Condition
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which the airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, causing breathing pauses and drops in oxygen. Vitamin D has drawn the most interest because low levels are common in people with it, though the evidence is limited, and in five melatonin studies insomnia symptoms improved. Evidence for omega-3s, magnesium and N-acetyl cysteine is limited too, and the melatonin findings concern sleeplessness, not breathing pauses.
Sources: PMID 19584739; PMID 21340475
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 1
- Trials
- 1
- People studied
- 1
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insomnia Signs and Symptoms Large Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Large effect | 5 studies | 1 person | ||
Studies that measured insomnia signs and symptoms
| ||||||
| Sleep Quality | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 person | ||||
Key findings
- Insomnia Signs and SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
The Obstructive Sleep Apnea Support protocol
1 primary supplement · 3 supporting supplements
- Vitamin D2,000–4,000 IU daily
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Support alongside medical care. These supplements are not a treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). If you are being treated for it, talk to your clinician before adding one: supplements can interact with medicines.
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Studies cited
5 studies from PubMed
- Prophylaxis of migraine with melatonin: a randomized controlled trial
- Effect of melatonin on insomnia and daytime sleepiness, in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia (COMISA): A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial.
- Prolonged-release melatonin improves sleep quality and morning alertness in insomnia patients aged 55 years and older and has no withdrawal effects
- Evaluation of sleep, puberty and mental health in children with long-term melatonin treatment for chronic idiopathic childhood sleep onset insomnia
- The effect of prolonged-release melatonin on sleep measures and psychomotor performance in elderly patients with insomnia