Catch the Latest in Hearing Loss Prevention: Fish Oils!

Good nutrition has been shown to reduce incidents of hearing loss in the aging boomer crowd or to slow down hearing loss associated with age.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says…

Participants who had two or more servings of fish per week, compared with participants who had less than one serving of fish per week, had a significantly reduced risk (42%) of developing age-related hearing loss. There was an association between consumption of one to two servings per week of fish and a reduced risk of a progression of hearing loss. Their conclusion: omega-3 fatty acids, well-studied nutrients, now include reduction in age-related hearing loss as another of their multitude of benefits.

Let’s repeat that: a 42% reduction in hearing loss in the senior population by including fish in their diets twice a week. Not bad at all.

The objective of the Blue Mountains Hearing Study, conducted at several universities and clinical institutes in Australia, was to correlate the intake of omega-3 fatty acids and the presence of presbycusis. Researchers examined the senior population over several years to accumulate the data required to draw the conclusion that micronutrients — especially omega-3 — showed a positive impact on test subjects’ ability to hear.

“Dietary intervention with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids could prevent or delay the development of age-related hearing loss,” lead researcher Paul Mitchell reported. The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, also pointed out that supplements of omega-3 (long-chain omega-3 fatty acids) lowered the risk of hearing loss by 14%.

Important? Let’s put it this way: Roughly 36 million Americans report some degree of hearing loss. We could drop the number significantly if we just ate more fresh fish.

Other nutrients that have been studied as possible defenders against hearing loss include:
•Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits
•Magnesium, a mineral found in many vegetables
•Vitamin E, found in fish (including shellfish)

Other studies have shown that certain micronutrients — vitamins, minerals, and compounds — can also lessen the likelihood of hearing loss related to age. A report released in 2007 showed that when 728 men and women between the ages of 50 and 70 consumed increased amounts of folic acid, it seemed to delay presbycusis in the lower frequency ranges. Another study recommends eating more beta carotene to prevent premature hearing loss.

Remember the old saying: You are what you eat. So eat better foods and hear better longer!

Adapted from an article found in HealthyHearing.com

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