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Minerals are substances that can be found in water and soil, both of which plants absorb. When the plants are consumed (or animals that have eaten these plant products), our bodies get to reap the benefits of these nourishing nutrients.
Magnesium among other minerals have been shown to help or improve common hearing conditions such as age-related hearing loss, ear infections and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Take a closer look at these minerals.
Zinc can fight off bacteria and viruses; treat sudden hearing loss. This micronutrient is known for its immune-boosting powers and ability to help fight off colds. Zinc helps activate and produce T-cells (T-lymphocytes)—our bodies’ defender cells that are specifically designed to recognize and destroy bacteria, viruses and other invaders. While studies have shown mixed results on whether this mineral prevents ear infections, it’s not a bad idea to fuel up on foods rich in this anti-inflammatory mineral for your hearing health. One hearing-related issue that zinc has been shown to help is sudden hearing loss. Research shows zinc supplementation can help recover and improve hearing for those experiencing sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).
Note: Check with your doctor first before adding zinc supplement to your routine, especially if you take antibiotics or diuretics, as zinc can negatively interact with these types of medications.
It can help inner ear convert sound into signals to send to the brain. Potassium helps our body do a lot of things, including help it regulate the fluid in our blood and tissues. Researchers have found the fluid in our inner ear needs potassium as part of its crucial process of converting sound into nerve impulses that get sent to the brain. Potassium levels in our inner ear drop as we age, which can contribute to age-related hearing loss. Therefore, it’s important to load up on potassium-rich foods to help maintain a healthy supply and balance of potassium in the inner ear
In short, it can block molecules from damaging your inner ear. Noise-induced hearing loss is a significant health issue among adults. However, researchers have found magnesium may play an important role in protecting our ears from the damaging effects of noise. Loud sounds prompt the production of free radical molecules in our ear, which damage the delicate hair cells of the inner ear. Since these hair cells are needed to transmit sound from the ear to the brain, this damage can result in noise-induced hearing loss. The good news: Evidence suggests that magnesium can help block the activity of these cell-damaging molecules. In one study, 300 subjects who were given a magnesium supplement before prolonged exposure to loud noise were significantly less likely to develop noise-induced hearing loss than the control group.
Many people with noise-induced hearing loss also suffer from tinnitus. Magnesium has been shown to relieve the severity of tinnitus symptoms. A healthy supply of magnesium also keeps the blood vessels relaxed, allowing adequate blood to flow throughout the body, including through the vessels in the inner ear.
Vitamins are organic substances found in plants and animals, which we need in order to grow and remain healthy. Our bodies do not produce enough vitamins on their own, so it’s important to load up on a variety of vitamin-rich foods and/or take vitamin supplements. Wondering which vitamins could improve hearing or ward off hearing loss? Here are some great vitamins for ear health:
It can keep your middle ear bones strong and healthy. Vitamin D is important for bone health. Not getting enough of this vitamin can wreak havoc on bones throughout our body—including the trio of tiny, yet crucial bones in our middle ear. Without vitamin D, these three ear bones can soften and weaken, which can impact hearing. Vitamin D is important for people of every age, but it’s especially important for older adults, who for environmental, health and metabolic reasons often have less vitamin D in their system. That is why it is vital to try to get enough vitamin D even if it is difficult here during the winter, but did you know that some of the major sources of vitamin D are in food? In Canada, cow’s milk and margarine are required to be fortified with vitamin D. While goat’s milk, fortified plant-based beverages, calcium-fortified orange juices can be fortified with vitamin D. Learn more about where you can find vitamin D here.
Folate can fight free radicals that can damage our hearing. Low levels of folate (and its synthetic form, folic acid) have been linked to higher incidence of hearing loss. In one study, steady supplementation of folic acid resulted in a slower rate of hearing loss—particularly in the frequencies associated with speech.
How does folate improve hearing? A few things seem to be at play. First, folic acid appears to help the body metabolize homocysteine, an amino acid that can reduce and impair blood flow to the inner ear (as well as other parts of the body). Research strongly suggests that proper metabolization of this amino acid plays a significant role in the development and progression of sensorineural hearing loss.
Folates are also an antioxidant that helps fight off free radicals—those pesky little molecules that have gained a reputation for causing a whole host of issues in the body over time. Free radical activity can reduce blood flow to the inner ear, as well as damage our ear’s delicate sensory cells needed for healthy hearing. And once those cells are destroyed, they cannot grow back.
What sparks free radical production? Often, it’s a stressor on the body, such as excessive or loud noise. Research has shown exposure to loud noise triggers an increase in formation of these damaging free radicals.
Together they can reduce the risk of hearing damage. Studies have shown a diet rich in magnesium, vitamin C and beta-carotene (which our body converts into vitamin A) is associated with a lower risk of hearing loss. How so? It appears they can protect against inner ear cell damage caused by free radicals. Vitamins A, C, and E are antioxidants and have been shown to halt excessive production of these free radicals, which (as previously mentioned) can damage the delicate cells in our ears needed for proper hearing. Animal studies have also shown that supplementing with vitamins A, C and E (plus magnesium) before exposure to loud noise can help prevent noise-induced hearing damag
There are many ear health supplements that claim to treat tinnitus, but studies are mixed on whether taking supplements or vitamins for tinnitus can improve symptoms. That said, magnesium has been shown to relieve the severity of tinnitus symptoms. In another study, men with tinnitus who had a vitamin B12 deficiency experienced significant improvement after receiving intra-muscular injections of the vitamin. Zinc is another nutrient that is sometimes touted to improve symptoms of tinnitus, but studies have failed to demonstrate a significant link between zinc supplementation and tinnitus relief.
