Decreased hearing ability associated with low vitamin A levels was found in
a group of patients suffering from alcoholic liver disease. Animal studies
have demonstrated degenerative changes in the ganglion cells on a vitamin
A-deficient diet. Lohle E: The influence of chronic vitamin A deficiency on
human and animal ears: Arch Otorhinolaryngol 234(2):167-73, 1982.
Abnormally low vitamin D levels were found in 21% of 47 patients with
otosclerosis. Calcium and vitamin D supplementation in these patients resulted
in significant hearing improvement in 3 cases. Brookes GB: Vitamin D
deficiency and otosclerosis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 93(3):313-21, 1985.
Red cell basic ferritin (a measure of iron sufficiency) was found to be
significantly lower in 224 patients with hearing loss compared with normal
controls. Sun AH et al: Red cell basic ferritin concentration in
sensorineural hearing loss. ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec 53(5):270-2,
1991.
Some improvement in tinnitus and associated complaints were observed in 12
patients with low vitamin B12 levels following vitamin B12 replacement
therapy. Shemesh Z et al: Vitamin B12 deficiency in patients with chronic
tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss. Am J Otolaryngol 14(2):94-9, 1993.
When blood viscosity was measured in 49 patients with hearing loss it was
found that hearing impairment at high frequencies was directly related to
blood viscosity. Red cell rigidity was also an important factor in hearing
loss. Browning GG et al: Blood viscosity as a factor in sensorineural
hearing impairment. Lancet 1(8473):121-3, 1986.
In children with hearing losses, fluctuations in hearing ability appeared
to be vary according to their level of fat intake. Dietary changes led to a
drop in cholesterol levels and a return to near normal hearing. Strome M et
al: Hyperlipidemia in association with childhood sensorineural hearing loss.
Laryngoscope 98(2):165-9, 1988.
A number of papers have reported a 5-15 decibel improvement in the
pure-tone threshold in patients with hearing loss supplemented with a
combination of vitamins A and E. Romeo G: The therapeutic effect of
vitamins A and E in neurosensory hearing loss. Acta Vitaminol Enzymol 7
Suppl:85-92, 1985.
A remarkable (82%) decrease in blood platelet adhesiveness was found after
the administration of 400 iu vitamin E to normal volunteers for 2 weeks.
Jandak J et al: Alpha-tocopherol, an effective inhibitor of platelet adhesion.
Blood 73(1):141-9, 1989.
400 iu vitamin E per day may be a near optimal dose of vitamin E to reduce
platelet adhesiveness. Jandak J et al: Reduction of platelet adhesiveness by
vitamin E supplementation in humans. Thromb Res 49(4):393-404, 1988.
Treatment of vitamin D deficiency in patients with hearing problems should
prevent progressive hearing loss, which may occasionally be partially
reversible. Brookes GB: Vitamin D deficiency and deafness: 1984 update. Am
J Otol 6(1):102-7, 1985.
426 patients with idiopathic sudden hearing loss were found to have low
haemoglobin and serum iron levels. They were administered either iron or
vitamin supplements or medications. Hearing improvement was achieved in 53% of
those administered iron supplements, a result significantly better than the
other groups. Sun AH et al: Idiopathic sudden hearing los and disturbance
of iron metabolism. A clinical survey of 426 cases. ORL J Otorhinolaryngol
Relat Spec 54(2):66-70, 1992.
Zinc supplements were given to tinnitus sufferers with low blood zinc
levels, resuilting in a significant improvement in symptoms in 52% of cases,
especially in cases of continuous tinnitus. Gersdorff M et al: The zinc
sulfate overload test in patients suffering from tinnitus associated with low
serum zinc. Preliminary report (French). Acta Otorhinolaryngol Belg
41(3):498-505, 1987.
259 tinnitus sufferers were given either Ginkgo biloba extract (a medicinal
herb) or almitrine-raubasine or nicergoline. Ginkgo biloba was found to be an
effective treatment. Meyer B: A multicenter study of tinnitus. Epidemiology
and therapy (in French). Ann Otolaryngol Chir Cervicofac 103(3):185-8, 1986.
300 young, healthy individuals with normal hearing, undergoing military
training with exposure to high noise levels, were given either magnesium
aspartate or placebo. Thresholds for noise-induced permanent hearing loss were
significantly higher in the magnesium group. Magnesium supplementation was
therefore found to be protective against damage to hearing caused by exposure
to noise. Attias J et al: Oral magnesium intake reduces permanent hearing loss
induced by noise exposure. Am J Otolaryngol 15(1):26-32, 1994.
