One in five American adults suffers from sleep apnea. Currently, there are no drugs to treat this sleep disorder. However, recently there has been a large-scale clinical trial which offers hope. This trial is about a certain drug which uses a synthetic version of the main psychoactive substance in cannabis. It has been examined whether or not this substance is effective for treating sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder which happens when a person doesn’t get enough oxygen when sleeping. As a result, they wake up constantly at night. Sleep apnea appears in two types: Obstructive sleep apnea and Central sleep apnea.
The most common type of this sleep disorder is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA occurs due to a blockage of the airway which can be a temporary collapse. It triggers snoring. On the other hand, the second kind is more serious and its culprit is usually a disease or a brain damage. It occurs when the brain and the breathing muscles don’t work in coordination.
The most important thing to note here is that this sleep disorder is more prevalent in men. Moreover, this condition can be a result of genes and other health conditions. In order to diagnose sleep apnea, physicians can either take a physical exam, ask questions, or you might be asked to monitor and record your sleep habits.
Some of the most common symptoms with people who experience sleep apnea face are numbness and weakness, restless sleep patterns, changes in voice, sore mouth, headaches, shortness of breath, chronic daytime fatigue, and cognitive issues.
Cannabis as Treatment for Sleep Apnea
There are numerous conventional therapies for sleep apnea. The treatment of this sleep disorder usually requires a CPAP machine. This machine has a mask connected to it and it blows air down the windpipe to keep the airway open. The CPAP machine provides continuous positive airway pressure.
Recently, there has been an interesting suggestion that cannabis might be the perfect treatment for people with sleep apnea. Back in 2002, there was a study which discovered that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of at least 113 cannabinoids identified in cannabis, can enhance natural breathing. This substance can limit the effect of serotonin in cells in the inferior ganglion of the vagus nerve. It is this nerve which is responsible for breathing sensations.
This study was followed by a new one, the first THC and sleep apnea study on human subjects. The results showed that the effects of THC reduced the symptoms of sleep apnea by 32%.
The higher the dose, the better the findings were. Unfortunately, more research is needed on this subject, but most of the researches are in preclinical stages.
The Effects of Medical Cannabis to Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Medical cannabis or medical marijuana can be helpful to alleviate the symptoms of sleep apnea. It doesn’t only boost the brain function, but also improves the quality of sleep. Cannabis can be a great relaxant and relieves irritation and mood changes which are a common result of sleep apnea.
When thinking about what kind of cannabis treatment to get, it’s better to opt for edibles, topicals, or a cannabinoid patch.
Is Medical Cannabis an Alternative to CPAP?
THC comes with psychoactive properties. It could be an ideal therapy for sleep apnea if only there was more research on this subject. Sadly, all of the studies are in their infancy.
Last year, the Minnesota Department of Health approved medical cannabis for the treatment of sleep apnea. This instance led to many discussions as to whether there is enough evidence of the plant’s effectiveness to recommend its use for patients.
Just after this announcement and approval, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) came forward with a statement against the use of medical cannabis for sleep apnea. This decision is due to insufficient data.
The Minnesota Department of Health conducted a clinical trial on dronabinol, synthetic THC. This substance has been used for years to prevent nausea in chemotherapy patients. This trial showed positive results as it likely increases airway muscle tone. In fact, dronabinol decreased the severity of sleep apnea by 33% of the pretreatment value, on average among all subjects.
This substance binds to cannabinoid receptors on the nerves that regulate the upper airway muscles. So, this trial offered some promising results. However, this doesn’t mean that the cannabis plant in its natural form is also effective because dronabinol was studied in isolation.
Thus, this topic needs further research, especially a research which will examine other molecules found in cannabis plants.
So, each patient which decides to use a cannabis product as a sleep apnea treatment should do it with caution as there is very little evidence that it works.
On the other hand, when compared to CPAP, the device only targets the physical issue, not the cause. If sleep apnea was to be managed, we need a drug which will target the cause. So, new studies can offer an alternative to CPAP therapy. Until then, CPAP remains to be the most effective treatment for sleep apnea.