Say What? Omega-3s Protect Hearing
If things are starting to sound a little muffled, consider adding fish or a bottle of fish oil to your shopping list. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish could help reduce your risk of hearing loss by 14 to 42%, according to findings published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Specifically, researchers analyzed food-frequency questionnaires from 2,956 participants of the Blue Mountains Hearing Study. What they found: People over 50 year-olds who ate at least two servings of fish per week had a 42% reduction in the risk of hearing loss, compared with those who average less than one serving per week. And it wasn’t just the fish eaters that experienced some benefits. Those who consumed long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from other food sources had a 14% reduction in age-related hearing loss risk as well.
This is no fishy fluke. Other studies have linked nutrient consumption to diminishing risk of hearing loss. Ultimately, the study authors concluded that ingesting omega-3s, whether obtain through food or a fish oil supplement, “could prevent or delay the development of age-related hearing loss.” And that’s saying a lot.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Published online ahead of print: doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2010.29370.
