Cleaner bedroom air may help manage blood sugar in prediabetes
Using portable filters to reduce exposure to air pollution during sleep may stabilize the large spikes in blood sugar experienced by people with prediabetes, a condition in which sugar (glucose) levels are higher than normal, a new study shows.
A new study reveals that using portable filters to reduce bedroom air pollution may help manage blood sugar in people with prediabetes. Prediabetes, characterized by higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Researchers at NYU Langone Health tested whether high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters could improve blood sugar control in 150 prediabetic individuals.
Half of the participants slept with real filters, while the other half used sham filters. The real filters reduced harmful air particles by 36%, which in turn led to a nearly 8% decrease in daily blood sugar fluctuations and smaller morning sugar spikes after breakfast. The total extra glucose in the blood after eating breakfast fell by about 17%, and peak levels following breakfast decreased by 13%.
Study leader Dr. Sharine L. Wittkopp stated that cleaner air at home, especially in the bedroom, may help people with prediabetes maintain steady blood sugar levels and minimize morning spikes. Installing HEPA filters is an easy, low-cost method to protect heart and metabolic health alongside a healthy diet, exercise, and prescribed medications.
The study, which appears in the American Heart Journal, was presented at the American Heart Association's annual Scientific Sessions. Further research is needed to determine if air filtration can slow prediabetes progression to diabetes and reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome signs.
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