Can Diet Affect Hearing?

By Jessica Dwyer, M.A., CCC-A, F/AAA

We all know that a healthy diet is good for our overall health, but did you know that research also indicates that it’s also good for your hearing?

A study conducted in 2019 from Brigham and Women’s Hospital reported women who had healthier diets had lower rates of hearing loss than those with a less healthy diet.

The healthy diet consisted of one one high in fruits, vegetables, lean meat, fiber, and less sugars and low-fat dairy.

A healthy diet is linked to lower risk of heart disease and conditions that inflame or damage the arteries and veins, such as diabetes. Good blood flow is important for our inner ear to function properly.

Several healthy foods have antioxidants. Antioxidants helps protect our cells from free radicals. They help defend your cells from damage caused by potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals, which may play a role in heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Examples of foods that have antioxidants include black grapes, broccoli, carrots, lemon, garlic, etc.

Having a healthy diet alone will not prevent hearing loss. We need to do our best to wear hearing protection as needed. It is also recommended to have a hearing evaluation to establish your baseline hearing and to have your hearing evaluated every two years.

References:

https://www.asha.org/Articles/The-Role-of-Nutrition-in-Healthy-Hearing/

https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/53053-Diet-and-hearing-loss-what-the-research-says