Licorice and Aldosterone — Connection with Tinnitus?

[Diane Morris]

My left ear problem has finally been helped by taking a diuretic. I never realized how bloated I was until I started taking it. Not liking to treat only symptoms I started to investigate further and found that Aldosterone secreted by the adrenal gland is responsible for salt regulation thus water retention.

I plan to discuss with my doctor getting my Aldosterone level tested. In researching the pre-procedure it said to avoid eating licorice as licorice mimics Aldosterone. I remembered people on forum boards mentioning how licorice made their tinnitus worse so I thought I would join to mention this connection in case it sets off a light bulb for anyone else. I have no other symptoms for hyperaldosterone except this ear problem but was also recently found to have a renal cyst that they only want to watch (sigh).

Conventional wisdom is that hypertension causes elevated Aldosterone levels but I think it is the other way around and some new studies seem to support this:

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-body-regulates-salt-levels.

Conventional wisdom also deems the kidney cysts that apparently many people have are benign, but with the prevalence and scope of problems caused by salt retention I think I challenge this.

Anyway those are my thoughts.

 

[JulieF]

Hello, I'm very interested to read your post. In the last year I have been diagnosed with two rare adrenal disorders, primary hyperaldosteronism and also Cushing's disease. I have a tumor on my adrenal gland that is producing cortisol so not only do I have high aldosterone (no ability to balance potassium/sodium) but I have high cortisol.

I am heading to Mayo Clinic next week to have the cortisol tumor removed.

One of my symptoms is pulsatile tinnitus 24/7. It started two months before my diagnosis process began, I am sure that it is related to the aldosterone/cortisol issues, although no doctors want to buy it on that theory lol. Does anyone have experience with this? I realize time will tell, but I'm so curious to see if removing my tumor will alleviate the tinnitus which is screaming at me all the time...

Additionally, in the meantime, I had a cerebral angiogram to check for fistula causing the pulsatile tinnitus, but it only resulted in a diagnosis of idiopathic cerebral hypertension which means they don't know why but I have high blood pressure in my brain, but the adrenal thing is a disease of high blood pressure! I do keep saying this to everyone...