A new study found a significant inverse relationship between blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA and age-related hearing loss in adults. This study adds to the body of evidence supporting the role of omega-3 fatty acids, especially his DHA, in maintaining good health and preventing age-related health problems.
Recent studies have implicated high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. acid DHA It is less likely to report age-related hearing loss, supporting growing evidence for the role of omega-3s in maintaining good health and preventing age-related diseases.
Researchers report that blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are inversely associated with hearing loss in a new population-based cross-sectional study. Middle-aged and older adults with high DHA levels were 8-20% less likely to report age-related hearing loss than those with low DHA levels.
“Higher DHA levels have been previously found to reduce the risk of heart disease, cognitive impairment and mortality. Our study extends these findings to suggest a role for DHA in maintaining hearing function and reducing the risk of age-related hearing loss,” said Dr. Michael I. McBurney, senior research fellow at the Fatty Acids Institute and adjunct professor in the Department of Human Health and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Guelph and the Friedman Department of Nutritional Sciences and Policy at Tufts.
McBurney, a fellow of the American Academy of Nutrition and the Canadian Academy of Nutrition, plans to present the findings at the next conference. Nutrition 2023the major annual meeting of the American Academy of Nutrition, held July 22-25 in Boston.
Using data from the UK Biobank, the researchers analyzed the self-reported hearing status and blood DHA levels of over 100,000 people aged 40-69 in the UK. Accounting for potential confounding variables showed that people in the highest blood DHA quintile (one-fifth of participants) were 16% less likely to answer yes to the question ‘Do you have any hearing difficulties?’ compared to those in the lowest DHA quintile. Similarly, people in the highest quintile of DHA levels were 11% less likely to answer yes to the question, “Do you have difficulty following a conversation in the presence of background noise?” compared to those in the lowest quintile of DHA levels.
Although the results show a significant association between DHA levels and hearing, McBurney cautioned that cross-sectional studies do not provide enough evidence to definitively conclude that DHA preserves hearing function or that insufficient DHA levels contribute to hearing loss. But the results of this study add to the body of evidence for the importance of omega-3 fatty acids, especially his DHA, in maintaining good health and preventing a range of age-related declines in bodily functions.
Omega-3s may help protect the health of inner ear cells and reduce the inflammatory response to loud noises, chemicals and infections. Previous studies in the elderly and in animals have similarly suggested that elevated omega-3 levels are inversely correlated with age-related hearing loss and may protect against age-related hearing loss.
Our bodies have a limited ability to produce DHA, so the amount of DHA in our blood and tissues is highly dependent on our omega-3 intake. DHA levels can be increased by consuming seafood regularly or by taking dietary supplements.
“There is strong evidence that higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial,” says McBurney. “Both oily fish and omega-3 supplements are excellent sources of nutrition. If you choose to use dietary supplements, read the supplement facts panel for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + DHA content and compare products.”
It is estimated that around 20% of the more than 1.5 billion people worldwide live with hearing loss, and this number is expected to increase in the coming decades as the population ages. Hearing loss can range from mild to severe. It affects communication and social interactions, education and job opportunities, and many other aspects of daily life.
Environmental factors, genetic predispositions, and medications can also contribute to hearing loss. Proven ways to reduce the risk of hearing loss include using protective gear to protect your ears from loud noises and getting proper medical care for infections.
McBurney This study will be published at 8:09 am EDT At the “Nutrition-Related Factors in Aging and Chronic Disease” poster theater flash session at the Sheraton Boston in Fairfax on Monday, July 24.
Association between plasma omega-3 concentrations and general hearing loss in the UK Biobank
Background: An estimated 1.57 billion people worldwide (about 20% of the population) suffer from hearing loss. High fish intake was correlated with age-related hearing loss in humans, and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation helped prevent hearing loss in mice.
Objective: To assess cross-cutting relationships between plasma Omega-3 fatty acids i.e. docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and self-reported hearing loss in the UK Biobank, which collected data from questionnaires, biosamples and anthropometric measurements of 502,639 individuals aged 40 to 69 years between 2007 and 2010. Of the individuals with plasma DHA data (n=117,938), hearing data were available for 71,368–115,303 [57±8y (mean±SD); 54% female], depends on the result. DHA was measured as % total plasma fatty acids by nuclear magnetic resonance. A “yes” answer to any of the following questions is evidence of some form of hearing loss. 1) Do you have hearing difficulties? 2) Do you find it difficult to follow a conversation in the presence of ambient noise such as television, radio, dinner parties, etc.? 3) Do you use hearing aids most of the time?A logistic regression model was built by his DHA quintile adjusted for age, gender, and multiple additional demographic and medical history variables.
38% of 115,303 respondents reported hearing impairment, 26% of 113,134 respondents reported background noise hearing impairment, and 5% of 71,368 respondents used hearing aids. People with the highest DHA levels (upper quintile) are at lower risk [Odds Ratio; OR (95% CI)] Percentage of hearing loss compared to lowest group (lower quintile): hearing loss, 0.89 (0.85, 0.94). Background noise hearing loss, 0.92 (0.88, 0.96). Hearing aid use was 0.80 (0.71, 0.90) in the fully adjusted multivariate logistic regression model. A person in the DHA upper quintile was 8-20% less likely to report hearing problems (compared with the lowest quintile). Other cohorts should be investigated to confirm the inverse association between plasma DHA and incident hearing loss, and the effects of increased DHA intake on hearing metrics should be tested in randomized trials to determine potential causal mechanisms.
