NUTRITION HOTLINE
Can You Hear Me Now?
Reed Mangels, PhD, RD
QUESTION: Is there any connection between diet and hearing loss?
M.W., via email
ANSWER: Hearing loss becomes more common as people grow older. Close to 80% of people in the United States age 70 and older have hearing loss in at least one ear.1 In addition to difficulty communicating, the National Council on Aging reports that hearing loss can increase the risk of dementia, depression, and falls, which can negatively affect overall quality of life.
A specific type of hearing loss, called age-related hearing loss, is a gradual loss of hearing associated with aging. Most commonly, it is due to a degeneration of inner ear structures. There are many possible explanations for this deterioration, including reduced blood flow due to diabetes or hypertension, inflammation, oxidative stress, and exposure to excess noise.2
Nutrition may play a role in reducing the risk of age-related hearing loss. For example, one study found that, in women, an overall healthier diet reduced risk of hearing loss.3 There don't seem to be any published studies that examine age-related hearing loss specifically in vegans. Still, a healthy vegan diet is likely to include many factors that are associated with a reduced risk. For example, higher intakes of fiber and nutrients found in abundance in plant foods, such as beta-carotene, folate, vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium, have been associated with a lower risk of hearing loss.4-7 In contrast, diets high in cholesterol have been associated with an increased risk of hearing loss.8 Diets with a high glycemic index and frequent use of sugary foods have also been associated with an increased risk of hearing loss.6-9
Higher intakes of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA were associated with a lower risk of hearing loss.10 Vegan omega-3 fatty acid supplements derived from microalgae can provide these.
What can you do to reduce your risk of age-related hearing loss? We don't know for sure, but eating an overall healthy vegan diet with generous amounts of whole plant foods has many health benefits and could possibly reduce your risk. Taking a vegan omega-3 fatty acid supplement may help, but more research is needed. Despite your best efforts, you may develop age-related hearing loss since other factors, such as genetics, noise exposure, lack of physical activity, and chronic diseases may affect your risk.11 Still, a balanced plant-based diet offers many benefits for health, for the animals, and for the environment.
REFERENCES:
1 Am J Public Health. 2016;106:1820-1822.
2 Nutrients. 2022;14:4720.
3 J Nutr. 2018;148:944-951.
4 Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102:1167-1175.
5 Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;99:148-155.
6 J Nutr. 2010;140:2207-2212.
7 Front Aging Neurosci. 2021;13:629017.
8 J Nutr. 2011;141:1355-1361.
9 Nutrients. 2020;12:426.
10 Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;100:1371-1377.
11 Antioxidants (Basel). 2023;12:878.
