possible that there are changes in the microbiome that might predispose somebody to sleep apnea," Dr. Goldberg says.
Dr. Goldberg is the senior author of an article published in Sleep titled "The microbiome in obstructive sleep apnea," which explores the animal model evidence for a possible bidirectional relationship between the two.
"We certainly know that certain changes to the microbiome in animal models are capable of changing some aspects of sleep," says Dr. Goldberg in the podcast. "Microbiome changes in the gut can affect some aspects of sleep apnea."
Listen to the entire episode online or wherever you get your podcasts. "Talking Sleep" is hosted by Seema Khosla, MD, the medical director of the North Dakota Center for Sleep.
