Female hypoacusis: omega-3s reduce the risk by 20%.

In women, consumption of two or more servings per week of any type of fish appears to be associated with a 20 percent reduction in the risk of hearing loss. The same result is found with the intake of at least 250 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per day. This is the result of a study conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, USA, and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in recent months.

Hypacusis buys: a common problem

Progressive hearing loss is widespread in adults, and is a chronic and often disabling health condition. Although there is scientific evidence to suggest that a higher intake of Omega-3 rich fish may be associated with a lower risk of hearing loss, information on this relationship is still scarce. Acquired hearing loss is often considered an inevitable aspect of aging, but identification of various potentially modifiable risk factors could provide new information on the possibility of preventing or delaying its onset.

Two servings of fish per week reduce the risk of deafness

In this study, researchers examined the 'association between total fish consumption, consumption of various types of fish (tuna, white fish, oily fish, shellfish), intake levels of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, and risk of hearing loss, in women. The data, obtained through specific questionnaires, were acquired from the Nurses' Health Study II, a cohort study in which 65,215 American nurses were followed from 1991 to 2009. At the end of the period, 11,606 cases of hearing loss were reported. Results showed that, compared with those who had rarely consumed fish, women who consumed two or more servings of fish per week showed a 20 percent lower risk of hearing loss, regardless of the type of fish chosen. Identical inverse association was found with 'intake of at least 250 mg per day of Omega-3. The protective mechanism is likely mediated by the positive effects of Omega-3s on blood microcirculation within the cochlea, a component of the inner ear, and on local nutrient intake.

Will the hearing loss be able to be limited?

The data obtained suggest that a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fish, may be associated with a lower risk of hearing loss. This supports the hypothesis that dietary modulations may positively affect the risk of acquired hearing loss that typically occurs with 'advancing age.

Source: Curhan SG, Eavey RD, Wang M, Rimm EB, Curhan GC. "Fish and fatty acid consumption and the risk of hearing loss in women." Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Nov;100(5):1371-7. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.091819. Epub 2014 Sep 10.