Hearing Loss and Folic Acid Supplements

Heard it Through the Grapevine

I have a friend named Richard who admits he used to turn the music up as loud as it would go in his carefree youth. And he lived for a while in New York City, back in the 70s when the screeching of subway brakes reached decibel levels comparable to that of a 747 jet engine. In other words, the noisy years have taken their toll on Richard’s hearing.

Richard’s New Year’s resolution for 2007: Get a hearing aid. He’s been putting it off for years, but he says this year is definitely the year. He’s simply become weary and embarrassed about having to constantly ask people to repeat themselves.

Today I have some good news for Richard and anyone else who may be experiencing hearing loss: A daily supplement might help.

Loud and clear

Last week, in the e-Alert “As Time Goes By” (2/1/07), I told you about a study that showed how folic acid supplements helped maintain healthy cognitive function in large cohort of subjects over the age of 50.

The team that conducted that study apparently conducted a parallel test to examine the effects of folic acid on hearing. Here are the details, from Jane Durga, Ph.D., and her colleagues at the Netherlands’ University of Wageningen, as published last month in the Annals of Internal Medicine:

STUDY ABSTRACT:

• Nearly 730 male and female subjects with elevated homocysteine levels were divided into two groups to receive either 800 micrograms of folic acid daily, or a placebo

• Over the three-year intervention period, the average decline in hearing low frequencies was significantly less in the folic acid group compared to placebo

• Both groups had similar decline in hearing higher frequencies

And these results come with two caveats:

1) The study was conducted in the Netherlands where folate fortification of foods is not mandated as it is in the U.S. The average folate level among these subjects was about half the average U.S. folate levels.

2) All of the subjects in this study had homocysteine levels of 13 micromoles per liter (mmol/L) or higher. And while that’s considered elevated, it’s certainly not sky high. Some doctors consider levels as high as 30 mmol/L to be only slightly elevated. The typical range of homocysteine is between 5 and 15 mmol/L, but homocysteine levels tend to rise as we age – probably because we absorb vitamins less efficiently in our later years, and ample amounts of B vitamins are essential for the metabolism of homocysteine.

Homocysteine levels also tend to increase more quickly among those who get little or no exercise, smokers, heavy drinkers, and the obese. Heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia, kidney disease, and vision problems have all been linked to high homocysteine.

For notes on dietary sources of folate and recommendations about folic acid supplementation, see the e-Alert “Remember the Way to Memory Lane” (1/23/06), which you can find at this link: http://www.hsionline.com/ealerts/ea200601/ea20060123.html

Pump it up

In addition to folic acid, there’s another supplement that may help put the brakes on hearing loss.

Studies have shown that presbycusis (age related hearing loss) can be slowed and even reversed in some cases with an antioxidant called vinpocetine – an extract from the seeds of the periwinkle plant. Vinpocetine is a vasodilator, which means it increases circulation and helps deliver more oxygen to the cells. In this capacity, it’s sometimes combined with other vitamins, minerals, and herbs to enhance hearing and memory function.

In an HSI Members Alert we sent you in November 2001, we told you about a vinpocetine supplement called VincaHear, specifically formulated to improve hearing. VincaHear (available through life-enhancement.com) combines vinpocetine with other components that have been shown to benefit hearing, such as Ginkgo biloba, quercetin, niacin, vitamin D3, calcium, and magnesium.

As with any new addition to your supplement regimen, you should check with your doctor before taking vinpocetine or VincaHear – especially if you’re currently taking a blood-thinning supplement or drug (including therapeutic aspirin use), or if you’re in treatment for a cardiac or vascular disorder.