Could what you eat lower your risk of tinnitus?

Anyone who has experienced the ringing in their ears from tinnitus understands just how distressing the condition can be.

While there is currently no cure for tinnitus, treatment typically focuses on managing the symptoms. This may involve therapies such as sound therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), along with hearing aids and addressing any underlying causes of the condition.

Now, researchers have suggested that a diet rich in fruits, fibre, dairy, and caffeine might lower the risk of developing tinnitus, though it’s important to note that this research is still inconclusive and should not be seen as a definitive solution.

A study published in BMJ Open examined eight observational studies involving 301,533 people, assessing 15 dietary factors through questionnaires. While the evidence was of low quality, the study suggested there might be a link between diet and the reduced risk of tinnitus.

The analysis covered a wide range of foods, including carbohydrates, caffeine, eggs, fruits, fibre, fats, meat, proteins, sugars, fish, vegetables, and dairy.

The combined results suggested that caffeine, fruit, dietary fibre and dairy products “were negatively associated with the incidence of tinnitus; that is, the higher the intake of caffeine, fruit, dietary fibre, and dairy products, the lower the prevalence of tinnitus”, researchers concluded.

These reductions were 35 per cent for fruit intake, nine per cent for dietary fibre, 17 per cent for dairy products, and 10 per cent for caffeine intake.

However, the research team cautioned that the findings related to caffeine are contentious

“Our findings indicate that caffeine has a positive effect on tinnitus incidence,” they wrote.

“Some suggest that caffeine might effectively decrease tinnitus incidence, possibly because of its anxiety-reducing effects.

“Conversely, some scholars argue that individuals with tinnitus often experience insomnia, in which caffeine consumption could worsen, thus exacerbating tinnitus.”

They added: “Evidence suggests that consuming fruit, dietary fibre, caffeine and dairy may be associated with a reduced incidence of tinnitus.

“The primary underlying mechanisms may involve the protective effects of these diets on blood vessels and nerves, as well as their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.”

Ralph Holme, Director of Research at the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), welcomed the findings but cautioned that those suffering from tinnitus should be wary of drawing conclusions from the results.

“Whilst we always welcome any new research to understand more about tinnitus, these results should be treated with caution as they do not tell us anything about causality i.e. these factors may simply be coincidental,” Holme said.

-with PA.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.