Alarmingly, nearly half of all baby boomers – people born at the end of world war 2, approximately between 1946 and 1964, today suffer from some degree of Hearing Loss.
Loss of Hearing may be attributed to a mix of conductive and sensorineural Hearing Loss.
Conductive and Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Conductive Hearing Loss happens due to problems with the ear canal, eardrum, or middle ear and its little bones (the malleus, incus, and stapes). Examples of this type of Loss are benign tumors, impacted earwax, infection in the ear canal, and presence of foreign bodies in the ear.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss is due to problems of the inner ear, also known as nerve-related Hearing Loss. This may be due to exposure to loud noise, head trauma, virus or disease and aging.
Did you know that hearing may be improved by eating certain foods? If one has trouble hearing, or notices that hearing is not as good as it used to be, then their diet (and/or additional supplementation) may hold the answer.
Nutritional imbalance in the body is thought to be one of the factors that cause Hearing Loss. Studies have shown that age-related Hearing Loss is not due to any kind of mechanical dysfunction in your ear, but rather it is how the brain processes information that results in reduced hearing. This ability declines when one is in his forties and fifties.
The good news is that age and infection-related Hearing Loss, may be greatly improved, if not reversed completely.
Nutrients that Help Prevent Hearing Loss
Carotenoids (Astaxanthin and Vitamin A)
Different studies have been conducted on the efficacy of Vitamins to fight hear Loss. Some studies have shown that Vitamin A deficiency can result in a decline in the number of sensory cells in the inner ear. This deficiency during the early stages of pregnancy may predispose offspring to inner ear malformations and sensorial Hearing Loss.
Vitamin B9
Vitamin B9 (Folate) may reduce Tinnitus, which is characterised by chronic ear ringing.
Folate levels can be raised by eating plenty of fresh, raw and organic leafy green vegetables. Folic acid is the synthetic form can be found in food supplements.
Zinc
Zinc is beneficial for people suffering from sudden sensorineural Hearing Loss as it has anti-viral properties. It can prevent common cold viruses from replicating. Zinc also has immune-boosting properties, allowing the body to mount a stronger first response at the onset of a viral infection.
Research has shown that those people who received zinc supplements experienced gains in Hearing gain and a greater percentage of recovery.
Zinc can be found in foods like grass-fed beef and seafood, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds and spinach,
Magnesium
Magnesium May Also Improve Sudden Hearing Loss. In one study, 48 percent of patients with sudden sensorineural Hearing Loss achieved recovery after magnesium was administered intravenously in combination with carbogen.
360 million people have moderate to severe Hearing Loss due to various causes. It’s estimated that half of these cases are avoidable
Protecting oneself from loud noises is the first step to prevention. The other way to recover is optimising the intake of carotenoids, especially astaxanthin, vitamin A, folate, zinc and magnesium.
H/T: Mercola