Attention! Snoring Isn’t a Sign of Sound Sleep—Watch Out for This “Nighttime Killer”

Do you have family members or friends

who snore loudly while sleeping?

Attention

This Might Not Be Healthy Sleep

Beware of This Condition:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea(OSA)

Also known as the“Nighttime Killer,”

OSA can contribute to diabetes,hypertension,heart failure,and more.

OSA is the most common sleep disorder.

In China,there are approximately 176 million people affected,

yet the diagnosis rate is only about 1%.


Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by repeated upper airway obstruction during sleep,which causes episodes of apnea or hypopnea,leading to intermittent hypoxia and hypercapnia,and disrupting normal sleep.


Patients with OSA often experience snoring and recurrent pauses in breathing,which can trigger chronic intermittent hypoxia(CIH),hypercapnia,sympathetic nervous system overactivation,disrupted sleep architecture,and high negative intrathoracic pressure,ultimately causing multi-system complications.


Chronic intermittent hypoxia(CIH)is a major pathological feature of OSA.

CIH triggers the production of reactive oxygen species(ROS),leading to oxidative damage and cell apoptosis.Frequent apnea increases intrathoracic pressure,placing extra strain on the left ventricle and eventually causing cardiac hypertrophy[1].Hydrogen has antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,and anti-apoptotic properties.Its small molecular size allows it to disperse effectively throughout the body[2].Hydrogen inhalation has been shown to improve ischemia-reperfusion injury and reduce left ventricular hypertrophy[3][4].

A research team led by Professor Ji Ensheng from Hebei University of Chinese Medicine studied how hydrogen alleviates cardiac hypertrophy caused by CIH by regulating iron metabolism.Their findings were published in the internationally recognized journal Current Issues in Molecular Biology[5].


Screenshot of the newly published paper

In this experiment,the subjects were randomly divided into four groups:normoxic control group(Con),chronic intermittent hypoxia group(CIH),chronic intermittent hypoxia+hydrogen-oxygen inhalation group(CIH+H₂),and hydrogen-oxygen inhalation group(H₂).


WGA immunofluorescence staining showed that cardiomyocytes in the CIH group had a significantly larger cross-sectional area than the Con group,while hydrogen-oxygen intervention alleviated this increase.

Additionally,mRNA levels of MYH7(myosin heavy chain 7),Nppa(atrial natriuretic peptide A),and Nppb(B-type natriuretic peptide)were significantly elevated in the CIH group but decreased in the CIH+H₂group.

MYH7 is a key pathogenic gene that can trigger myocardial hypertrophy.

Nppa is a hormone secreted by atrial cardiomyocytes;its levels rise when atrial load increases.

Nppb reflects cardiac function;patients with heart failure have elevated B-type natriuretic peptide levels.

These findings indicate that CIH leads to myocardial hypertrophy,and hydrogen-oxygen therapy can effectively reduce related pathological damage,offering new insights for treating cardiovascular injury in OSA patients.


Hydrogen-oxygen inhalation is a gentle method that improves sleep,helping people fall asleep more easily,enhance sleep quality,and enter deep sleep.

In 2023,the Shandong Provincial Health Commission officially included“hydrogen-oxygen inhalation for sleep-related breathing disorders”in the 2023 Shandong Provincial Appropriate Health Technology Promotion Projects.It was also designated as a provincial continuing medical education program for grassroots health technicians in 2024.

Currently,this innovative technology is being applied in institutions such as Tai’an Central Hospital,Shandong Cancer Hospital,Qilu Children’s Hospital of Shandong University,Dongying People’s Hospital,and Binzhou People’s Hospital.

In 2024,the Tai’an City Hydrogen Sleep Technology Innovation Center was approved and established,further advancing the clinical application of hydrogen–oxygen therapy in sleep medicine.

References

[1]Imano,H.;Kato,R.;Tanikawa,S.;Yoshimura,F.;Nomura,A.;Ijiri,Y.;Yamaguchi,T.;Izumi,Y.;Yoshiyama,M.;Hayashi,T.Factor Xa inhibition by rivaroxaban attenuates cardiac remodeling due to intermittent hypoxia.J.Pharmacol.Sci.2018,137,274–282.

[2]Dorofeyeva,N.;Drachuk,K.;Rajkumar,R.;Sabnis,O.;Sagach,V.H2S donor improves heart function and vascular relaxation in diabetes.Eur.J.Clin.Investig.2021,51,e13354.

[3]Nakao,A.;Kaczorowski,D.J.;Wang,Y.;Cardinal,J.S.;Buchholz,B.M.;Sugimoto,R.;Tobita,K.;Lee,S.;Toyoda,Y.;Billiar,T.R.;et al.Amelioration of rat cardiac cold ischemia/reperfusion injury with inhaled hydrogen or carbon monoxide,or both.J.Heart Lung Transplant.2010,29,544–553.

[4]Yu,Y.S.;Zheng,H.Chronic hydrogen-rich saline treatment reduces oxidative stress and attenuates left ventricular hypertrophy in spontaneous hypertensive rats.Mol.Cell Biochem.2012,365,233–242.