Vitamins prevent hearing loss
(in guinea pigs)
Life Extension Update Exclusive
Nutrient combo helps prevent hearing loss
A report published online in the journal Free Radical Biology and
Medicine described the discovery of researchers at the University of
Michigan that including a combination of antioxidant vitamins and
magnesium in one’s nutritional regimen may help prevent noise-induced
hearing loss.
Josef M. Miller MD, who is a professor in the Department of
Otolaryngology at the University’s Medical School, along with Colleen
G. Le Prell, PhD and Larry F. Hughes treated guinea pigs with one of
the following: vitamins A, C and E; magnesium; A, C and E plus
magnesium, or a placebo one hour before and five days after a five
hour exposure to 120 decibel sound pressure level noise (comparable to
a jet engine at take-off). Although neither antioxidants nor magnesium
alone appeared to be protective, animals that received both had
significantly less hearing loss and sensory cell death than the other
groups. The finding may be useful in developing a protective
nutritional therapy for men and women whose employment involves
significant exposure to noise, such as military occupations.
The protective mechanisms produced by pretreatment with the nutrients
are a reduction in free radicals that form in the cochlea of the inner
ear during and after noise exposure, and decreased constriction of
blood flow to the inner ear. The nutrients may also have minimized
damage to the auditory neurons caused by overstimulation. Treatment
administered after noise exposure scavenged the free radicals that
continue to from. "Free radical formation bursts initially, then peaks
again during the days after exposure," Dr Le Prell explained.
"These agents have been used for many years, but not for hearing loss.
We know they’re safe, so that opens the door to push ahead with
clinical trials with confidence we’re not going to do any harm," Dr
Miller stated. "Ultimately, we envision soldiers would have a
nutritional bar with meals and it would give them adequate daily
protection."
"Other people would likely benefit by consuming a pill or nutritional
bar before going to work in noisy environments, or attending noisy
events like NASCAR races or rock concerts, or even using an iPod or
other music player," Dr Le Prell added. "Based on an earlier study
with other antioxidant agents, we think this micronutrient combination
will work even post-noise."
"Similar combinations have been very effective in preventing macular
degeneration, and many of these agents have been used with Alzheimer’s
and Parkinson’s diseases, stroke-like ischemia, and other conditions
that involve neural degeneration," she noted. "You’re always hoping as
a basic scientist to find a commonality like that, across other
disease processes.”
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