Fasting/Diet to Reduce Inflammation for Hyperacusis?

[Mary97]

I'm going to start a water fast for 5 days straight on Sunday and see if it brings any positive changes for myself.

Please keep us updated on your fast! I've heard a 5 day fast can be miraculous!

 

[Bimmerboy]

I appreciate everyone's concern. What I should have let you guys know is I've done water fasts before for 5 days albeit before I developed tinnitus and hyperacusis.

I'll keep you guys updated, currently its 3:30 PM here and I've done good so far. The heat hasn't affected me as I'm keeping inside. Cold water is helping as well. Also there's football on so keeping me busy.

In the meantime, can anyone link some research or results that highlights some benefits of fasting? A good read in the meantime, and also it will keep me going.

Overall, as daft as it sounds, I'm just trying to enjoy the fast, so I will update again soon.

 

[Bimmerboy]

I'm on day 2 of my water fast. Feeling good so far. i must say I'm taking supplements such as Omega-3 and Magnesium in the evening so I don't know if that essentially affects my fast. Is it strictly water fast only - because yesterday I had ginger water - where I boiled ginger and water, and let it chill to drink.

Let me know guys if I'm doing the fast wrong. I haven't taken anything but water today.

 

[Lukee]

I'm on day 2 of my water fast. Feeling good so far. i must say I'm taking supplements such as Omega-3 and Magnesium in the evening so I don't know if that essentially affects my fast. Is it strictly water fast only - because yesterday I had ginger water - where I boiled ginger and water, and let it chill to drink.

Let me know guys if I'm doing the fast wrong. I haven't taken anything but water today.

I think you are on the right path. Never push yourself during fasting. You should relax as much as possible during a fast and if you ever feel truly unwell, stop. Coming off is equally as important; avoid carbs and eat small meals with no carbs or sugars as you don't want to spike your insulin.

I wouldn't worry much about minerals and electrolytes for 5 days, but if you feel they help, salt, potassium and magnesium is what you need. Check out the ratios and mix some into your water.

 

[Bimmerboy]

Quick update - I made it through day 2. Last night was tough. I felt exhausted. Day 3 today. I might see how I feel by the end of day before I make a decision to call it quits.

 

[Exit]

I'm on day 2 of my water fast. Feeling good so far. i must say I'm taking supplements such as Omega-3 and Magnesium in the evening so I don't know if that essentially affects my fast. Is it strictly water fast only - because yesterday I had ginger water - where I boiled ginger and water, and let it chill to drink.

Let me know guys if I'm doing the fast wrong. I haven't taken anything but water today.

Magnesium dehydrates me and gives me crap stomach so I would be careful while fasting.

 

[Lasse S]

I'm also water fasting right now to see if it helps my tinnitus, hyperacusis and a few other things. Probably not, but there is only one way to find out.

5 days is the goal, but don't know if I can make it that far, never done it before.

Right now I have been fasting for 70.5 hours, so 1.5 hours short of 3 days.

I don't feel that good, but not feeling like I'm about to die either, so I will continue for now.

So far I have been supplementing with Potassium and Magnesium L-threonate (doesn't work as a laxative).

 

[Lukee]

Quick update - I made it through day 2. Last night was tough. I felt exhausted. Day 3 today. I might see how I feel by the end of day before I make a decision to call it quits.

Good on you. Don't push too hard but try and stick it through if you feel ok. Low energy is normal unless it's really low like you can't get out of bed. Remember you should be resting as much as possible. Also, low magnesium can cause this exhaustion so consider supplementing and make sure you are drinking plenty of pure or filtered water, approx 3-4L daily. You don't want to drink water with any chemicals in it.

Magnesium dehydrates me and gives me crap stomach so I would be careful while fasting.

During a prolonged fast, our kidneys deplete magnesium at a much higher rate. During a water fast, taking in plenty of water and minerals minimizes any chance of dehydration. A 5 day fast is relatively short and really shouldn't require supplementation but it's a safer bet and helps keep the body in a good state for refeeding.

 

[Lukee]

I'm also water fasting right now to see if it helps my tinnitus, hyperacusis and a few other things. Probably not, but there is only one way to find out.

5 days is the goal, but don't know if I can make it that far, never done it before.

Right now I have been fasting for 70.5 hours, so 1.5 hours short of 3 days.

I don't feel that good, but not feeling like I'm about to die either, so I will continue for now.

So far I have been supplementing with Potassium and Magnesium L-threonate (doesn't work as a laxative).

Good luck and keep us in the loop. Fasting is less likely to work for acoustic trauma but it doesn't mean it will not work at all or for some people. Remember that it might not be a one shot deal either, it usually takes a few fasting trials to notice a significant difference but if you get any positive results after the first attempt then at least you know there is a chance it can work for you.

 

[Wrfortiscue]

Fasting is less likely to work for acoustic trauma but it doesn't mean it will not work at all or for some people. Remember that it might not be a one shot deal either, it usually takes a few fasting trials to notice a significant difference but if you get any positive results after the first attempt then at least you know there is a chance it can work for you.

What kind of tinnitus would fasting work for?

 

[Lukee]

What kind of tinnitus would fasting work for?

There isn't any double-blind, placebo controlled study on this so we really don't know. In my research, it seems like it is less effective for noise trauma than for other forms of tinnitus. This is not to say that it won't work, but I feel that those with other forms of tinnitus might have (better) results.

I would still very much try it if my tinnitus was noise induced but I wouldn't expect a miracle. There are people who have basically "cured" their tinnitus through fasting, even from noise trauma. I just don't think we have a definitive profile yet of who it is beneficial for and how it works.

 

[Lane]

I'm somewhat of a veteran of various types of fasts, and have a few thoughts:

1) Whenever I do any kind of food a caloric restriction, I assume my body will start doing a lot of "house cleaning" of debris that has built up over time. Some of this debris — such as heavy metals — can be harmful if allowed to float through our circulatory system for too long. So I always take a gentle chelation supplement, with my favorites being charcoal capsules and bentonite clay, to readily adsorb these dangerous metals (and other chemicals).

2) Toxins will be excreted at increased rates during a fast, and the skin is a major detoxification organ. Doing detox baths with things like epsom salts can be very helpful in this regard — besides having the added benefit of adding Magnesium into the body. I also add a teaspoon of sodium thiosulfate to the bath water to remove the chlorine. The relaxing nature of taking these baths is also helpful, as trying to reduce stress as much as possible is always important during fasting.
Sodium Thiosulfate — "May" Help w/ Hearing Loss and/or Tinnitus

I also make a bentonite clay "slurry", and apply a very light layer over most of my skin. You can't really see it after it's applied, and for me it feels good. BTW, it's not unusual to get various kinds of skin eruptions during a fast, such as boils, which is an attempt to eliminate toxins that are not being removed by other detoxification organs, such as the liver. I also like to drink a lemon/apple cider vinegar drink during a fast to support liver function. -- (I'm a big believer in clay therapy of all kinds).

3) I'm not too keen on water only fasts. I think they were likely quite safe and beneficial a 100 years ago, but there is so much contamination built up in our environment, and much of that ends up in our bodies, creating all kinds of havoc that most of modern medicine knows little about. So I prefer to do what I call "modified fasts" of all kinds instead. A favorite of mine is to buy organic carrot juice at Walmart, and add to it some magnesium threonate, and a variety of "juice powders".

These juice powders are a very concentrated nutrition, and have about 20x nutrition more than regular powders. My favorites are wheatgrass juice powder, and beet juice powder. Not only do they provide much needed micronutrients, but they also help considerably in helping eliminate the increased circulating toxins from the body. Besides that, I feel these powders sharpen my brain, and add a lot of resilience to my whole neurological system. Which of course helps me relax and enjoy the fast.

Sometimes I'll notice a "softening" of my tinnitus during a fast. But if not, I always seem to notice a difference in my "perception", making it at least somewhat easier to tolerate. One thing I never do is allow my system to feel overly stressed during one of my modified fasts. I always do them with the intention of feeling better, and enjoying myself more. For me, that's much harder to do one doing a water fast only. I think water fasts may have their place, but it works much better for me to focus on modifed fasts. This is just a partial snapshot of my fasting protocol(s).

One other supplement I like to take while fasting is lipsomal vitamin C, which also aids considerably in toxin removal. I also take it regularly when not fasting.

Best to All...

 

[Bimmerboy]

Still committed to the fast. I feel like I could go another day. But one thing I need to do is relax. I just did a 300 mile road trip today. All on water. My family are so proud and shocked of my determination. Hell I'm shocked about my own limits. At least tomorrow I'm working 11 am to 8 pm which is just me sitting at home. I do think the fast is made easier, as I'm on the LARGER side lol. I don't know if that plays a factor but I mean I guess have more energy/glucose or fat deposits shall we say - to keep me going. Ehh going to jump off Tinnitus Talk as well for a few days, to give myself a break from tinnitus and hyperacusis altogether.

Oh and @Lasse S, try to push through it, you can do it, but of course if any drastic changes then it's ok to give in. 3 days is still good.

I will post again soon.

 

[Lukee]

Honestly, the more I read about mitochondria and other healing modalities (like earthing, avoiding EMF, cold therapy, etc.) the more legit Liam seems. I don't like his hard sale tactics, but the only thing stopping me from trying his program is that I can't listen to computer audio because of my hyperacusis. I've been told there aren't any captions or transcripts available. I'd love to hear if you decide to go through with it and what you think of it. I'm also pretty sure you can get a refund if it doesn't help, so there isn't much to lose in trying.

I want to expand on this point by @Marin. I've been doing a lot of research into mitochondrial dysfunction and the research predates my tinnitus. Liam's claim is that tinnitus is pretty much an issue of the mitochondria. It's easy to paint all tinnitus and hyperacusis with the same brush and I'm not yet sure how I feel about it, but if you actually think about the common issue between all causes, it's down to a cellular level.

Have a look at this article published in 2018: Toward Cochlear Therapies and you will see just how much mitochondrial damage is connected to the carious causes of tinnitus and hyperacusis. Also, it should be noted, that CFS/ME patients are largely believed to have some form of mitochondrial dysfunction but the mechanism is still unclear. Furthermore, the pathophysiology of depression are revolving around the impairment of neuroplasticity and this article, Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Depression, points out "Recent findings have sparked renewed appreciation for the role of mitochondria in many intracellular processes coupled to synaptic plasticity and cellular resilience."

Since the chance of tinnitus is highly elevated in CFS/ME and depressed population, there should be some evidence that these conditions all share a similar physiology. I won't argue that hair may be damaged for some but I think by and large, this is a condition of synaptic plasticity that is mostly driven by mitochondrial dysfunction.

 

[Bimmerboy]

Update:

I've completed a 5 day water fast, and if I'm honest I can't really report a change in symptoms. If anything my tinnitus was a little louder during the fast which could have been due to being hungry and tired. Hyperacusis is still there, no change. I woke up this morning to jaw pain so I don't know about that.

Overall fasting 5 days wasn't that bad. I lost 3 kg. I'm shocked.

Maybe it's a thing where I have to make this fasting a routine. Maybe once every month? I don't know. I was hoping for fast results I guess.

 

[Lukee]

Update:

I've completed a 5 day water fast, and if I'm honest I can't really report a change in symptoms. If anything my tinnitus was a little louder during the fast which could have been due to being hungry and tired. Hyperacusis is still there, no change. I woke up this morning to jaw pain so I don't know about that.

Overall fasting 5 days wasn't that bad. I lost 3 kg. I'm shocked.

Maybe it's a thing where I have to make this fasting a routine. Maybe once every month? I don't know. I was hoping for fast results I guess.

Sorry this didn't work out as well as you hoped. Please remember to introduce foods slowly and avoid sugars and carbs. Fasting can have miraculous properties even after just one fast but it's usually not that easy. It usually takes time and commitment to reap all the benefits of fasting and you already made a huge effort so get yourself down.

It's important to keep up with some lifestyle changes and if it doesn't cure your tinnitus it will certainly make the treatment and your ability to deal with it much easier. I would still consider IF (Intermittent Fasting) and possibly a Keto or AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) diet for a while and see if that helps.

It's also important to remember that if you are generally unhealthy due to your lifestyle (smoking, eating poorly, drinking) and/or have other underlying conditions especially related to inflammation, autophagy will target many of these issues first before possible tinnitus. So don't get discouraged, keep to a clean lifestyle and you can try again in a few weeks and see if it does get better. Some people with chronic conditions noticed dramatic improvements after 3-4 fasts so give it time and I think you'll have some form of success.

 

[Bimmerboy]

@Lukee, thanks for helping me along the way. I'll definitely give it a shot again. I guess the plus side is I lost a few kilograms.

 

[Bimmerboy]

Oh I was doing the fast for hyperacusis, but I forgot about my tinnitus.

Yeah, come to think of it, it definitely helped my tinnitus. I still hear it but that's because I'm in bed while writing this. So yeah I'd say it definitely helped lower tinnitus for me. Or I just stopped giving a f***. My issue is more with hyperacusis. I guess in that case I should say the fast helped me in that aspect.

FFS, now I'm paying attention to my tinnitus lol. I forgot about it for few days.

 

[Lukee]

Oh I was doing the fast for hyperacusis, but I forgot about my tinnitus.

Yeah, come to think of it, it definitely helped my tinnitus. I still hear it but that's because I'm in bed while writing this. So yeah I'd say it definitely helped lower tinnitus for me. Or I just stopped giving a f***. My issue is more with hyperacusis. I guess in that case I should say the fast helped me in that aspect.

FFS, now I'm paying attention to my tinnitus lol. I forgot about it for few days.

Awesome. At least some good came out of it. Keep at it and things will get better. Get good sleep it and eat well. Hyperacusis seems to be largely mental and less physical so getting in the right frame of mind is very important.

 

[Bimmerboy]

@Lukee, are you going to be doing a fast anytime soon?

 

[Lukee]

@Lukee, are you going to be doing a fast anytime soon?

When I get stressed I lose weight quickly. Unfortunately, between likely having COVID-19 early 2020 and getting tinnitus January 2021 I lost too much weight in a short amount of time. I've slowly gained it back and have been eating unhealthy foods just to gain weight. I'm a few pounds away to where I need to be and once I get there I will prepare for a fast. I would hope sometime in July.

 

[Kriszti]

I have started 18/6 fasting. I am on I think day 6. My tinnitus follows a pattern and I keep a diary. Only one time ever have I had 2 tolerable days in a row. I call them tolerable days, not good days because I don't have good days. My tinnitus is always loud, severe, multi-tonal, intrusive and often painful. On tolerable days I can still hear tinnitus over the shower, it can't be masked, it is still highly somatosensory to all facial movements etc, but I lose the ultra ultra high pitched metallic chimes that waterfall over the back 2/3rds of my brain.

I often experience brief moments of joy on tolerable days and my brain doesn't feel like it is recoiling/shrinking in pain from the pitch. Anyway, I got 3 tolerable days in a row this week. NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. I got my hopes up because today is a Benzo day. Benzo days are worse than bad. I use Xanax sparingly but need it to get me through days like today. The fact that I had 3 tolerable days in a row this week can't be a coincidence with the 18/6 though. 18/6 hardly even seems like fasting really so I am keen to tighten it up to maybe 20/4. After a few weeks of that I want to throw in a 24-hour day per week.

Another thing I did this week was cut out complex carbs and some simple carbs but I ate a small baked sweet potato last night so I wonder if that it why I ruined my streak. Or maybe the whole thing is just one big old coincidence?

I can't dry fast because I need to take meds. I know it isn't popular but I am seriously thinking of giving Liam's 8 week program a try. If all I lose is a few hundred $$, I can afford it so meh...

How is the intermittent fasting going? Are you still seeing improvements?

 

[Lukee]

I have started 18/6 fasting. I am on I think day 6. My tinnitus follows a pattern and I keep a diary. Only one time ever have I had 2 tolerable days in a row. I call them tolerable days, not good days because I don't have good days. My tinnitus is always loud, severe, multi-tonal, intrusive and often painful. On tolerable days I can still hear tinnitus over the shower, it can't be masked, it is still highly somatosensory to all facial movements etc, but I lose the ultra ultra high pitched metallic chimes that waterfall over the back 2/3rds of my brain.

I often experience brief moments of joy on tolerable days and my brain doesn't feel like it is recoiling/shrinking in pain from the pitch. Anyway, I got 3 tolerable days in a row this week. NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. I got my hopes up because today is a Benzo day. Benzo days are worse than bad. I use Xanax sparingly but need it to get me through days like today. The fact that I had 3 tolerable days in a row this week can't be a coincidence with the 18/6 though. 18/6 hardly even seems like fasting really so I am keen to tighten it up to maybe 20/4. After a few weeks of that I want to throw in a 24-hour day per week.

Another thing I did this week was cut out complex carbs and some simple carbs but I ate a small baked sweet potato last night so I wonder if that it why I ruined my streak. Or maybe the whole thing is just one big old coincidence?

I can't dry fast because I need to take meds. I know it isn't popular but I am seriously thinking of giving Liam's 8 week program a try. If all I lose is a few hundred $$, I can afford it so meh...

@AliasM, how have you been? Any progress since your last post?

 

[AliasM]

@AliasM, how have you been? Any progress since your last post?

Absolutely nothing. Not even a 0.5 out of 10 improvement. Diet, relaxation techniques and more and no change. Nada, nothing. I'm losing hope I have any chance of getting my tinnitus down to a comfortable level. I never fall below a 6-7/10 these days. Honestly, suffering.

 

[Lukee]

Absolutely nothing. Not even a 0.5 out of 10 improvement. Diet, relaxation techniques and more and no change. Nada, nothing. I'm losing hope I have any chance of getting my tinnitus down to a comfortable level. I never fall below a 6-7/10 these days. Honestly, suffering.

I'm sorry to hear that. Did you try the full on fast or just diet change?

Are you thinking of trying the LDN?

 

[AliasM]

I'm sorry to hear that. Did you try the full on fast or just diet change?

Are you thinking of trying the LDN?

I have been doing 16:8 with 2x 24 hour wet fasts per week with a strict diet - sugar free, dairy free, gluten free, complex carb free, nightshade free. I've been gluten free, caffeine free and very low sodium (approx 400-700 mg per day) since January 2021.

No difference at all whatsoever to report. If anything, I continue to get worse. I only had pulsatile tinnitus on the left side and now it's in the right side (but not as forcefully) as well, plus my right ear, my slightly better side, is equally bad as the left these past few weeks.

One lady on Liam's testimonials said she stopped seasoning her food on Sunday, and by Wednesday her tinnitus was gone. It must have been freaking mild tinnitus is all I can say.

I'm too scared to try LDN. Only one person said it helped their tinnitus on the LDN Facebook page and that was the same lady from Tinnitus Talk. Literally everyone else said it caused tinnitus or increased it.

 

[Lukee]

I have been doing 16:8 with 2x 24 hour wet fasts per week with a strict diet - sugar free, dairy free, gluten free, complex carb free, nightshade free. I've been gluten free, caffeine free and very low sodium (approx 400-700 mg per day) since January 2021.

No difference at all whatsoever to report. If anything, I continue to get worse. I only had pulsatile tinnitus on the left side and now it's in the right side (but not as forcefully) as well, plus my right ear, my slightly better side, is equally bad as the left these past few weeks.

One lady on Liam's testimonials said she stopped seasoning her food on Sunday, and by Wednesday her tinnitus was gone. It must have been freaking mild tinnitus is all I can say.

I'm too scared to try LDN. Only one person said it helped their tinnitus on the LDN Facebook page and that was the same lady from Tinnitus Talk. Literally everyone else said it caused tinnitus or increased it.

Sorry to hear that. I hear that the fasts should be at least 3-4 days as that's when the atrophy kicks in but honestly who knows.

 

[Outlaw]

I feel like I need to comment here.

I suffer from Post Finasteride Syndrome, which gave me tinnitus and slight hyperacusis. I needed plugs for metro, concerts and loud parties were out of question, but I could record music and go to normal parties.

After going to a dental cleaning, it spiked my hyperacusis to high levels. Needed plugs to shower, had to listen to TV on volume 3 maximum, couldn't listen to music, and own voice was too much sometimes. However, the day after the dentist I crashed on a B vitamin supplement, which worsened all my PFS symptoms, so I never knew if my increased hyperacusis was caused by the dentist, the B, or a mix of both.

In 2 weeks, hyperacusis and PFS symptoms got a bit better. I could talk, listen to TV on volume 14, listen to music and go to school without plugs. Then 1 week later, I got a recrash where my digestion got weird, and tinnitus and hyperacusis increased. Then 1 week ok. Then another 2 weeks where symptoms were bad.

Realizing that I might've had food intolerances due to PFS, I decided to do a 3 day waterfast. 2 days after refeeding, it felt like a semi miracle: PFS symptoms were better, tinnitus was considerably lessened (I had multiple days in a row where I noted that I could technically hear it but didn't really mind), and hyperacusis got as good as it had ever been since the dentist (could listen to music, TV volume 15).

The benefits of fasting are incredible. The benefits of autophagy peek at 72h, so that would be the minimum. Further benefits can be expected if we push it to 7, even 14 days. Do not attempt more than 7 days without doctor supervision in a fasting center.

I ate some food that made my PFS recrash, so I started a 7 day waterfast. Not necessary, but my 3-day fast had be wanting to try a 7-day one. I am now at day 4. Given my fasted state, the tinnitus is absolutely monstrous, and my hyperacusis is more sensitive too. Since they both improved after the fast, and since they both get worse when I fast, this tells me I have a systemic issue (rather than the physical damage type.

I absolutely recommend a waterfast for ototoxic tinnitus & hyperacusis. But if you do, you have to do it right. Most people don't take the time to educate themselves, and they do dumb stuff. You must only take water, and rest. No work, no friends, no physical activity. If you feel dizzy, crunch Himalayan salt in your water, and take Potassium and Magnesium daily to replenish your electrolytes. I only take the salt, because I have a chronic disease and I want to limit what my body ingests to lower the activity to a minimum.

When refeeding, don't eat a big meal like an idiot. By fasting you lowered your insulin levels, you don't want to spike them back up with sugar and big meals. Break the fast with freshly squeezed fruits/vegetables juice for 1 day. Next day, transition to high water fruits like watermelon, berries and grapes, and if you feel like it, end the day with eggs, broth or a bit of chicken.

Upon reading online, I feel like a fast's medical success depends on 3 things: how long you do it, how you refeed, and well you eat afterwards.

Sorry for the long post, it just helped me and I figured it might benefit others. Seeing how 3day of fast helped me, I can't imagine how 7 will feel. I won't post for some time here. I realized that healthwise (whether it's PFS or tinnitus), we are far better off deconnecting and only coming to forums for quick periodic information checks.

Cheers.