Reducing Tongue Fat Could Improve Sleep Apnea, Study Says

This study shows reducing excess fat in general can reduce tongue size,” said Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a sleep specialist at Keck Medicine at the University of Southern California, who was not involved in the study. In the new paper, the researchers used MRI imaging to measure the effect on upper airways of a 10% weight loss in 67 obese patients. The images showed reducing tongue fat was the primary reason overall sleep apnea scores improved by 31%. “In fact, the more tongue fat you lost, the more your apnea improved,” said Schwab, who is the co-director of the Penn Sleep Center at Penn Medicine. Costs of sleep apnea Obstructive sleep apnea, called OSA, is dangerous to one’s health. lt can damage the brain’s white matter, raise blood pressure, contribute to depression and heighten the risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. In America, where approximately 30 million people have obstructive sleep apnea, the cost to society in lost productivity, accidents and health care is estimated to be $150 billion a year, according to a study commissioned by the according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Diagnosing and treating every American could save more than $100 billion each year, the study said. Treatment options Currently, the gold-standard treatment for OSA is continuous positive airway pressure, known as CPAP therapy. People wear a device over their nose and mouth that is connected to a machine that blows air into their mouths, thus keeping t...
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