Vitamin B12 & Ferritin Levels: Impact on Tinnitus?

[PugDog1]

Hello,

Long time lurker here. I started with tinnitus at the beginning of the year but from the beginning it's never been consistently the same volume from day 1.

I'm having sinus issues that flare up and when I'm symptomatic my tinnitus seems to flare. I also get terrible popping, clicking & echoing in my right ear which seems to stop if I sleep with my head elevated!

I am currently under treatment for these issues from an ENT but I've just found out I'm severely low in B12 & my ferritin levels aren't great! Could this have any bearing on my tinnitus?

(I've had an extended hearing test to look for hidden hearing loss and didn't have anything out of a normal range).

thanks xx

 

[arctic loon]

I've had very low ferritin & iron and it never affected my tinnitus. I hope you get your health stuff worked out! Getting your ferritin+b12 levels on normal level surely won't harm you or worsen your tinnitus.

Best of luck

 

[Michael B]

I've been taking a B12 supplement for years now and it hasn't affected my tinnitus one way or another.

 

[oceanofsound26]

If you have sinus congestion and other related issues, your sinuses are probably not draining adequately into your throat. If this is the case, your Eustachian Tubes are probably not draining properly either which will lead ETD and maybe tinnitus. ETD would help explain the clicking and popping, and when elevating your head, gravity will help your sinuses drain and help your ETD and tinnitus if that is the cause.

Low Vitamin B-12 can cause tinnitus. I would be worried more about low ferritin. Are you anemic? Do you have thyroid problems? How are your adrenal glands working (cortisol and tinnitus connection)? All three can lead to tinnitus. Also with low ferritin, you are entering the territory of severe liver and/or kidney problems that can cause tinnitus as well.

Recommend you get some more bloodwork done - Complete Blood Count to check RBC, WBC, Hb, and Hct, Complete Metabolic Panel to check liver and kidney markers, and whatever test checks for blood electrolytes - ASAP. Also get checked for thyroid and adrenal gland problems. You are walking a fine line with your health right now if you do not know the reason behind your low ferritn.

Tinnitus is always caused by an underlying disease or condition. Treating it may help your tinnitus.

 

[PugDog1]

@oceanofsound26 The reason my levels are so bad is due to a vegetarian diet for the last 14+ years. I haven't eaten meat since I was about 10! Just don't like the texture. I have tried to eat it since I found out but it makes me feel very ill.
I am currently anemic yes :-( I am supplementing though.
Yeah the ENT said chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis & Eustachian tube dysfunction!
I had my tonsils out last year but for whatever reason they've left adenoids in and when she put the camera in my nose she could see that they were enlarged!

 

[oceanofsound26]

Hi @PugDog1 -

The reason my levels are so bad is due to a vegetarian diet for the last 14+ years. I haven't eaten meat since I was about 10! Just don't like the texture. I have tried to eat it since I found out but it makes me feel very ill.

Sorry for the standoffish tone of my previous post. Nothing wrong with a vegetarian diet, but as you mention, it must be implemented properly. After my tinnitus onset in July 2019, I abandoned my Ron Swanson-esque views of vegetarians, and have adopted a largely vegetarian diet as well, but I still eat fish and eggs. A visit to a dietician may be beneficial if you want change the diet up a bit and this person can recommend how to make up whatever deficiencies may exist in your current diet. I had consultation with a dietician over the summer and it helped me a lot.

I am currently anemic yes :-( I am supplementing though.

Again, I apologize for the tone of my previous post. My bloodwork after my tinnitus onset showed that my iron, TIBC, and carbon dioxide were thru the roof too high along with elevated RBC, Hemoglobin, and Hematocrit. Iron overload and high values in the blood count markers lead to severe conditions that can also cause tinnitus. Fortunately, I was able to figure out my problems and everything is back to normal now. From that research, I discovered iron deficiency comes with a host of problems as well...hence, my words of caution for you. I, personally, have no experience with anemia and am not too familiar with its ins and outs, but I know Vitamin C promotes enhanced absorption of Iron in the body (too much Vitamin C was part of my problem), so increasing your Vitamin C uptake may help as well.

Yeah the ENT said chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis & Eustachian tube dysfunction!

For ETD and possible inflammation, heed some of the recommendations in this post as they have helped me a lot - https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...-—-new-protocols-and-supplements-to-try.6514/.

Also, try these:





Also, a saline nasal spray (what I use - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B5WMSV6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) used throughout the day may help as well.

I had my tonsils out last year but for whatever reason they've left adenoids in and when she put the camera in my nose she could see that they were enlarged!

Will definitely be causing some sinus problems then. Hope you can get that all figured out.

Getting your ferritin+b12 levels on normal level surely won't harm you or worsen your tinnitus.

Agree with @arctic loon. My Vitamin B12 was low over the summer when I had some bloodwork done as well. Not sure if it contributed to my tinnitus onset, but it manifested itself in burning and paresthesia in my hands and feet at night when trying to sleep. Started taking a Vitamin B12 1,000 mcg supplement daily (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002FJW3ZY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and got my levels back up to normal. Beware though, too much Vitamin B12 can cause burning and paresthesia as well (this happened when I first tried a 5,000 mcg B12 supplement first).

Hope you can resolve everything including your tinnitus in the future. Good luck.

 

[Liza1989]

Hi All.

Just lurking on some threads about b12 deficiency, and I thought I'd share my story. I've had a WEIRD experience with tinnitus. I developed acid reflux at the beginning of December with some digestion issues and shortly after that developed Tinnitus, sinus congestion, and ETD. Saw an ENT who suggested my reflux was the cause of the tinnitus, and put me on nasal steroid spray. and told me to watch my diet. The nasal spray has helped and the ETD seems to be slowly getting better. I experienced a reduction in my tinnitus about a week after starting the nasal spray (which helped get it down to a manageable level), but its been at a fairly constant level for a few weeks now. My reflux wasn't getting much better though even though I was basically eating the blandest foods on the planet and hadn't had coffee in weeks.

I went to my GP for a referral to a GI for my reflux issues. I mainly figured I had too much stomach acid and was looking for solutions. She out of the blue asked if I had ever been tested for celiac disease. I said no. I was a little shocked by the suggestion of celiac since I never really experienced a lot of the traditional symptoms of celiac, though I do have a couple cousins and an uncle with the disease. She requisitioned the blood test and also tested my B12 levels.

Fast forward and I find out my B12 is in the dumps (147), and my blood test was positive for celiac! Apparently low stomach acid is quite common in those with celiac so I suspect that's what has been causing reflux and maybe also just a reaction the the gluten. I also have a borderline low iron as well. I see the doctor tonight and am hoping to get a b12 injection and will probably need to get a few more until my celiac is under control.

I am still not 100% sure what caused my tinnitus (the b12 deficiency or the ETD/Sinus Inflammation), but hopefully I will have some answers soon and at least see some improvement once I go GF and my b12 numbers go up.

Anyways, sort of a weird story I thought I would share. I am pretty lucky the GP I saw at the random walk in clinic suggested celiac.... or else who knows how long I would be dealing with this as it wasn't on my radar at all!