{"id":85,"date":"2018-08-08T19:47:01","date_gmt":"2018-08-08T19:47:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dentalpartnersofnewburyport.com\/blog\/?p=85"},"modified":"2018-08-24T19:52:27","modified_gmt":"2018-08-24T19:52:27","slug":"can-treating-sleep-apnea-lead-weight-loss-heres-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dentalpartnersofnewburyport.com\/blog\/can-treating-sleep-apnea-lead-weight-loss-heres-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Treating Sleep Apnea Lead to Weight Loss? Here\u2019s What We Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\"AAccording to recent research, there appears to be a correlation between individuals who start treatment for their sleep apnea and their body weight. While it makes sense that having a more restful night\u2019s sleep should provide more energy, the assistance that positive airway pressure machines provide could actually cause people with sleep apnea<\/a> to rely on them more than they should.\r\n\r\nIn today\u2019s post, we\u2019ll examine the data we have now so you can learn more about the debate!\r\n\r\n\r\n

There are Many Factors At Play<\/h2>\r\nTo this day, the debate of whether sleep apnea treatment increases or decreases weight in patients is a tricky one. It makes sense for patients to have more energy after getting better sleep and therefore have the ability to exercise more during the day. However, other cases have shown that people who are treated for sleep apnea, specifically through positive airway pressure (PAP) machines, are more likely to burn fewer calories while sleeping. This is due to the body exerting less effort to breathe during sleep.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, sleep quality isn\u2019t the only variable that affects weight. Changes in the patient\u2019s diet, appetite and hormone levels can all influence weight, not just the changes in their sleep patterns. Therefore, determining the exact cause of weight gains or losses becomes increasingly difficult.\r\n

The Available Data is Limited<\/h2>\r\nThe number of controlled experiments to determine the cause of weight changes is more limited compared to data gathered from medical records and retrospective reviews. Through these uncontrolled and observational studies, researchers can examine those who are currently undergoing PAP treatment, but have no control group to compare it to. Plus, there\u2019s no way to know if they received weight loss management from a third party, meaning the weight loss that occurred could not be related to the sleep apnea treatment at all.\r\n\r\nFortunately, there are some recent studies available on controlled experiments today. Based on a meta-analysis, which is a study that takes data from several other studies, researchers can compile data to form conclusions related to sleep apnea treatment and weight loss. After examining 25 randomized control trials, researchers can examine experimental and control groups, one which receive sleep apnea treatment and one that does not.\r\n

The Bottom Line<\/h2>\r\nAfter completing the meta-analysis, researchers came to the following conclusions:\r\n