New research reveals that gut microbes may be a key driver of heart disease risk in people with sleep apnea. Scientists studying mice found that a bile acid receptor called FXR plays a central role in arterial plaque buildup triggered by sleep apnea-like oxygen disruptions. When this receptor was genetically removed, plaque formation dropped significantly and gut microbiome disruption was reduced. Bile acids, produced by the liver and modified by gut bacteria, act as chemical messengers throughout the body. This gut-heart connection suggests that targeting FXR or the microbial signals that activate it could one day offer new ways to protect sleep apnea patients from cardiovascular disease.
