Vitamin C Take vitamin C, for example. Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is an essential nutrient for bone, skin and blood vessel health. At least one animal study indicated vitamin C may be protective against noise-induced hearing loss. However, this benefit has yet to be studied in people, and a 2015 observational study found that supplementing with high levels of vitamin C was linked to an increased risk of hearing loss.
Therefore, it’s unclear how beneficial vitamin C is for preventing or treating hearing loss Carotenoids Carotenoids contribute to the orange colour of many different fruits and vegetables and have several functions that are important for human health, including roles in antioxidant defence, cell-to-cell communication, and as a precursor to vitamin A.
In the 2015 study mentioned above, women with higher intakes of two specific carotenoids, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin, had a lower risk of hearing loss. The study was a large longitudinal study that included more than 65,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study II Folate Folate, or vitamin B9, is also an essential nutrient; it’s crucial for cell division. It’s found naturally in many foods. (Folic acid is the synthetic form used in food additives and supplements.) Curhan and her team found that higher folate intake was associated with a lower risk of hearing loss. “This finding for folate is consistent with a randomized clinical trial in the Netherlands that showed oral folic acid supplementation was inversely associated with hearing decline over 3 years,” she said. However, there were limitations to that study;
For example, the Dutch food supply is not fortified with folic acid. In the U.S. many foods are fortified, so taking an additional supplement may not provide the same benefits seen in the Dutch study Foods that contain vitamins A, C, E and folate—all of which have at least preliminary evidence that they’re good for your hearing health.
Vitamin A is found in many different foods, especially orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkins, along with greens like kale and broccoli leaves. Vitamin C can be found in many dark leafy greens, including kale and chard, and nearly all types of citrus. Kiwi, berries, tomatoes, peas and papayas are also high in vitamin C.
Foods high in vitamin E can be found in the nut section of the grocery store — almonds and hazelnuts in particular. After the nut aisle, turn to the produce aisle for Swiss chard, spinach, turnip greens and kale. Nut seeds and plant oils, such as sunflower and grapeseed, are also high in vitamin E. Folate, meanwhile, is found in peanuts, sunflower seeds, lentils, broccoli and soybeans. Folic acid is also added to many fortified breads and cereals.