Low-Cholesterol Diet and Antilipid Therapy in Managing Tinnitus and Hearing Loss

[Haru]

I don't know if anyone posted this study before. The link between blood lipids and tinnitus is important. I developed tinnitus while I was on a very low carb (and low calorie) diet, which rises your blood lipid levels. Be careful about your cholesterol, folks!

Low-Cholesterol Diet and Antilipid Therapy in Managing Tinnitus and Hearing Loss in Patients with Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Hyperlipidemia

Abstract of Study:

The aim of our study was to outline the prevalence of hyperlipidemia in patients who had high-frequency hearing loss and tinnitus due to noise exposure. We investigated the role of a low-cholesterol diet and antihyperlipidemic therapy to alleviate the severity of tinnitus and possibly promote hearing gain after therapy in patients with acoustic trauma. Fortytwo hyperlipidemic patients with subjective tinnitus and hearing loss due to noise exposure were enrolled for the study. We placed patients on a low-cholesterol diet or antihyperlipidemic therapy and followed them for up to 24 months; then we designated two groups as either "unresponsive" (n = 22; no response to either of the therapies and still experiencing hyperlipidemia) or "responsive" (n = 20; lower cholesterol or triglyceride levels). We then compared tinnitus scores and hearing levels in the two groups. The difference between tinnitus scores in the unresponsive and responsive groups and the change in tinnitus scores before and after therapy in the responsive group were significant. When we compared self-rated tinnitus severity results in two groups after therapy, we found the difference was significant (p < .05). The difference between average air-conduction thresholds at high frequencies after the treatment in the two groups was also significant. The incidence of hyperlipidemia is high among patients with noise-induced hearing loss, and significant improvement by way of lowered tinnitus intensity and higher frequencies in average hearing thresholds can be achieved after lowering the serum lipid level.

You can read more here: http://www.tinnitusjournal.com/detalhe_artigo.asp?id=87

 

[James White]

This is interesting.

Well, i have hyperlipidemia and my GP actively encourages me to have a low cholesterol diet but it's very difficult. It's a shame i don't have the motivation to follow a diet.

 

[erik]

This is interesting. It is has been long thought that cholesterol and blood pressure play some role in the development of tinnitus, however, trying to do control it naturally through diet is the challenge. As James pointed out, it is difficult as I have struggled with both of these for a good while. I did take both cholesterol and BP meds at the time I got T. Can't say these were the cause or only cause, but I cannot say they were not either.

 

[Haru]

Diet is indeed a challenge but if it means the T might get less, it might be worth it (plus the added health benefits). Or maybe the key is sports? "Regular participation in physical activity as well as a single exercise session can positively alter cholesterol metabolism (Durstine & Haskell, 1994)." My uncle is a doctor, and my cousin has awful cholesterol metabolism. My uncle says to him: "If I were you, I would walk a couple of km's a day." Not easy but it's an option.

 

[James White]

The effect of hyperlipidemia on auditory perception has been studied clinically and experimentally. Ben-David et al. [28] compared the auditory brainstem responses in hyperlipidemic and normolipidemic subjects and reported latency prolongation in the hyperlipidemic patients. Saito et al. [29] showed delay in auditory brainstem wave latencies in 40% of guinea pigs fed a highfat diet. Morizono and Paparella [30], using cholesterolfed rabbits, showed increased auditory dysfunction with time at all frequencies. Preyer et al. [31] compared distortion product otoacoustic emission input-output functions in 20 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia without hearing loss against 20 healthy subjects and found reduced responses in the high-frequency region of the hyperlipidemic patients. Erdem et al. [32] reported similar results with distortion product otoacoustic emission at 4 Hz.

Interesting quote from the study.

 

[James White]

Hi all,

here is a new study from Dec 2014 on cholesterol and tinnitus, the results are very interesting: http://www.jcpsp.pk/archive/2014/Dec2014/11.pdf

they have used a lipid lowering medecine that i'm not willing to use but for the responding group they have a 75% reduction of tinnitus

Last year i replied to this thread, and i have to say i did absolutely nothing to reduce my cholesterol... i really have to work on that and get some grip

 

[Ryan Edwards]

Has anyone tried the alternative (Ezetimibe) to statins and what effect it has on tinnitus?

 

[DebInAustralia]

Has anyone tried the alternative (Ezetimibe) to statins and what effect it has on tinnitus?

Not for tinnitus, but I'm starting Policosanol (Blackmores) for hypercholesterolemia.

If I notice a change, I'll post about it.