Hearing loss may signal the onset of one of the most dreaded age-related health issues

Early warning

It’s the classic cartoon of a grumpy old man…holding a megaphone up to his ear and shouting “speak up!”

It may seem funny at first, but hearing loss is more than just an annoyance. And it is certainly no joke.

In fact, after reading a new hearing study, I must tell you that it’s pretty disturbing. Researchers now link hearing loss to one of the most dreaded age-related health issues.

Listening and learning

Hearing loss causes social isolation and loneliness. Most conventional doctors read those symptoms as depression and treat them with antidepressants.

Big mistake. And a classic case of medicating a symptom rather than addressing the cause.

Mounting evidence shows that we should regard hearing loss as a serious red flag. It’s an early indicator of cognitive decline and a gateway to dementia.

Two years ago, I told you about a study that followed hundreds of older subjects for nearly 20 years.

Results linked hearing loss with risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. And the more severe the hearing loss, the greater the risk.

Now, a second major study confirms the link.

Johns Hopkins researchers have been following nearly 2,000 subjects over the age of 75 since 2001. They’ve found that difficulty in hearing sounds under 25 decibels is linked with accelerated cognitive decline and impairment.

If you’re experiencing hearing problems, please don’t treat it as a nuisance. Talk to your family and your doctor, and make sure you consider any other symptoms that could lead to something more serious.

Regardless, there are that three key supplements might help. As I’ve reported before, folate, vitamin B-12, and zinc deficiencies may aggravate hearing loss.

But whatever you do, don’t let your doctor mask hearing loss side effects with an antidepressant or some other drug. It will do nothing for the real problem and may just mask a much more serious concern.

Sources:
“Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults” JAMA Internal Medicine, Vol. 173, No. 4, 2/25/13, archinte.jamanetwork.com

“Hearing Loss Accelerates Brain Function Decline in Older Adults” Johns Hopkins Medicine press release, 1/17/13, newswise.com