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This Weight-Loss Drug Tackles A Common Sleep Disorder Too
Sleep apnea can turn bedtime into a nightly battle, with repeated breathing interruptions leaving you tired even after a full eight hours in bed.
Weight-loss medications are usually discussed in terms of appetite and the number on the scale, but could they help you breathe easier while you sleep, too?
Two large clinical trials1 tested retatrutide, an investigational weight-loss medication, to find out whether it could improve obstructive sleep apnea as well as help people lose weight.
About the study
Retatrutide is a once-weekly injection that targets three hormone receptors (GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon). Researchers tested it in two phase 3 trials published in the New England Journal of Medicine on October 20, 2026.
The trials included 691 adults with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea who were also carrying excess weight.
Participants had a body mass index (BMI) of at least 27, which falls in the overweight range or above. One trial included people without type 2 diabetes, while the other enrolled people with the condition.
Participants received one of three retatrutide doses or a placebo, an inactive injection used for comparison.
Retatrutide reduced nighttime breathing interruptions
At the start of the trials, participants experienced an average of 56 to 59 breathing interruptions per hour of sleep.
After 80 weeks, those taking higher doses of retatrutide saw substantial improvements.
Among participants without diabetes, breathing interruptions decreased by around 32 to 34 per hour, compared with about 10 fewer per hour in the placebo group.
Among those with type 2 diabetes, the higher doses reduced interruptions by roughly 25 per hour, compared with about 10 fewer with placebo.
Participants taking retatrutide also lost around 12% to 22% of their body weight, depending on the dose and trial, compared with roughly 5% in the placebo groups. Digestive symptoms were the most common side effects.
How weight loss may help you breathe easier at night
Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the upper airway repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep, interrupting breathing.
Losing weight may help, but the researchers also counted breathing interruptions to see whether participants' sleep apnea improved, rather than looking at weight loss alone.
That's important because sleep apnea is linked to heart health risks, not just daytime fatigue.
However, these trials don't show that retatrutide prevents heart problems or that its effects on sleep apnea happen independently of weight loss.
What to do if you have sleep apnea
Retatrutide is still being studied and has not been approved by the FDA. If you're managing sleep apnea now, here's what you can do:
- Stick with your prescribed treatment: If you use a CPAP machine, don't stop using it based on these findings.
- Ask about other options: Depending on your needs, your health care provider may recommend oral appliances, lifestyle changes, or an approved weight-management medication.
- Speak up if you're still exhausted: Ongoing daytime fatigue is worth discussing with your provider, who can assess whether your treatment needs adjusting.
The trials were funded by Eli Lilly, the company developing retatrutide. Further research will help clarify its safety and whether it could become a treatment option for sleep apnea.
The takeaway
Retatrutide could do more than change the number on the scale; it may also help people with sleep apnea breathe more easily overnight.
For now, keep your current treatment plan in place and let your doctor help you find your best path to more restful sleep.