Can Vitamins Improve Your Hearing?
Vitamins are known to help certain parts of our body. Vitamin D helps our bones and vitamin A can strengthen our vision. Many people may wonder if any vitamins can help our hearing? While there hasn’t been any indication that vitamins can improve your hearing, they won’t harm it either.
What vitamins have been part of a hearing study?
There have been a few vitamins that have been studied, but there are bound to be more studies in the future.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, helps support bone, skin, and blood vessel health. During a study conducted in 2015 on animals, researchers found that when the animals were supplemented with a lot of vitamin C, they had an increased risk of hearing loss. At this time, there is no clear indication that vitamin C can help prevent or treat hearing loss.
Carotenoids
Carotenoids are present in the many fruits and vegetables that have an orange color, such as carrots, orange peppers, and oranges. Carotenoids have been known to be part of the antioxidant defense system, as well as cell-to-cell communication. During the same study in 2015, women that had increased intake of beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin had a lower risk of hearing loss.
Folate
Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is vital for cell division and found naturally in many foods. Many foods use folic acid (the synthetic version) as a food additive and supplement. During a clinical trial in the Netherlands, researchers found that the Dutch population had a decline in hearing when taking an oral supplement of folic acid. However, in the United States, many foods have folic acid as an additive, so choosing to take an additional supplement may have different results.
What foods can I eat to get vitamins naturally?
While taking a supplement in pill form is much easier, it is essential to always get your vitamins and minerals from whole foods first before you rely on supplements to fill the void. Many foods are rich in powerful vitamins, such as A, C, E, and folate, which all have minor evidence that they can be good for your hearing health.
Vitamin A – carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, kale, and broccoli leaves
Vitamin C – kale, chard, citrus fruits, kiwi, berries, tomatoes, peas, and papaya
Vitamin E – most nuts such as almonds, sunflower and grapeseed oils, hazelnuts, swiss chard, spinach, turnip, kale
Folate – peanuts, sunflower seeds, lentils, broccoli, and soybeans
The most important thing is to talk to your physician and hearing care specialist about what you should include specifically to maintain a balanced diet for your overall health and your hearing health. To discuss your hearing with one of our hearing care specialists, schedule an appointment today by contacting us at 864-881-1663. We look forward to seeing you at one of our four convenient locations in Simpsonville, Greer, Travelers Rest, and Greenville.
If certain vitamins are known to help improve your eyes, can they also improve your hearing?
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