I have Beta Thalassemia (Minor), it's an inherited blood condition seen primarily among people of Mediterranean and Asian descent. Thalassemia is a form of anemia due to irregularly shaped hemoglobin cells. This means reduced ability to carry oxygen throughout the body. People with thalassemia beta minor have inherited one copy of the defective gene. Beta thalassemia is classically described in people of Italian and Greek origin.
Having been down this road with my primary doctors before. After some blood work was done they told me I have Anemia. I recall at this time I was drinking a lot of green tea. Before doing anything about it I had a talk with some relatives that told me to check for Beta Thalassemia. I don't think the standard blood work tests are going to notice this trait without looking for it directly. People with thalassemia minor have mild anemia and lower hemoglobin levels. This situation can very closely resemble that with mild iron-deficiency anemia. However, people with thalassemia minor have normal blood iron levels. No treatment is necessary for thalassemia minor. In particular, iron is neither necessary nor advised and can cause seriously life threatening health problems.
My point being, if you feel that you might have Anemia and you go to a doctor for a blood test. Should the tests come back positive, then have them check for Thalassemia. You don't want to just take iron supplements without seriously considering what it could do to your health. Food sources for Iron such as red meats, fish, and poultry lentils, beans, and spinach is more than enough. Just eating 3 apples per day provides enough Iron.
Tinnitus, or hearing ringing in the ears, may be a sign of anemia. It is unknown exactly why tinnitus occurs with anemia, but a link between the two disorders has been shown. If your Tinnitus is anemia-induced, try getting more iron-rich foods into your diet, AND DO NOT TAKE IRON SUPPLEMENTS. A lack of vitamins may be the cause of tinnitus; however, too many vitamins may also lead to tinnitus. I can tell you from personal experience that taking chelated iron supplements can make your tinnitus worse.
Just to add another spin down the rabbit hole.. Something that we read a lot about is to avoid caffeine for tinnitus, but we are told that's because it's a central nervous stimulant. The reason that I bring this up is because caffeine is something that a lot of people with low energy/oxygen levels seem to take more of. The most common forms of caffeine intake are chocolate, tea, soda, coffee, and even aspirin. But my feeling here is that if the stimulants are to blame then every child in America would have tinnitus. Caffeine has been proven to increase the "intensity of tinnitus" in an individual. However, a recent study says caffeine from coffee has been shown to "reduce tinnitus" in some women, but the reason behind the finding is unclear. So there is a conflict, is coffee/caffeine good or bad for tinnitus? Is the stimulate at work here or something else..
In regards to "anemia-induced iron-deficiency," the effects of caffeine may interfere with the absorption of the mineral Iron. Caffeinated beverages, such as tea and coffee, only decrease the absorption of iron from plant foods, called nonheme iron, and not the iron from animal-based iron sources, called heme iron. Iron is essential for the functioning and synthesis of hemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen throughout the body. Iron is also involved in DNA synthesis, immune functioning, brain development and the synthesis of neurotransmitters and collagen. If you are worried about iron-deficiency anemia, then limit your intake of caffeine. I would recommend waiting three hours between eating iron-rich meals and taking in caffeine.
If you have Anemia then talk to a doctor. Can Anemia cause tinnitus, yes it's very possible. If I had an answer for Tinnitus I'd have sold a book and made my millions. There are so many causes of tinnitus that it's overwhelming to find answers. It's never just as simple as taking more vitamins or minerals. And if it was that easy then their must have be some medical reason for it. I say this because I'm reading about people taking magnesium, CoQ10, Niacin ect.. and getting some good results, then why is that?
Well I can tell you that taking the magnesium will increase insulin sensitivity and a vast decrease in fasting glucose levels. Coenzyme Q10 may improve heart health, reduce blood sugar levels and help to manage high blood pressure in diabetics. Niacin, also known as Vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin that can't be stored by the body. It is important in the conversion of food to energy and is sometimes recommended to lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels. So what we have here is blood problems with perhaps Type 2 Diabetes. It's possible that the high blood glucose levels associated with diabetes cause damage to the small blood vessels in the inner ear, similar to the way in which diabetes can damage the eyes and the kidneys.
Think of all the foods that are fortified with vitamins and minerals and still we need more? I guess someone can counter that our fresh foods today are lacking in soil nutrients. But c'mon, I know most of you eat food from a box and wouldn't touch a vegetable unless it was made of gold. One of the most popular meals in America is a burger, fries and a soda. You did nothing to obtain those nutrients other than drive a car. If anything most of us are overweight and need exercise. I'm sure in most cases a fasting and a long walk around the park would do more good for our health and hearing than adding another supplement.
Don't let me speak for everyone though, women that are pregnant or have irregular menstrual cycles may very well need extra iron to correct Anemia and in doing so notice a reduction in tinnitus once their blood work is corrected.
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