Zinc for Treating Tinnitus

[jazz]

Hi Everyone,

A supplement frequently mentioned to help lower tinnitus, zinc has underwent at least five studies/clinical trials. Of these five, three found the supplement no better than placebo, including a recent 2013 trial, and two reported the supplement did reduce tinnitus.

The supplement may be more effective for older individuals, who are more likely to have a zinc deficiency.

A recent clinical trial tested 50 mg, once daily, for a month to ascertain results. For those interested in trying the supplement, this dosage and frequency might be best. But please check with your pharmacist and/or physician about other drugs or supplements you may be taking.

Below is a summation of four zinc studies, published in the 2006 International Tinnitus Journal, p. 155.




References:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/zinc-to-treat-tinnitus.1307/#post-92369

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23598691

http://www.tinnitusjournal.com/imagebank/pdf/v12n2a10.pdf​

 

[Sound Wave]

I think it has helped a bit for me some days. It could have been some other reason than zinc though...

 

[JeffDamsko]

Have been taken 40 mg daily for over 3 months, no change

 

[Clive Cottrell]

Yes I have been taking 25mg of Zinc daily for as long as I can remember and swear by it as a healthy supplement. I also take Magnesium 250 mg. vitamin B12 and Codliver oil. I don't think any of these supplements really help tinnitus. But cannot be absolutely sure, as my T does go away to nothing about every third day for the whole day? I have just started taking Zink with Copper 15 mg. so whether this will help remains to be seen. I have noticed however an improvement in my Hyperacusis, so if this has been brought about by my intake of these supplements then it has not been a total waste of time and money. I will keep you updated of any further improvements if any. It's not always easy to stay positive with this affliction! But you know this.

 

[canyonero]

20 to 1 nay so far. Doesn't look good for Zinc.

 

[MontmorencyTT]

I've previously seen zinc recommended for hearing loss, so if it really does help there, then presumably it might help hearing-loss-related tinnitus.

But as hinted at in the OP, a zinc supplement would only help if you are deficient in zinc in the first place, and that applies to any supplement. I take supplements of various kinds myself (for a variety of reasons), but they are tricky beggars. One supplement may in itself be beneficial, but it might then increase the body's requirement for some other nutrient. Ideally, we'd all get everything we need from that hypothetical entity "a well balanced diet". But nobody really knows what that is, although a lot of people think they know (and most of them are different).

 

[rtwombly]

So, I was just on here answering a PM and thought it might be time to post this nugget. I've been taking generic Zicam - Zincum Acetium and Zincum Gluconium - twice a day for months now and I really do think it's helped me. I stumbled on this when I got a sniffle some time back and got on the supplement for its stated purpose, to reduce the length of a cold. After several days of taking it every time I felt low, I noticed my tinnitus was quite low. I then got off the Zicam and within a few days it was a bit louder. Since then I've been on it continually, except for a period of about a week when I ran out and, again, my noises spiked up a bit.

Now, I do a lot to combat my tinnitus, and since my 6-week usage of retigabine, it has been much quieter and easier to ignore, plus I'm mentally in a much better state than last year. Still, I feel like the Zicam is helping, and it makes a certain amount of sense. Zinc is good stuff, but we all know that some forms of beneficial minerals are more bio-available than others. Maybe this just happens to be what my body can process.

An important note if you want to try this is that Zicam is normally $10 a bottle, and I take two a day (morning and night), so that's about a dollar a day! However, if you can find a store brand, it can be affordable. Dollar General near my house was selling a 25-count bottle for under $4.00, though the last time my wife went the remaining supply was on the clearance shelf, so they may be getting out of the business. Sometimes I take half a pill per dose if I'm feeling good.

 

[Alper]

I'm taking zinc 22mg since 3 days (1 tablet each day). I don't know if this is a placebo or something but I really see a difference in the loudness of my T. If I have to rate it: from 8/10 to 4/10

I hope it's not a placebo thing!!

 

[Richard zurowski]

I take zinc. NAC. Magnesium. + vitamin B6. And B12. And I don't think it's a placebo thing?

 

[uae96]

Zinc gives me 3-4 super fleeting tinnitus everyday , I don't know if it's zinc or something else ; but everyday after I take it I get that fleeting t on my left ear for like 4 secs

 

[Richard zurowski]

I'd say zinc do help tinnitus. Your fleeting isn't just a coincidence.

 

[uae96]

I'd say zinc do help tinnitus. Your fleeting isn't just a coincidence.

Maybe it's recovery fleeting t

 

[Richard zurowski]

Hope so.

 

[Nucleo]

Out of the 35 people who responded they tried Zinc, only 3 report improvement. Meh.

 

[Richard zurowski]

Well 3 is better then 0

 

[uae96]

Out of the 35 people who responded they tried Zinc, only 3 report improvement. Meh.

T people who are deficient in zinc will improve once taking it

 

[abbynormal]

I,m 62 and will try the zinc and check back in here. I probably eat healthier than anyone I know but still worth a try denise

 

[Leodavinci]

I hope it's not a placebo thing!!

Placebo is a mix of actual medical effects and a change in perception. In the case of tinnitus the change of perception, as long as it is enduring, I would argue, is as real as it gets. If you think the Tinnitus is lower - it is. If it is due to placebo it does not mean you are imagining things. It means your body has actually helped heal itself due to an expectation that you would get better and or that you perceive your tinnitus as lower. Both of these are completely legitimate reductions in your tinnitus. They are real and they are caused by either placebo or a real administration of a drug. The only way to get placebo effects from vitamins, if you are not part of a study, is to take the actual vitamins!! That's why I take vitamins that are dismissed in the research literature as having no effect other than placebo. Placebo is a real effect - often acting with observable biological changes. The medical community is blind and stupid when it comes to understanding placebo or using it to treat people.

To summarize; when you take something that you think will help with a medical condition, if it has a placebo effect, then you may feel better (due to placebo). Either because you have helped heal yourself through an expectation that you would get better or because you perceive your condition as less bothersome, or both.

 

[ruben ruiz]

I guess a positive attitude plays an integral part as well.

 

[ChrisJ]

I have not noticed any change of my symptoms with Zinc. I have been taking 50mg Ionic Zinc by Trace Mineral Research. It comes as a liquid and if you take it with fruit juice you don't taste it's nasty flavour.

I have also been taking Magnesium, B6, B12 and a hand full of others on and off at the same time. I think these supplements are cheaper than having a blood test to find out if you're deficient but I would stop if you don't notice any changes after a month or two.

 

[Virginia1027]

So it doesn't make T worse. I only want to take it for cold symptoms.

 

[lymebite]

This product says it can test for zinc deficiency. It also serves as a supplement in addition to a test. Looks very simple (non-invasive, not a blood test) and inexpensive ($15). Amazon sells it too, lots of positive reviews (4.4 stars).

http://blog.radiantlifecatalog.com/...-A-simple-DIY-test-from-Premier-Research-Labs

http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/premier-zinc-assay/superfoods-supplements

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SOV1YA

 

[Paul10]

I've been taking zinc (zinc gluconate, 25mg) for two months; hasn't seemed to have done a thing. Also taking a cocktail of other supplements.

 

[JurgenG]

So 10% noticed an improvement?
Welcome to the arsenal zinc!
Next to Ginkgo, Mag, NAC, VIT B, and the rest..

 

[SeekingQuiet]

Caution is wise when self dosing on supplements. It can be dangerous to load up on excess vitamins and minerals if your body is already sufficiently supplied. They can build up and wreak havoc if overdone. It's always best to check for deficiencies before adding unnecessary compounds that your body may not need. Kudos to lime bite for the links.

 

[ryant]

Be careful when supplementing with zinc. Prolonged or excessive use of zinc can lead to a deficiency of copper. Probably best to not take it daily for more than 1 month. Zinc is an important mineral, and deficiencies can be corrected with supplementation, but more is not always better.

 

[Bobby B]

I take a supplement that has both zinc and copper in the right ratios
I also take iron

I must say my T has turned into a metallic sound these days, I wonder why..

 

[MikeV]

I started taking 150 - 200 mg per day and I have noticed an improvement. The intensity has dropped, without a doubt. The duration and/or frequency of occurrence also seems to have diminished. Normally, my T acts up about every 3 days and lasts 1-1/2 to 2 days. Sometimes lasted 3 days. Before taking zinc, the intensity was pretty high and bothersome. Now, the intensity is lower and it is rare to have it last more than 2 days and usually 1 to 1-1/2 days. Been taking the elevate dosages for about 2 months or slightly longer. Coincidence? It could be. But I'm thinking (hoping) that the zinc is helping.

 

[Bill Bauer]

A study about zinc and tinnitus
http://www.cochrane.org/CD009832/ENT_zinc-supplements-tinnitus

 

[BuzzyBee]

I've been taking it for a year and it hasn't done anything.