This Weight-Loss Drug May Also Ease a Common Sleep Disorder

Sleep apnea can make bedtime feel like a nightly struggle, with repeated pauses in breathing leaving people exhausted even after a full night in bed.

Weight-loss drugs are usually discussed for appetite control and changes on the scale, but could they also help people breathe more easily while they sleep?

Two large clinical trials tested retatrutide, an experimental weight-loss medication, to see whether it could improve obstructive sleep apnea as well as support weight loss.

About the study

Retatrutide is a once-weekly injection that acts on three hormone receptors: GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon. Researchers evaluated it in two phase 3 trials published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The studies included 691 adults with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea who also had excess weight.

All participants had a body mass index, or BMI, of at least 27, which is in the overweight range or higher. One trial enrolled people without type 2 diabetes, while the other included people with the condition.

Participants were assigned to one of three retatrutide doses or to a placebo, an inactive comparison injection.

Retatrutide reduced nighttime breathing interruptions

At the start of the trials, participants had an average of 56 to 59 breathing interruptions per hour of sleep.

After 80 weeks, people taking the higher doses of retatrutide showed notable improvement.

Among participants without diabetes, breathing interruptions dropped by about 32 to 34 per hour, compared with roughly 10 fewer per hour in the placebo group.

Among participants with type 2 diabetes, the higher doses lowered interruptions by about 25 per hour, compared with around 10 fewer with placebo.

People taking retatrutide also lost about 12% to 22% of their body weight, depending on the dose and trial, while placebo groups lost about 5%. The most common side effects were digestive symptoms.

How weight loss may help nighttime breathing

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep, which disrupts breathing.

Weight loss may help, but the researchers also measured breathing interruptions to see whether sleep apnea itself improved, rather than focusing on weight change alone.

That matters because sleep apnea is tied to heart health risks, not just daytime tiredness.

Even so, these trials do not prove that retatrutide prevents heart problems or that its sleep apnea benefits occur independently of weight loss.

What to do if you have sleep apnea

Retatrutide is still under study and has not been approved by the FDA. If you are managing sleep apnea now, here are some steps to consider:

• Keep using your prescribed treatment: If you use a CPAP machine, do not stop based on these findings.
• Ask about other options: Depending on your needs, your health care provider may suggest oral appliances, lifestyle changes, or an approved weight-management medication.
• Speak up if fatigue continues: Ongoing daytime exhaustion is worth discussing with your provider, who can check whether your treatment needs adjustment.

The trials were funded by Eli Lilly, the company developing retatrutide. More research will help determine its safety and whether it could become a treatment option for sleep apnea.

The takeaway

Retatrutide may do more than affect the number on the scale; it could also help people with sleep apnea breathe more easily overnight.

For now, stick with your current treatment plan and work with your doctor to find the best route to more restful sleep.