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Researchers have long known that high blood pressure is a risk factor for sleep apnea.<\/p>\nResearchers have long known that high blood pressure is a risk factor for sleep apnea.<\/p>\n
They don\u2019t know, however, why some people with high blood pressure develop sleep apnea and others do not.<\/p>\n
A new study in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension<\/em> answers this puzzling question.<\/p>\n Surprisingly, it\u2019s all about your gut.<\/p>\n The researchers recruited 52 patients with high blood pressure and collected fecal and blood samples from them. <\/p>\n They then divided them into three groups: a group without sleep apnea, a group with mild sleep apnea, and a group with moderate-to-severe sleep apnea.<\/p>\n This is what they found.<\/p>\n 1.\tThe sleep apnea patients had lower bacterial diversity in their guts than those without sleep apnea had.<\/p>\n 2.\tThe ratio of firmicutes to bacteroidetes was higher in the sleep apnea groups. This profile is common in people who are overweight or obese.<\/p>\n 3.\tSleep apnea patients had fewer bacteria such as bacteroides that produce short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids are considered to be healthy.<\/p>\n 4.\tSleep apnea patients had more bacteria such as lactobacillus that cause inflammation.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n These are four reasons why some people with high blood pressure have sleep apnea while others do not. <\/p>\n The good news is that we have a great deal of control over what gut bacteria flourish. <\/p>\n A healthy diet goes a long way. Try some of the following:<\/p>\n 1.\tEat a wide variety of different foods to ensure that no single bacterial species can dominate your gut. A diet dominated by meat and bread isn\u2019t good enough.<\/p>\n 2.\tEat lots of fiber, as important bacteria feed on them.<\/p>\n 3.\tEat prebiotic foods that encourage the growth of good bacteria. These include many fruits and vegetables like garlic, onion, asparagus, oats, apples, bananas, and wheat bran.<\/p>\n 4.\tEat lots of probiotics, which are basically live bacteria. These are found in fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, tempeh, miso, kefir, and kimchi. <\/p>\n 5.\tEat lots of plants. They are nutrient-rich and fiber-rich, and research shows they build a diverse bacterial colony in the gut.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n These are good strategies to reduce the negative effects of your high blood pressure on your sleep apnea and sleep apnea risk.<\/p>\n\n
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