5 Nutrients That Can Help Boost Your Hearing
As we age, our hearing is one of the first
things to go. However, it doesn’t just happen overnight, it starts to go
slowly. You start noticing that you have to turn the TV volume up a
little, or maybe you will find yourself asking your friends to repeat
themselves more often. Hearing loss isn’t just a nuisance – it can
compromise your safety if you cannot hear what’s going on around you.
Thankfully, there are some safe and natural ways to start boosting your
hearing right away. Here are 5 nutrients you can add to your diet to
take control of your hearing.
1. Zinc
You might know it as the mineral that can boost your immune system and
support prostate health, but it’s also a good way to keep your hearing
at its best.
Research has shown that taking 50 mg of zinc each day for 2 months
reduced symptoms of tinnitus in 82% of subjects. Tinnitus is a ringing
in the ears, and it can be the result of injury or age-related hearing
loss.
Another study found that zinc can improve how quickly people recover
after experiencing sudden hearing loss. A High level of this mineral in
the blood was associated with better quality of hearing.
You can get zinc from oysters, nuts, eggs, and pumpkin seeds.
2. Resveratrol
This antioxidant supports heart health and a
longer life. However, a surprising benefit is that it may actually help
restore your hearing.
In a study, resveratrol dramatically lowered the amount of COX-2 in the
inner ears of rats after exposure to 24 hours of noise. COX-2 is a
protein that causes inflammation and may contribute to hearing loss.
Resveratrol decreases inflammation and fights free radicals in the body.
It is very important to keep these in check to protect against diseases
and hearing loss.
You can get resveratrol from red wine and from grapes.
You can also buy
it as a supplement from most health food stores.
3. N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
This can reduce oxidative stress from exercise, replenish glutathione
levels, and even prevent cancer from forming. Its oxidative stress
protection is what makes it great at keeping your hearing intact.
A study found that supplementing with 1,200 mg of NAC per day for two
weeks significantly decreases noise-related hearing loss.
Another study found that taking a NAC supplement did not completely
prevent hearing loss, but it did significantly reduce it after prolonged
exposure to noise.
Since NAC does not occur naturally in food, you have to take this one as
a supplement if you want to help your hearing. However, if you eat
poultry or yogurt, you can get a good amount of cysteine, which your
body can convert into NAC.
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3s help to fight inflammation and
prevent heart disease, but they have also been shown to prevent hearing
loss.
One study found that eating two servings of fatty fish a week reduced
the risk of age-related hearing loss by over 40% in nearly 3,000 people
over the age of 50.
Hearing loss as a result of old age may not be due to the ears, but a
problem with how the brain communicates with them. So in addition to
fighting inflammation, omega-3s can help signals get sent between your
brain and ears more effectively.
Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseed oil,
chia seeds, soybeans, and spinach. It can also be taken as a supplement.
5. Vitamin A
This vitamin is known to help maintain a strong immune system, but it
also plays a role in protecting your quality of hearing as you grow
older.
In a study of nearly 3,000 subjects over the age of 50, supplementing
with vitamin A helped reduce the risk of moderate to severe hearing loss
by almost 50%.
Vitamin A can be found in carrots, sweet potatoes, lettuce, dried
apricots, fish, liver, cantaloupe, and bell peppers, to name but a few.