Diet, Vitamin, and Nutritional Supplements
Scientists suggest that there is a major connection between tinnitus and food. Unwanted ear sounds can be a symptom of arteriosclerosis or high blood pressure. These diseases are very often the result of a poor diet. An abundance of animal protein, especially red meat, refined flours and sugars, and processed foods constrict the arteries and stress the body.
A three-day fruit and vegetable juice fast can clear the ear of clogging mucus. Thereafter, a four-week therapy of garlic juice, which lowers blood pressure and dilates and relaxes tiny blood vessels, is an effective treatment when combined with a predominantly vegetarian, whole foods diet including plenty of raw vegetables and fruit. Drastically reducing the intake of saturated fats, vegetable shortening, and margarine can produce a dramatic improvement in hearing. Avoid sugar, which promotes tinnitus by provoking adrenaline release, which, in turn, causes vasoconstriction in the inner ear.
Increasing dietary magnesium and potassium (good sources are apricots, baked potatoes, bananas, beets, leafy greens, and nuts) and taking a daily multivitamin-mineral plus separate supplements may help compensate for the above-average nutrient needs of some tinnitus sufferers.
Food allergies may cause tinnitus in some people. Do some experimentation to determine if allergic reactions to certain foods aggravate the affliction for you. For some individuals, caffeine or other stimulants, excess salt, or the quinine in tonic water can trigger an episode of ear noise.
Nutritional Supplements
Vitamin B
Supplementing B vitamins, especially B12, B6, and B5 (pantothenic acid), often improves ear ringing.
Taking an additional 50 milligrams of B6 two or three times a day may help stabilize inner-ear fluids. It is found in whole grain products, bananas, most fruits and vegetables, eggs, and dairy products.
Research has shown that a high percentage of people with tinnitus are deficient in vitamin B-12. Vitamin B12 deficiency has been reported to be common in people exposed to loud noise on the job who developed tinnitus and hearing loss. Intramuscular injections of vitamin B12 reduced the severity of tinnitus in some of these people. Injectable vitamin B12 is available only by prescription. The effect of oral vitamin B12 on tinnitus has not been studied. Nutritionists recommend that you take 6 mcg of the vitamin daily. Vitamin B-12 can be found in yeast, oysters, eggs, milk and milk products, fish, poultry, and lamb.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A deficiency can cause inner-ear problems such as ear ringing, as this vitamin is important for the membranes in the ear. Good sources of vitamin A are oily fish, dark green leafy vegetables, blueberries, yellow vegetables, and fruits (such as carrots, yams, oranges, apricots, and cantaloupe). Vitamin A supplementation (5,000 to 10,000 I U a day) may be at least partially effective against tinnitus.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E improves oxygen supply to the cells. Vitamin E is found in whole grain products, dried beans, green leafy vegetables, fish, and eggs.
Choline
Choline (provided by two lecithin capsules at each meal or 2 tablespoons of brewer's yeast daily) has cleared ear noises in less than 2 weeks for some patients with high blood pressure.
Zinc
Studies show that high doses of zinc sulfate can reduce or eliminate the ear sounds suffered by older patients. Zinc supplements have been used to treat individuals who had both tinnitus and hearing loss (usually age-related). Of those who had initially low serum levels of zinc, about 25% experienced an improvement in tinnitus after taking zinc for three to six months. Do not take more than 80 milligrams daily without medical supervision. Foods rich in zinc are: oysters, whole-grain cereals, beans, nuts, eggs, and fish.
Diet, Vitamin, and Nutritional Supplements
Daily Dosages:
- Vitamin B12, 1 mg
- Zinc, 30 mg, with 3 mg copper
- Vitamin B complex, 50 mg twice per day
- Vitamin E, with mixed tocopherols, 400 IU
- Vitamin A, 10,000 IU (avoid during pregnancy)