How Is Hypertension Sleep Apnea And Gut Bacteria Linked

Nikki Attkisson | Last Updated : October 18, 2021

A condition in which breathing is stopped for distinct periods throughout the night is known as sleep apnea.

The most common form is obstructive sleep apnea. This happens when the airways are clocked temporarily by the relaxing of the throat muscles.

Rather than a physical obstruction of the airway, the issue is with the central nervous system.

How Is Hypertension Sleep Apnea And Gut Bacteria Linked

It is estimated that obstructive sleep apnea affects around 22% of men and 17% of women.

The risk of developing depression and heart disease can also be increased if it is left undetected.

A link between OSA and endocrine disorders like type 2 diabetes has been suggested by research.

How Is Hypertension Sleep Apnea And Gut Bacteria Linked

In addition, there has also been a link between neurological disorders like epilepsy, and hypertension.

No introduction is needed for hypertension.

Sleep apnea was not as prevalent as hypertension, as it affects almost 50% of the adult population in the US.

High blood pressure is an issue among nearly 1.28 billion people worldwide, between the ages of 30 and 79.

Drugs do not work effectively for some individuals even though treatment is available.

OSA is also found to be more common in people who had hypertension that is resistant to drugs, but it is not clear why this is the case.

It has also been suggested by research that there is a relationship between disordered breathing affecting sleep and hypertension.

In simple words, this just means that people have an increased risk of developing hypertension if they have severe breathing difficulties at night.

The mechanisms involved in the link between OSA and hypertension are still being explored by scientists.

Some researchers believe that the gut microbiome may play a role, even though multiple pathways are likely.

The need and importance of gut bacteria may have to be explained if this article was being written 20 years ago.

Most people will be familiar with the concept today, as the microbiome features prominently in both scientific research and yogurt marketing campaigns.

In our mouths and gastrointestinal tracts, about 100 trillion microorganisms are harbored.

A wide range of health problems is linked to this condition. This includes obesity, diabetes, Parkinson’s, and dementia.

Many questions remain as the interactions between these microbial residents and our health are hard to study.

The only thing that is certain is that we would be far worse without them.

An opportunity for the bad bacteria to thrive while the good bacteria suffers can be provided if there are changes to the bacteria’s environment.

Throughout the night, intermittent hypoxia or low levels of oxygen are caused by sleep apnea.

In the partial oxygen pressure gradient inside the tubes of the gastrointestinal system, periodic decreases are caused by this hypoxia.

Intermittent hypoxia was induced in mice, in one study, by researchers for a period of 6 weeks.

They noted a significant effect of intermittent hypoxia on the global microbial community structure after the feces were analyzed.

An abundance of Firmicutes and a reduction in Bacteroidetes were found in comparison with the mice in the control group.

Bacteroidetes are referred to by some people as good bacteria as they produce short-chain fatty acids. Some people also think that Firmicutes are bad a negative effect is had on glucose and fat metabolism.

Around 90% of the bacteria in our gut is made up of these two bacterial phyla.

Therefore, the delicately balanced ecosystem within us is likely to be impacted by changes to these groups.

Researchers, in animal studies, have shown that the degradation of mucins can be caused by a shift in the bacterial populations in the gut.

Mucins aid in keeping the gut lining very healthy.


Nikki Attkisson

With over 15 years as a practicing journalist, Nikki Attkisson found herself at Powdersville Post now after working at several other publications. She is an award-winning journalist with an entrepreneurial spirit and worked as a journalist covering technology, innovation, environmental issues, politics, health etc. Nikki Attkisson has also worked on product development, content strategy, and editorial management for numerous media companies. She began her career at local news stations and worked as a reporter in national newspapers.

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