There appears to be a clear connection between sleep apnea and nutritional deficiencies, which makes it important for you to educate your patients on proper care. For instance, did you know vitamin, C, A and E all show a connection with sleep apnea? They do! Each of these nutritional deficiencies can affect sleep apnea in one way or another, which means understanding what happens can significantly improve your health and well-being. Let’s take a look at each!
Vitamin C
Improves endothelial function (blood vessel health) in sleep apnea patients to levels seen in people without sleep apnea. A study from the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that vitamin C can help reduce the damage of sleep apnea. Scientists have found that sleep apnea can have damaging effects on the cells, but vitamin C can help to counteract that damage. By increasing vitamin C consumption while treating sleep apnea, you can potentially help reduce the dangerous effects of sleep apnea.
Vitamin A
Sleep apnea patients have low retinol (vitamin A). Retinol suppresses the growth of vascular smooth muscle, a process that causes blood vessels to clog, linking low vitamin A levels to the cardiovascular complications seen in sleep apnea patients. By increasing your intake of vitamin A during the treatment of sleep apnea, you can potentially reduce the dangerous effects of obstructive sleep apnea.
Vitamin E
Mitigates the oxidative stress seen in sleep apnea patients and works synergistically with vitamin C. The primary role of vitamin E in your body is as an antioxidant—this helps protect your cells from harmful molecules formed during normal metabolic processes. It also plays a role in regulating your immune system. Vitamin E may even help in the prevention or treatment of health conditions related to heart disease, aging and cancer. Essential to your daily functions, vitamin E is recommended in a person’s daily diet to prevent nutrient deficiency.
Contact Craniofacial Pain & Dental Sleep Center of Georgia for more information on the different vitamin deficiencies and how they might be affecting your sleep apnea.
