Avoid the common drugs that could rob you of your hearing

Hearing loss can be a real pain. Literally.

I struggle with hearing loss myself due to tinnitus — better known as “ringing in the ears.” And while it can be annoying, at least it’s not physically painful for me.

Not yet, anyway.

But according to a new study, those who suffer from hearing loss (approximately 48 million Americans) are significantly more likely to suffer an accidental injury due to their impairment. And if that happens, it’s a sure bet that many will pop some ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief.

But this can put you smack dab into the middle of a vicious cycle.

As you’re well aware by now, these pain relievers come with a laundry list of potential risks and side effects. And one of those side effects is hearing loss.

It’s not just an aging issue

Hearing loss is a backburner concern for most people — until they start to feel the effects. So for those in pain, the hearing risk might seem small when weighed against pain relief. But, as many studies have revealed, there’s nothing small about it.

One of the most recent comes from Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) where researchers collected data from more than 54,000 women between the ages of 48 and 73. All the participants self-reported their hearing status, as well as use of aspirin (Bayer®), acetaminophen (Tylenol®), and ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®).

Previously, high doses of aspirin have been linked to hearing loss, but in this analysis, normal aspirin doses were not associated with impaired hearing.

But the BWH team did find a link between longer duration of acetaminophen or ibuprofen use and diminished hearing. In fact, they estimate that the use of these drugs may account for more than 15 percent increased risk of hearing loss.

And, unfortunately, if you’re younger than the subjects of this study, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in the clear. In a previous investigation, these same BWH researchers found that high frequency use of NSAIDs in adults of all ages correlated with a higher risk of hearing loss.

Many other studies confirm this, such as a 2015 meta-analysis from Harvard Medical School where researchers looked at 23 studies that included more than 92,000 volunteers. In the journal JAMA Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery they wrote: “There was a significant effect on self-reported hearing loss from NSAIDs as a class…ibuprofen…and acetaminophen.”

Again and again, these studies send out a warning that these drugs can damage your hearing — which offers just one more good reason to avoid them.

But there are other steps you can take to protect yourself from hearing loss as well. And the best place to start is by pinpointing all the potential risk factors — even beyond NSAID use.

Your built-in early warning system

As I mentioned earlier, approximately 48 million people are affected by hearing problems. That’s about 20 percent of all American adults. One-in-three people over the age of 65 is hearing impaired. And the numbers are steadily growing upward year after year.

According to Dr. Marc Micozzi, these numbers are high because the threats to our hearing come from multiple sources.

In his Insider’s Ultimate Guide to Outsmarting “Old Age” he explains, “Scientists are discovering that our ears appear to be sensitive to environmental stresses such as oxidation and inflammation, and are also vulnerable to nutrient insufficiency. So that means hearing loss may actually act as an early indicator of inadequate nutrition and a toxic environment — like the proverbial canary in a coal mine.”

As you can imagine, this produces health problems even more pressing than the risk of accidental injuries I mentioned above. Dr. Micozzi cites a study showing that people with hearing loss have a greater chance of reduced cognition and eventual dementia. And he notes that another large study found that hearing loss can result in physical impairment. In many cases, the impairment turns into disability that often requires nursing care.

The paramount power of nutrition

These risks are daunting, but Dr. Micozzi says they shouldn’t be considered an inevitable part of growing old. In fact, you can dramatically improve hearing just by boosting your intake of a few basic vitamins and minerals.

Here’s his reasoning: “The presence of free radical chemicals in the inner ear is a key factor in hearing loss, suggesting that antioxidants may play an important role in prevention and treatment. And indeed, some animal experiments have shown that the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E do have an effect on hearing.

“Experimental studies have also shown that magnesium may be important in reducing hearing loss as well. It’s thought that this versatile mineral helps restore blood flow to the hearing apparatus of the ear following damage by excessive noise. Plus, we know that magnesium can help prevent headaches and migraines, probably because of its effects on blood flow in the brain. So it makes sense that it could also have a similar impact on our ears.”

Epidemiologists have been slow to research the way nutrients affect human hearing. But a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that higher intakes of vitamins A and C and magnesium were associated with improved hearing in nearly 2,600 participants with a wide age range: 20 to 69. And significantly, researchers concluded that the three supplements taken together produced stronger effects compared to any of the nutrients individually.

Dr. Micozzi also cites evidence that vitamin B supplements can help prevent noise-induced hearing loss. And he singles out one vitamin in particular: “Nicotinamide riboside (NR), a precursor to vitamin B3, appears to protect the nerves that transmit sound input to the brain. Research shows that NR may be effective for people regularly exposed to loud noises.”

Unfortunately, NR supplements might be hard to find due to their source (they’re a derivative of nicotine). But Dr. Micozzi says that a good B vitamin complex will help protect your hearing if it contains at least 50 mg of B3 (niacin).

And that comes with an added bonus: “A specific compound in the body produced by vitamin B3 activates what scientists call ‘anti-aging enzymes.’ And some brand new research out of Harvard shows that this compound changed cells in mice from the equivalent of a 60 year-old human to a 30-year old.”

According to the researchers: “The cells of the old mice were indistinguishable from the young mice, after just one week of treatment.”

All these nutrients support the health of your brain and peripheral nerves. That’s a tip that they will help your hearing as well. And he adds: “Follow this plan and it will help keep not only your ears, but your entire body, healthy and sound.”

Those are just a few of the nutritional recommendations Dr. Micozzi makes for improving your hearing. For Dr. Micozzi’s detailed advice for preventing — and even reversing — hearing loss, as well as extending your longevity, refer to his brand new protocol, The Insider’s Ultimate Guide to Outsmarting “Old Age.” For more information on this unique learning tool, or to enroll today, simply click here.

 

SOURCES

jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2676015?redirect=true
Self-reported Hearing Difficulty and Risk of Accidental Injury in US Adults, 2007 to 2015
JAMA Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery
March 22, 2018

journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0194599814564533
Impact of Nonaspirin Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Agents and Acetaminophen on Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery
January 5, 2015

news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2016/12/longer-use-of-pain-relievers-associated-with-hearing-loss-in-women/
Longer use of pain relievers tied to hearing loss in women
The Harvard Gazette
December 14, 2016