Hearing loss is far more dangerous than you might imagine

Hearing loss isn’t high on the list of most people’s health concerns. In fact, many wouldn’t consider it a health issue at all, but rather, a natural part of aging.

Meanwhile, dementia risk is a top health concern for millions of Americans.

Unfortunately, most people are completely unaware of the connection between hearing loss and dementia.

And as research reveals, this connection runs much deeper than you might imagine…

Hearing loss hinders cognitive health

First, it’s important to know that hearing loss doesn’t necessarily cause dementia, but the isolation prompted by hearing loss appears to have a significant effect on your cognition.

In a Johns Hopkins University study of nearly 2,000 older adults, they found that those with hearing loss severe enough to make conversation difficult had a significantly greater risk of cognitive decline.

In another investigation, the same Hopkins team followed more than 600 people with normal cognition for 12 years. Results showed that not only did hearing loss increase dementia risk, but those who simply had moderate hearing loss (meaning, you occasionally have to ask people to speak up or repeat themselves) were three times more likely to develop dementia than people with normal hearing.

But it appears that this increasing dementia risk can be halted and reversed.

In a French study that included nearly 100 seniors who were deaf in at least one ear, researchers gave each participant a cochlear implant and auditory rehabilitation. More than 80 percent of those who had scored the lowest in cognitive tests significantly improved their scores within one year.

This is a promising result, but most people can’t afford the exorbitant cost of a cochlear implant, which also requires surgery. And even a less expensive hearing aid is out of range for many older adults, due to the lack of coverage for hearing aids in most health insurance policies.

But that doesn’t mean you’re without resources…

A wealth of research shows that just a few key nutrients can make a big difference in your hearing ability.

Your environment and eating habits affect your ears

About two in 10 of all adults have hearing issues. But that percentage jumps to one in three among those in their mid-60s.

The reasons behind this are more than just simple aging. In his Insider’s Ultimate Guide to Outsmarting “Old Age,” Dr. Marc Micozzi points out, “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.”

But Dr. Micozzi points out that hearing problems don’t have to be an inevitable part of growing old. He cites new research that shows how boosting your intake of just a few basic vitamins and minerals can dramatically improve your hearing.

The restorative powers of antioxidants

Let’s begin with antioxidants — an ideal starting point because, as Dr. Micozzi points out, “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.”

Dr. Micozzi cites several animal and human trials that demonstrate how antioxidant vitamins A and C prompt better hearing of normal speech and high-frequency ranges of sound.

Meanwhile, magnesium is a proven antioxidant booster that delivers other beneficial effects too. Dr. Micozzi explains, “It’s thought that this versatile mineral helps restore blood flow to the hearing apparatus of the ear following damage by excessive noise.”

Dr. Micozzi recommends 500 mg, twice daily, of vitamin C, and 200 mg of magnesium every day. And for good measure, he recommends another key antioxidant: Vitamin E at 50 IU daily.

As for vitamin A, we currently don’t have conclusive data on the optimal daily dose, so Dr. Micozzi recommends getting your vitamin A from food sources, particularly fresh dairy, fish (preferably wild-caught), and meat (preferably grass-fed or grass-finished).

And he adds, “You should also include lots of red-orange fruits and vegetables in your diet (for carotenoid vitamin A precursors), and green-leafy vegetables for other carotenoids such as lutein. Lutein is important for brain and eye health, and I suspect it benefits hearing as well.

“You can now also get the carotenoid astaxanthin, together with liquid vitamin D. I recommend 10,000 IU of vitamin D plus astaxanthin daily.”

And finally the B vitamin complex has been shown to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. Dr. Micozzi singles out nicotinamide riboside (NR), a precursor to vitamin B3, which he says appears to protect the nerves that transmit sound input to the brain. He recommends at least 50 mg of B3 (niacin) a day.

You can find more details about all of these supplements (including Dr. Micozzi’s personal supplement recommendation) and much, much more in the Resource Directory of Dr. Micozzi’s Insider’s Ultimate Guide to Outsmarting “Old Age.” Click to learn more about this unique online learning tool, designed to help you live a longer, healthier life.

SOURCES

“Hearing Loss Linked to Dementia” AARP, 8/12/13. (aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-07-2013/hearing-loss-linked-to-dementia.html)