Hearing loss is a common problem that impacts quality of life for the patient, family members, and caretakers. Unfortunately, hearing loss is often undiagnosed and untreated. The inevitable deterioration in hearing ability that occurs with age --also known as presbycusis -- has many causes and can vary in severity from mild to substantial. Left untreated, hearing loss of a moderate or greater degree affects communication and can contribute to isolation, depression, and, possibly, loss in cognitive decline. Vision and hearing loss share a number of common risk factors, including aging, cigarette smoking, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and diabetes. Therefore, it appears that vision and hearing loss are potentially influenced by diet and lifestyle factors. Diabetics have a much higher risk of developing hearing loss as are nondiabetics which indicates high blood sugar levels to be a potential factor.
   There are certain nutritional treatment or prevention options to review.

Fish oils and omega-3 fatty acids
There appears to be an inverse association between higher intakes of long-chain n–3 PUFAs and regular weekly consumption of fish and hearing loss. Dietary intervention with fish oils could prevent or delay the development of age-related hearing loss. Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and fish and risk of age-related hearing loss. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2010.

Folic acid and hearing loss
Folic acid supplementation appears to slow the hearing loss that commonly occurs with age, at least in people with high levels of the amino acid homocysteine. Previous reports have linked low folate levels with poor hearing, but it was unclear if administration of the vitamin could slow age-related hearing loss. To investigate, Dr. Jane Durga, from the Nestle Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland assessed changes in hearing among 728 subjects, between 50 and 70 years of age, who were randomized to receive folate (800 micrograms) or inactive placebo daily for 3 years. Because there is evidence that folate may improve hearing by lowering plasma homocysteine levels, the researchers excluded subjects who had low homocysteine levels at the start of the study. At 3 years, the threshold for low frequency hearing increased by 1.0 dB in the folate group, significantly less than the increase noted in the control group. By contrast, high frequency auditory acuity worsened by a similar extent in each group, the researchers found. Whether the current findings are applicable to subjects in the US is unclear since at the time of the study, folate fortification of foods was prohibited in the Netherlands and, as a result, the subjects had baseline folate levels that were about half of those typically seen in the US population. Archives of Internal Medicine, 2007.

Vitamin supplements, antioxidants for noise induced hearing loss
In experiments with guinea pigs, a combination of antioxidants -- vitamins A, C and E, plus magnesium -- seemed to protect the animals from noise-induced hearing loss. Dr. Colleen G. Le Prell, a researcher at the University of Michigan Hearing Research Institute in Ann Arbor, exposed guinea pigs to the decibel equivalent of a jet engine at take-off. One hour before the noise exposure and once-daily for 5 days after, the animals were given either the vitamin-magnesium combination, just one of the nutrients or a placebo supplement. In the end, animals given the antioxidant combo showed less hearing loss than the other groups did. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 2007.

Vitamin E and vitamin C in the treatment of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
Acta Otolaryngology. 2007.
The results of this study suggest that the administration of vitamin E and vitamin C to patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss has beneficial effects by reducing the level of reactive oxygen metabolites produced by inner ear ischaemia and reperfusion injury after treatment. A total of 87 patients were enrolled who fulfilled the following inclusion criteria: 1) sudden onset of sensorineural hearing loss, 2) cause of hearing loss unknown, 3) hearing loss did not fluctuate, 4) arithmetic mean of hearing levels at 250, 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz exceeded 40 dB and 5) treatment was started within 14 days from the onset of hearing loss. All the patients were treated with steroids and/or alprostadil. In the study group, patients additionally received vitamin E tocopherol nicotinate, 600 mg/day and vitamin C 1200 mg/day orally. The hearing gain after therapy was 29 dB and the improvement rate was 63% in the study group, compared with 18 dB and 44% in the control group.

J Audiol Otol. 2015. Noise-Induced Neural Degeneration and Therapeutic Effect of Antioxidant Drugs. The primary site of lesion induced by noise exposure is the hair cells in the organ of Corti and the primary neural degeneration occurs in synaptic terminals of cochlear nerve fibers and spiral ganglion cells. The cellular basis of noise-induced hearing loss is oxidative stress, which refers to a severe disruption in the balance between the production of free radicals and antioxidant defense system in the cochlea by excessive production of free radicals induced by noise exposure. Oxidative stress has been identified by a variety of biomarkers to label free radical activity which include four-hydroxy-2-nonenal, nitrotyrosine, and malondialdehyde, and inducible nitric oxide synthase, cytochrome-C, and cascade-3, 8, 9. Furthermore, oxidative stress is contributing to the necrotic and apoptotic cell deaths in the cochlea. To counteract the known mechanisms of pathogenesis and oxidative stress induced by noise exposure, a variety of antioxidant drugs including oxygen-based antioxidants such as N-acetyl-L-cystein and acetyl-L-carnitine and nitrone-based antioxidants such as phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN), disufenton sodium, 4-hydroxy PBN have been used in our laboratory. These antioxidant drugs were effective in preventing or treating noise-induced hearing loss. In combination with other antioxidants, antioxidant drugs showed a strong synergistic effect. Furthermore, successful use of antioxidant drugs depends on the optimal timing of treatment and the duration of treatment, which are highly related to the time window of free radical formation induced by noise exposure.

Vitamin supplements can prevent hearing loss in laboratory animals. The supplements used in the research are composed of antioxidants -- beta carotene and vitamins C and E -- and the mineral magnesium. Colleen Le Prell of the University of Florida gave guinea pigs the vitamin supplements prior to a four-hour exposure to noise at 110 decibels, similar to levels reached at a loud concert. The treatment successfully prevented temporary hearing loss in the animals. Repeated temporary hearing loss can lead to permanent hearing loss, and that prevention of temporary changes may ultimately prevent permanent changes. The findings were reported at the Association for Research in Otolaryngology's annual conference in Baltimore, 2009.
   Comments: Would taking these supplements prior to going to a loud concert reduce the risk for hearing damage?

Due to a certain hearing loss I have been taking tablets that include pregnenolone. Heres the rest of the ingredients: Vinpocetine, Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), Choline bitartrate, Glycine, Alpha lipoic acid, L-cysteine, Pyridoxine, Methylcobalamin, Folate, Ascorbic acid, and magnesium mineral. I've been taking them a month and have just read about the Pregnenolone. Naturally I'm worried. The dosage is 20 mg a day. Can it harm vision? I have been feeling a bit odd heart wise?
   There are dangers in taking this hormone and one needs to use it with caution.

Sensory hearing loss
I am a 36 year old woman with sensory hearing loss. I have high pitch severe bilateral nerve damage and am unable to hear high pitch sounds. I have lived with this for some time and just thought I couldn't understand certain people. I don't have a family history of it, I've been to two concerts in my life, no virus that I could think of (other than an ear infection in one ear 5-6 years ago), and just have no idea how this happened. About a month ago, I started researching alternative forms of therapy because I refuse to wear a hearing aid as I have been functioning well all these years. I keep running into articles about CoQ10, which is how I came across you and your youtube videos. My quest to restore my hearing led me to 4 supplements to be used together on a website, "There are many reasons why hearing loss occurs including too much earwax, viral infection, or too much constant exposure to loud noises. However, aging is the main cause for hearing loss. Most traditional doctors believe there is no possible way to get your natural hearing back once it’s gone due to the damaged nerve cells, but according to many alternative doctors and specialist such as ear, nose, and throat doctors, there are significant ways that may be able to help reverse hearing loss and improve one’s hearing. Part of the reverse process includes nutrients that enhance areas in cells that produce energy. There are four nutrients that doctors say may hold the key in effectively reversing hearing loss. Trying these nutrients for six months may help improve your hearing and possibly reverse hearing loss. Acetyl-Carnitine has a combination of amino acids that helps the areas in cells turn fat into energy. Take 150 mgs of acetyl-carnitine a day. Antioxidants work to protect the body against the onslaught of free radicals, the cause of many diseases. One of the most powerful antioxidants is Alpha-Lipoic Acid, which is important to take when trying to improve hearing or reverse hearing loss. Take 150 mgs a day of alpha-lipoic acid. Glutathione is an enzyme that helps strengthen your body but also helps two of the most powerful antioxidants, vitamin C and E, to work effectively. Take 50 mgs of glutathione a day. Also, take recommended dosages of vitamin C and E everyday. Another important nutrient is Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10. Take 60 mgs a day of CoQ10. You can also increase your dietary intake of fish oils, known as fatty acids, grains, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and seeds to provide more fatty acids in the body." What do you think?
    A. There are hardly any human studies with the use of natural supplements as a treatment to reverse age related hearing loss. At this time I am not convinced that taking such supplements would reverse the hearing loss but it is worth trying them one a time. Combining several supplements can sometimes cause side effects of excessive stimulation, rapid heart beat, and insomnia.

Rebamipide for hearing loss
Radical scavengers for elderly patients with age-related hearing loss.
Acta Otolaryngol. 2009. Department of Otolaryngology, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Minamiku, Hiroshima, Japan.
To assess the efficacy of treatment with radical scavengers for age-related hearing loss. Rebamipide (300 mg/day), alpha-lipoic acid (60 mg/day), and vitamin C 600 mg/day were given orally for at least 8 weeks to 46 elderly patients with age-related hearing loss. Hearing levels after treatment were significantly improved at all frequencies. The results of this study suggest that treatment with radical scavengers has the potential to become an effective new therapy for age-related hearing loss.

Causes
Professional musicians have several times greater a risk of developing hearing loss compared to the rest of the public. Musicians are also 57 percent more likely to develop ringing in the ears -- known as tinnitus -- because of their exposure to loud noise. Occupational & Environmental Medicine, news release, 2014.

Type 2 diabetes or consistently high blood sugar may raise the risk of hearing loss.

Sports fans risk having their hearing ruined by vuvuzela trumpets and deliberate attempts to increase stadium noise and they need to start seeing earplugs.

More than a billion teenagers and young adults around the world are at risk of permanently damaging their hearing by listening to too much music, too loudly. Audio players, concerts, clubs, and bars pose a serious threat.

Alcohol may cause hearing loss
Alcohol seems to temporarily drain a person's hearing -- particularly when it comes to discerning the sounds of conversation.  The more a person drinks, the greater the deterioration in hearing at least in the short term. The hearing loss tends to be more significant in older people, as well as those who said they had a history of heavy drinking.
It's not clear why drinking may have this effect, but alcohol could either damage the auditory nerves or affect the brain's processing of sound. The hearing loss from alcohol consumption is short-lived. However, it's possible that regular drinking could alter people's hearing over time and cause hearing loss.

Chronic diseases
Certain chronic diseases may cause harm by interrupting blood flow to the inner ear or the brain. These include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, also can be linked to some forms of hearing loss. Tumors and growths in the brain can be responsible in some cases. Obese teens and adults are at a higher risk.

Drugs that cause hearing Loss, aspirin, NSAIDs, acetaminophen
Long term use of high doses of aspirin and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAID could cause hearing loss.
   Two major classes of drugs currently in clinical use can cause permanent hearing loss. Aminoglycoside antibiotics have a major role in the treatment of life-threatening infections and platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents (for instance cisplatin) are highly effective in the treatment of malignant disease. Both damage the hair cells of the inner ear, resulting in functional deficits. The mechanisms underlying these troublesome side effects are thought to involve the production of reactive oxygen species in the cochlea, which can trigger cell-death pathways. One strategy to protect the inner ear from ototoxicity is the administration of antioxidant supplements.

Long-term use of over-the-counter pain relievers is associated with increased risk of hearing loss in some women. Those who used ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for six years or more were more likely to suffer hearing loss than those who used the pain relievers for a year or less, 2016 American Journal of Epidemiology.

Many drugs that cause hearing loss are directly toxic to the inner ear or auditory nerve, leading to sensorineural deafness. Sometimes the role of a drug is only suspected after several months or even years. Drug ototoxicity is dependent on the dose and duration of exposure. Loop diuretics such as furosemide and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors such as tadalafil are also known to cause auditory damage.

Around the world, inexpensive antibiotics known as aminoglycosides have been used for the past 60 years in the battles against acute infections and tuberculosis, as antibacterial prophylaxis in cystic fibrosis and other patients, and in and other conditions. But these drugs also have been widely linked to irreversible hearing loss.

Email received 2006 - A comment regarding your coverage of our clinical trials on gentamicin and aspirin on your hearing loss web page: Yes, aspirin at high dose can cause hearing loss (temporary threshold elevations) and tinnitus. But these side effects are reversible and will disappear when aspirin is stopped. Dr. Jochen Schacht, Professor and Director, Kresge Hearing Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI.

Regularly using over-the-counter painkillers results in hearing loss. Men younger than age 50 who regularly took acetaminophen more than two times a week had roughly double the risk of hearing loss compared to men who did not take acetaminophen regularly. Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in Tylenol and certain other pain relievers. Men younger than age 50 who regularly took ibuprofen (the main ingredient in Advil) or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) at least twice a week had a nearly two-thirds higher risk of hearing loss than men who took NSAIDs less often. Men who took aspirin twice a week had a one-third higher risk. Dr. Sharon G. Curhan, of Channing Laboratory and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston says that even though these analgesics are available in the drugstore without a prescription, they are still medications and there are potential side effects. Dr. Sharon G. Curhan adds, "Aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen are the three most commonly used drugs in the US and they could be one of the few preventable causes of hearing loss." The American Journal of Medicine, 2010.

Testimonial
My son had PDA closure at the age of 2 after that the Dr advised aspirin tablets for 6 months. I do not remember the dosage. At the age of four only we noticed that he has a hearing loss. Currently he is using hearing aid. I thing his hearing loss is caused by aspirin tablets.

Mobile phones, iphone
Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014. High-frequency hearing loss among mobile phone users. The objective of this study is to assess high frequency hearing (above 8 kHz) loss among prolonged mobile phone users is a tertiary Referral Center. This is the first study that used high-frequency audiometry. The wide usage of mobile phone is so profound that we were unable to find enough non-users as a control group. Therefore we compared the non-dominant ear to the dominant ear using audiometric measurements. The study was a blinded study wherein the audiologist did not know which was the dominant ear. A total of 100 subjects were studied. Of the subjects studied 53% were males and 47% females. Mean age was 27. The left ear was dominant in 63%, 22% were dominant in the right ear and 15% did not have a preference. This study showed that there is significant loss in the dominant ear compared to the non-dominant ear. Chronic usage mobile phone revealed high frequency hearing loss in the dominant ear (mobile phone used) compared to the non dominant ear.

Progestin and Hearing Loss
Progestin, as a component of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) following menopause, appears to exacerbate deficits in hearing sensitivity and auditory speech processing. Sensory declines in elderly women, exacerbated by progestin, can significantly interfere with communication abilities, including speech and hearing, professional and economic productivity, family relations, and quality of life. Proceedings of the  National Academy of Sciences, 2006.

Can the daily use of a face cream containing Progestin cause hearing loss?
   I am not sure.

Noise Related Hearing Loss
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the leading occupational disease and a major contributor to the development of age-related hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss is caused by sounds ranging from 120 to 150 decibels. Motorcycles, firecrackers and guns emit sounds in that range, according to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders in the United States. Heavy city traffic noise can be about 85 decibels. Noise measuring less than 80 decibels, even after long exposure, is unlikely to cause hearing problems. Loud noise is an attributable cause, at least in part, in about one third of the 28 million Americans who have some degree of hearing loss.

Noise from public transportation, especially subways, may be loud enough to harm some passengers' hearing. Decibel levels on subway platforms reach as high as 102 -- louder than the noise level of a chain saw. Subway platforms are the loudest mass-transit sites -- registering at about 81 decibels, on average. Noise levels of about 80 decibels or higher are considered potentially hazardous to hearing, depending on how long and how often a person is exposed. People who only occasionally use mass transit have little to no risk of noise-induced hearing loss. People who ride mass transit daily, and for long periods of time each day, transit noise levels are high enough to cause noise-induced hearing loss over time. Noise levels inside ferries are nearly 78 decibels, while on buses that figure was about 75. On the commuter trains that connect the city with surrounding suburbs, the average decibel level ranged from roughly 71 to 76.

Attitude about aging and hearing loss
Seniors who think hearing loss is just a part of growing old, along with other age-related stereotypes, may end up boosting their odds for poor hearing in their "golden years." A person's negative stereotypes about the elderly can have real consequences for personal health as he or she ages. People who have a more negative stereotype about the elderly -- that old age means senility or being feeble, for example -- perform worse on hearing assessment tests.
   The prevalence of hearing loss in the United States is rising because of an aging population and the growing use of personal listening devices. Hearing loss is common among people 70 and older. But hearing loss also affected 8 percent of those in their 20s and 17 percent of people in their 30s. Exposure to workplace noise, firearms, and loud music are all risk factors.

Hearing aids
There are several hearing aid treatment options, Including monaural or binaural fitting, with many sizes and styles, circuitry and feature options.

Genetics and Hearing Loss
Three genes may explain why some people exposed to loud noise suffer hearing loss. The genes, discovered by Professor Guy Van Camp and researchers at the University of Antwerp, are involved in the recycling of potassium in the inner ear, which is essential for normal hearing. Van Camp found the genes while studying more than 1,000 men who had been exposed to loud noise while working in paper pulp mills and steel factories in Sweden. Nearly 80 percent had been subjected to noise for at least 20 years. After testing the men's hearing, the scientists did a genetic analysis of the 10 percent of men who were most sensitive to noise and an equal number who were the most resistant. "Significant differences between the susceptible and resistant workers were found in the sequence of three genes KCNE1, KCNQ1 and KCNQ4," said Van Camp who reported the findings in the journal Human Mutations. Further studies of KCNE1 show the version of the gene associated with increased risk to noise causes the encoded ion channel to open more rapidly than the normal version. The defect could make people more sensitive to noise.

Questions
Q. I have taken quercetin and after a couple of days the tinnitus in my ear increases in volume. I also understand that tinnitus can also be a sign of hearing loss. Can quercetin cause hearing loss or worsen tinnitus?
    A. We have come across no such research regarding quercetin and tinnitus or hearing loss, so we can't really say.

Q. I see so many different supplements and nutrients for improving and maintaining good eyesight, and I see that they even seem to help relatively older adults whose sight might have decreased somewhat. But are there nutrients or supplements to improve and/or maintain healthy hearing, especially well into middle to late adulthood? I've seen my father's hearing decrease somewhat; I don't want that for myself, plus I'd like to help them out a bit (they could also use some eye supplements but that's another story). So are there ways to use nutrition and/or herbal medicine for healthy hearing, or is decline simply inevitable?
   A. There probably are some herbs or supplements that could help hearing but thus far I have mostly focused on vision and have not spent much time searching for hearing improvement, but when I have time I will look into it finding herbs for hearing loss. Folic acid may be a possible nutrient helpful in reducing the risk for hearing loss.

Is there any role for rasagiline or selegiline in preventing or slowing the progression of sensorineural hearing loss (presbyacusis)? Is there anything else that might help?
   All the info we have about hearing loss is listed on this page. We will update this hearing loss page as we come across more research.

Do you know of any nutrients that reverse nerve deafness leading to hearing loss?
   We are not aware of any at this time.

Dr Robert Rowen and others who write "healing secret" newsletters tell us the that 600mg of Vit. C and 300 mg of Rebamipide (because of the antioxidant compound called quinolone in the medication) will reverse age related hearing loss. How do I find out more about this? What is your opinion of it? Have you heard of it improving hearing safely?
   There is a study that showed some benefit with this treatment.

I'm a young adult cancer survivor in remission who unfortunately suffers from serious hearing loss due to intense chemo and radiation treatments. I came upon your article on "Hearing Loss vitamins herbs Supplements, natural treatment and remedy,"and I read that you mentioned the certain nutrients "pregnenolone, NADH, and pantothenic acid has an influence on hearing. I am very curious to know if they could possibly restore and repair my hearing impairment?
   A. These supplements were discussed in relation to age related hearing decline, I do not have much experience in those whose serious hearing loss is due to chemo and radiation treatments.

Thank you for the low-key care you take in formulating and describing the supplements you offer. I use your prostate formula. There are various treatments, exercises, protocols and stretches that help slow the ageing of every part of the body except for one - ears! As someone who is rapidly losing his hearing, Is there something I can do that may arrest the onset of age (and probably noise) related deafness? I am otherwise pretty fit at 79.