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What is sleep apnea?
According to WebMD, sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep to cause repeated awakenings during the night. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means, the brain and the rest of the body may not get enough oxygen.
Who is at the risk of this disorder? Sleep apnea can affect anyone, irrespective of their age; even children.
Risk factors for sleep apnea include:
"The link between obesity and vitamin D deficiency can be explained in a number of ways, one of which is that obese individuals are less likely to be physically active, thereby limiting their sun exposure," said senior investigator Ken Kunisaki, associate professor of medicine at University of Minnesota in the US.
"Although our study was not designed to figure out why obese people have lower vitamin D levels, our results ultimately suggest that low vitamin D levels do not cause or worsen sleep apnea," Kunisaki said.
The study involved a group of 2,827 participants, generally healthy elderly males with an average age of 76.4 years.
"Taking additional vitamin D supplements is not likely to prevent or improve sleep apnea," Kunisaki said.
The researchers also found no evidence to support a link between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of sleep apnea in non-obese study participants.
The study appeared in the journal, Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
(With inputs from IANS)
What is sleep apnea? What role does vitamin D play in its occurrence? : Wellness, News - India Today
According to WebMD, sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep to cause repeated awakenings during the night. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means, the brain and the rest of the body may not get enough oxygen.
Who is at the risk of this disorder? Sleep apnea can affect anyone, irrespective of their age; even children.
Risk factors for sleep apnea include:
- Being male
- Being overweight
- Being over the age of 40
- Having a large neck size (17 inches or greater in men and 16 inches or greater in women)
- Having large tonsils, a large tongue or a small jaw bone
- Having a family history of sleep apnea
- Gastroesophageal reflux, a digestive disorder
- Nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum, allergies or sinus problems
"The link between obesity and vitamin D deficiency can be explained in a number of ways, one of which is that obese individuals are less likely to be physically active, thereby limiting their sun exposure," said senior investigator Ken Kunisaki, associate professor of medicine at University of Minnesota in the US.
"Although our study was not designed to figure out why obese people have lower vitamin D levels, our results ultimately suggest that low vitamin D levels do not cause or worsen sleep apnea," Kunisaki said.
The study involved a group of 2,827 participants, generally healthy elderly males with an average age of 76.4 years.
"Taking additional vitamin D supplements is not likely to prevent or improve sleep apnea," Kunisaki said.
The researchers also found no evidence to support a link between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of sleep apnea in non-obese study participants.
The study appeared in the journal, Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
(With inputs from IANS)
What is sleep apnea? What role does vitamin D play in its occurrence? : Wellness, News - India Today
