Our tongues can get fat. And scientists say losing tongue weight might be an effective way to manage obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that affects an estimated 22 million Americans.
That’s according to a study published this week in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania exploring the surprising relationship between tongue fat and sleep apnea.
The researchers found that when overweight people with sleep apnea lost pounds, their tongues also got smaller. And, of all the changes that occurred as a result of slimming down, a reduction in tongue fat had the biggest impact on improving sleep apnea.
Until now, it was unclear why weight loss helps manage the sleep condition.
On average, the study’s 67 participants lost 10 percent of their body weight over six months. That, in turn, resulted in a 31-percent average reduction in sleep apnea severity ...
