Individuals with OSA experience interrupted sleep, with episodes of hypopnoea (substantial reduction of airflow, which promotes cortical arousal on electroencephalography or 3% oxygen desaturation) and/ or apnoea (full absence of airflow despite continuous respiratory activity that lasts for more than 10 s) [1, 2]
Research published in Nutrients (2023) and updated clinical reviews in early 2025 demonstrate that these SCFAs act as chemical keys that unlock the L-cells in your colon, directly triggering the release of GLP-1 into your bloodstream
GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) due to their attributes such as body weight loss, protection of islet cells, promotion of islet cell proliferation, and minimal side effects
Aim to include sources of protein (eggs, chicken, fish, tofu, legumes, etc.) in your meals to help preserve muscle mass
After treatment, serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) increased, while tryptophan hydroxylase-1 (TPH-1) decreased in the colon, showing that exendin-4 may reduce pain by regulating SERT and TPH-1 levels
Britta Reierson, a family physician specializing in metabolic health and medical director at Knownwell, agrees
