Is there any association between increased muscle mass and sleep apnea?

[john10960]

Hi guys.

Was wondering if anyone has ever heard of having more muscle contributing to higher incidence of sleep apnea. I am aware that thicker neck circumferences can play a part but I am more wondering about gaining muscle mass in general throughout the body.

Thanks!

 

[Smont]

Sleep apnea - Symptoms and causes

www.mayoclinic.org

Excessive weight is a cause. If your normally 170lb guy and you get yoked @220 or whatever, your body dosent know if there's 50 extra pounds of fat or muscle, just that there's 50 extra pounds.

It could also be completely unrelated, there's sleep apena caused by outside factors like weight or neck size and then there's another kind caused by brain signals not relaying back and forth.

 

[john10960]

Thanks for the feedback.

So even increased lean muscle mass (within reason, not insanely massive) would increase onset chances of sleep apnea?

not at all trying to be difficult, but just curious if you have any study sources for this?

thanks!

 

[Smont]

Thanks for the feedback.

So even increased lean muscle mass (within reason, not insanely massive) would increase onset chances of sleep apnea?

not at all trying to be difficult, but just curious if you have any study sources for this?

thanks!

No it's not that simple, gaining a couple pounds of muscle is a lot different then gaining 50lbs of muscle. Sorry no studies I've looked at recently but my girlfriend worked in the sleep center of the hospital for 7 years for a Dr. That was a specialist for sleep apena and sleeping disorders so that's where I'm basing this, from what I learned from the Dr there.

Basic description

Obstructive Sleep apena is caused by a restriction of your upper airways, central apena is from your brain not sending a signal to breath even tho you don't have any obstruction.

But beyond that there's a lot to it. More then a couple studies can explain. When I get home tonight IL see if my girl can point me twords some reading for you

 

[john10960]

Thanks for the input.

I’m trying to think of an example. Let’s say Hugh Hackman (Wolverine) or chris hemmsworth (Thor) becoming jacked for their movie roles. Would adding that kind of muscle mass contribute to sleep apnea. I’m not talking about professional body builder mr Olympia. I’m just talking about getting ripped for the average guy. Would that contribute to an increased risk for apnea?

I do want to put on significant muscle and become reasonably shredded, so I ask myself would this increase my chances of sleep apnea?

 

[Smont]

Thanks for the input.

I’m trying to think of an example. Let’s say Hugh Hackman (Wolverine) or chris hemmsworth (Thor) becoming jacked for their movie roles. Would adding that kind of muscle mass contribute to sleep apnea. I’m not talking about professional body builder mr Olympia. I’m just talking about getting ripped for the average guy. Would that contribute to an increased risk for apnea?

I do want to put on significant muscle and become reasonably shredded, so I ask myself would this increase my chances of sleep apnea?

Highly doubt it. If that was the case then me and pretty much everyone I know would have sleep apena. Your putting waaaayyyy too much thought into this.
I can tell you a bmi over 50 makes you much more likely to get it. Being average height and over 250lbs seems to be linked to sleep apena and I'm basing this off the Dr. Telling ppl to loose weight and get under 250 to reduce the harm risk. I'd bet you got a better chance at winning the lotto in the next 3 years then it is likely you will build enough muscle to cause sleep apena in that same time-frame

 

[sns8778]

Thanks for the input.

I’m trying to think of an example. Let’s say Hugh Hackman (Wolverine) or chris hemmsworth (Thor) becoming jacked for their movie roles. Would adding that kind of muscle mass contribute to sleep apnea. I’m not talking about professional body builder mr Olympia. I’m just talking about getting ripped for the average guy. Would that contribute to an increased risk for apnea?

I do want to put on significant muscle and become reasonably shredded, so I ask myself would this increase my chances of sleep apnea?

Increasing body-weight in general can be a contributing factor for sleep apnea, but there are a lot of contributing factors besides just that.

Two significant things:
- If you are looking to build muscle and lose fat, then you are in theory hopefully offsetting a lot of the scale weight increase anyway with fat loss.
- The average person would struggle to gain enough muscle over years period of time to increase their risk of sleep apnea; so its not something that I think anyone needs to worry about to a large degree.

A good comparison - you know how some people that don't want to build a lot of muscle worry that if they start working out they're going to build too much muscle? And its like - yeah, that's not gonna happen by accident. It's kind of the same with this scenario we're discussing here.

 

[Smont]

Increasing body-weight in general can be a contributing factor for sleep apnea, but there are a lot of contributing factors besides just that.

Two significant things:
- If you are looking to build muscle and lose fat, then you are in theory hopefully offsetting a lot of the scale weight increase anyway with fat loss.
- The average person would struggle to gain enough muscle over years period of time to increase their risk of sleep apnea; so its not something that I think anyone needs to worry about to a large degree.

A good comparison - you know how some people that don't want to build a lot of muscle worry that if they start working out they're going to build too much muscle? And its like - yeah, that's not gonna happen by accident. It's kind of the same with this scenario we're discussing here.

Great explanation. Funny about the reference too. There's a 25 year old kid that works for my uncle, he's 6'4 200lbs and always telling me he only uses high reps and cardio for exercise because if he lifts too much he will put on more muscle then he wants to have..... OK lol.

But great comparison between this and that. I think this is a paralysis by analysis type thing too, guys get worried about too many things of low importance and forget to start working on the goal.


@john10960 where are you currently in yiur weightlifting journey. How much size have you already added and currently where's your bodyfat. If yiur early in yiur training life it's probably gonna be about 10 consistant years before you need to worry about stuff like this.

 

[john10960]

I’m about 2 years in.

don’t know my exact body fat at this time but I do know its high. I’ve put on considerable muscle mass throughout the last 2 years. I also obviously know that getting the BF down is the primary concern.

I only recently took a little concern to the sleep apnea thing as I heard it mentioned briefly whilst listening to a podcast.

I understand what you guys are saying, that it’s not worth worrying about.

Just to help me get an idea of when one would have to worry though it helps for me to form a picture hence the example I brought up. I want a good figure like everyone else on here, and for me that means considerable mass and reasonably shredded. I don’t mean professional body builder mr Olympia size, I’m talking more (I know it’s cliche) like some ripped guy on the cover of men’s health or some thing lol. Chris hemmsworth or Hugh Hackman for their movie roles were the first to come to mind. Would an individual with that figure need to worry is my question. (Wish I could post a pic but I’m sure you guys get the idea)
Thanks guys!

 

[Smont]

I’m about 2 years in.

don’t know my exact body fat at this time but I do know its high. I’ve put on considerable muscle mass throughout the last 2 years. I also obviously know that getting the BF down is the primary concern.

I only recently took a little concern to the sleep apnea thing as I heard it mentioned briefly whilst listening to a podcast.

I understand what you guys are saying, that it’s not worth worrying about.

Just to help me get an idea of when one would have to worry though it helps for me to form a picture hence the example I brought up. I want a good figure like everyone else on here, and for me that means considerable mass and reasonably shredded. I don’t mean professional body builder mr Olympia size, I’m talking more (I know it’s cliche) like some ripped guy on the cover of men’s health or some thing lol. Chris hemmsworth or Hugh Hackman for their movie roles were the first to come to mind. Would an individual with that figure need to worry is my question. (Wish I could post a pic but I’m sure you guys get the idea)
Thanks guys!

Hugh Jackman is like 6'2 180lbs as Wolverine. I know he looks bigger in movies but he's not bery big. I think Thor was only like 220 at 6'4

I wouldn't be remotely worried that either one of them have enough muscle for it to cause sleep apena.

 

[sns8778]

I’m about 2 years in.

don’t know my exact body fat at this time but I do know its high. I’ve put on considerable muscle mass throughout the last 2 years. I also obviously know that getting the BF down is the primary concern.

I only recently took a little concern to the sleep apnea thing as I heard it mentioned briefly whilst listening to a podcast.

I understand what you guys are saying, that it’s not worth worrying about.

Just to help me get an idea of when one would have to worry though it helps for me to form a picture hence the example I brought up. I want a good figure like everyone else on here, and for me that means considerable mass and reasonably shredded. I don’t mean professional body builder mr Olympia size, I’m talking more (I know it’s cliche) like some ripped guy on the cover of men’s health or some thing lol. Chris hemmsworth or Hugh Hackman for their movie roles were the first to come to mind. Would an individual with that figure need to worry is my question. (Wish I could post a pic but I’m sure you guys get the idea)
Thanks guys!

You mentioned in the above post that you have a high body-fat percentage now.

That was what I meant in my post about if you your goal is to build muscle and lose fat, then if you have a high body-fat percentage now, in terms of total body-weight then you have a lot of weight that you can lose in terms of offsetting the total body-weight with muscle weight.

I hope that makes sense.

In general, the average weight training male that is not using AAS would likely never build enough muscle even with many years of consistent training to have to worry about sleep apnea.

Btw.... I'm not knocking you for having high body-fat, I'm in the same spot right now. My total body-weight is much higher than I would like for it to be because I've gained a lot of muscle back in the last couple months. I'm at least 20+ lbs. heavier than I want to be, but I'm not long term worried about it because my plan is from between now and February to lose 30 to 40 lbs. of fat, so my total body-weight will level out.

 

[john10960]

Thanks for feedback.

you may have missed it, but I did briefly mention I knew my BF would be the primary concern when it comes to sleep apnea.

I just want to know that my optimal endgame physique wouldn’t be one that I have to be worried about sleep apnea. Again, this is not some insane mr oylmpia build, but I do want to be considerably big and shredded, I guess with the best example being those models on the cover of men’s fitness and what not, lol (fully natural though)

 

[Smont]

You mentioned in the above post that you have a high body-fat percentage now.

That was what I meant in my post about if you your goal is to build muscle and lose fat, then if you have a high body-fat percentage now, in terms of total body-weight then you have a lot of weight that you can lose in terms of offsetting the total body-weight with muscle weight.

I hope that makes sense.

In general, the average weight training male that is not using AAS would likely never build enough muscle even with many years of consistent training to have to worry about sleep apnea.

Btw.... I'm not knocking you for having high body-fat, I'm in the same spot right now. My total body-weight is much higher than I would like for it to be because I've gained a lot of muscle back in the last couple months. I'm at least 20+ lbs. heavier than I want to be, but I'm not long term worried about it because my plan is from between now and February to lose 30 to 40 lbs. of fat, so my total body-weight will level out.

Thanks for feedback.

you may have missed it, but I did briefly mention I knew my BF would be the primary concern when it comes to sleep apnea.

I just want to know that my optimal endgame physique wouldn’t be one that I have to be worried about sleep apnea. Again, this is not some insane mr oylmpia build, but I do want to be considerably big and shredded, I guess with the best example being those models on the cover of men’s fitness and what not, lol (fully natural though)

"Fully Natural" your all set. You absolutely can make a ton of changes but you won't be able to carry enough muscle at a beach ready bf% to cause issues. Most steroid users won't ever add enough muscle to cause issues.

Your golden bro, now start grinding

 

[SweetLou321]

I’m about 2 years in.

don’t know my exact body fat at this time but I do know its high. I’ve put on considerable muscle mass throughout the last 2 years. I also obviously know that getting the BF down is the primary concern.

I only recently took a little concern to the sleep apnea thing as I heard it mentioned briefly whilst listening to a podcast.

I understand what you guys are saying, that it’s not worth worrying about.

Just to help me get an idea of when one would have to worry though it helps for me to form a picture hence the example I brought up. I want a good figure like everyone else on here, and for me that means considerable mass and reasonably shredded. I don’t mean professional body builder mr Olympia size, I’m talking more (I know it’s cliche) like some ripped guy on the cover of men’s health or some thing lol. Chris hemmsworth or Hugh Hackman for their movie roles were the first to come to mind. Would an individual with that figure need to worry is my question. (Wish I could post a pic but I’m sure you guys get the idea)
Thanks guys!

I very quick google search pulled this:

Associations of obstructive sleep apnea with truncal skeletal muscle mass and density

Sarcopenia has been associated with several conditions relevant to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), such as aging and obesity, but a direct relationship between OSA and skeletal muscle alterations has not been identified. This study investigated associations ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The association can be there.

 

[john10960]

I very quick google search pulled this:

Associations of obstructive sleep apnea with truncal skeletal muscle mass and density

Sarcopenia has been associated with several conditions relevant to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), such as aging and obesity, but a direct relationship between OSA and skeletal muscle alterations has not been identified. This study investigated associations ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The association can be there.

I very quick google search pulled this:

Associations of obstructive sleep apnea with truncal skeletal muscle mass and density

Sarcopenia has been associated with several conditions relevant to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), such as aging and obesity, but a direct relationship between OSA and skeletal muscle alterations has not been identified. This study investigated associations ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The association can be there.

Yes I’ve seen that study (seems to be only one). Read through it pretty thoroughly, its population was Asian only and only lumbar muscles were measured and projected out for full body skeletal muscle index. It said there was a correlation but seemingly not a strong one, but one nonetheless. Overall it seems the study observes the muscle mass relation through a narrow lense. But yes it is concluded the association is there.