"Hi
My sleep clinic discharged me, saying they were happy I was self-managing. Roll on a decade and the cardiologists taking care of me were very unimpressed and I was re-enrolled. I expect remote monitoring with current generation Resmed…"
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oxidative stress
Antioxidant Supplements Aside from diet and exercise, natural remedies for sleep apnea should focus on increasing antioxidant capacity. Why? Sleep apnea is associated with oxidative stress, the excessive build-up of free radicals. It is also associated with decreased antioxidant capacity (ability of the body to counter oxidative stress) and decreased blood levels of various antioxidants, such as vitamin E and carotenoids (such as beta-carotene).[11] The excessive oxidative stress associated with sleep apnea then leads to what is known as “endothelial dysfunction,” in which the blood vessels do not properly relax and contract. Endothelial dysfunction is the primary mechanism causing atherosclerosis, heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Various types of antioxidant supplements have been researched as treatments and found to be beneficial as natural remedies for sleep apnea. The three most researched antioxidants are vitamins C and E, and the compound n-acetyl-cysteine (NAC).[12,13] Taking an antioxidant formula containing these compounds along with mixed carotenoids may be beneficial. #3 DHA Another supplement that may be helpful for those with sleep apnea symptoms is an omega-3, such as fish oil especially one which has been formulated to by highly concentrated in the omega-3 fatty acid DHA. Low omega-three levels, especially DHA levels, are related to more severe sleep apnea (higher apnea-hypopnea indices). Omega-3 fats are one of the top natural remedies for sleep apnea because they protect cells against stress; sleep apnea causes long-term oxidative stress and puts severe demands on the body which is thought to deplete the omega-three levels.[10] Taking an omega-3 fish oil with concentrated levels of DHA may improve sleep apnea symptoms while improving your cardiovascular health. #4 Vitamin D One last vitamin is worth mentioning when it comes to natural remedies for sleep apnea symptoms. Vitamin D levels have been found to be lower in patients with sleep apnea compared to those without the disorder.[14] Vitamin D deficiency has been found to be particularly prevalent in those sleep apnea patients who also have issues with blood sugar and insulin regulation, including those with diabetes, prediabetes, metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.[14,15] The more severe the sleep apnea symptoms and blood sugar dysregulation, the lower the vitamin D levels. Treatment with vitamin D may help ameliorate the blood sugar disturbances and inflammation associated with insulin resistance in sleep apnea patients. Even if you do not have poor blood sugar metabolism, it is strongly recommended that you make sure your vitamin D levels are optimal by taking at least 2000 IU of vitamin D daily and having your blood levels checked yearly. This is because vitamin D deficiency is so common and linked to so ma
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bernadette Plunkett on
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I've just read this post and wished I'd seen it before. In the process of being diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis over the summer my vitamin D levels were found to be almost non-existant. I was put on a supplement for three months and it went up to normal but once I came off the supplement the levels quickly started going down again. I"M now taking calcium and vitamin D twice a day and fish old twice a day, because that has been shown to help with inflammatory arthritis too and I' wondering if the oxidative stress of OSA could have triggered the immune system problem which causes the arthritis.
One problem with the UK health system is that you see a specialist for each problem (once you're lucky enough to have it diagnosed) you have but no-one with specialist knowlege looks at the big picture.
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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on
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It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if the arthritis, sleep apnoea + inflammatory arthritis was all linked Bernadette, just like fibromyalgia is (80% of fibromyalgia sufferers have sleep apnoea - mostly undiagnosed) and a good explanation of why is on this link http://www.sleepdisordersguide.com/fibromyalgia-overview.html
As for the Vitamin D levels, I honestly think that all people with sleep apnoea should be checked for this. Every single time I remind people of the link between Vit D and sleep apnoea someone always comes back to me to say thanks for the tip as when they got checked they discovered they were deficient. However, the correct blood tests need to be made before self-diagnosing, as I once made the stupid mistake of assuming I was low and put myself on a high dose - only to discover mine was too high! There's some good info on Dr Gominak's website about this http://drgominak.com/sleep.html
Yes, the holistic approach would certainly be good, but for now we have to try to join the dots ourselves!
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thanks for the links Kath, they look really useful. I will try to find the time to read more.
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