Guide to Better Hearing

TECHNICAL SCIENTIFIC DATA ABOUT HEARING AND NATURAL INGREDIENTS FOR BETTER HEARING FUNCTION

All information in this paper is for educational purposes only, and should not replace the advice of your physician.
C 2001 HealthCare Laboratories

Todays Hearing Issues

You probably know one or more persons who have hearing problems. Maybe you joke about hearing disability, but you cant escape some feeling that lack of hearing might bother you sometime or even become a real problem for you. Actually, hearing is the 2nd most common health concern for millions of Americans today.1 (First place goes to heart concerns. Interestingly, many of the same dietary supplements which are good for hearing, also enhance circulation and promote heart health.) Projections indicate that the number of people with hearing concerns will grow as the population ages and increasing noise pollution continues to increase. Although hearing challenges are thought of as typically striking seniors, more people are experiencing hearing issues at an earlier age. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that nearly 15% of school-aged children had hearing challenges. 2 Many old people hear very well and perhaps you can avoid this widespread audio disability that is generally associated with old age. Many people who have been around loud noise and have suffered diminished hearing may find ways to assist the body in its natural tendency to recover once-lost hearing. Even children who have early hearing challenges might find improved performance of their hearing system. A new understanding is sweeping the world, an understanding that each person needs to know more about his or her own body and its parts in order to improve health and extend healthy life. Abundant life is not a black box full of mysteries. If we learn enough about our physical makeup we can make adjustments in our life style, our activities, and the things we eat and drink to improve the function of our bodies. To help you with your consideration of maintaining and nurturing good hearing we have prepared this guide to better hearing. Exciting new research has been published during the past five years which might provide important new perspectives and might help you understand the normal body function of good hearing. This new research gives indication that there is much more to come and that the general thinking about hearing needs to be reexamined. You want to understand your hearing and we can help. Our discussion includes: General Hearing Loss and Restoration How We Hear Including Ear-Brain Anatomy and Function What Can Go Wrong with Hearing? What Needs to Be Fixed for Better Hearing? Specific Ingredients Proven to Support Better Hearing Function Additional Tips for Healthy Hearing

General Hearing Loss and Restoration

The Miracle of Hearing Hearing is a complex and intricate process that enables sound vibrations to pass from outside the head to the part of the brain that controls hearingall in a microsecond. First, the external ear canal picks up vibrations from sound and transmits them to the eardrum, causing it and the three small attached auditory bones (called ossicles) in the middle ear to vibrate. The smallest of these bones, the stapes (or stirrup), moves like a plunger that causes the fluids in the cochlea (located in the inner ear) to move. The 2

vibrations in the fluid stimulate the tiny, critical hair cells within the cochlea to convert sound waves into nerve impulses for transmission to the brain. Only when the nerve impulses reach the auditory area in the brain does the listener become aware of the sound. We will discuss each of these operations in more detail in a later section, but right now we can see that damage to any portion of this intricate chain can result in impaired hearing. Signs of Impaired Hearing Hearing problems often come on gradually and unnoticed by the person with the problem. Psychological manifestations may occur before there a conscious lack of hearing is admitted. Here are some of the symptoms that might make it more evident that sounds are not being heard normally. Difficulty in following and participating in conversations. Poor attention span with distractibility. Accusations of others not speaking clearly Changes in quality of voice; speech too loud or too soft Changes in personality: indifference, social withdrawal, insecurity. Difficulty in hearing high-pitched voices of women and children If any of these conditions have happened to you or to someone you know, a medical doctor should be contacted for a comprehensive assessment. Audiologists can measure the type and degree of hearing loss. It is much better to know the facts than to guess on the condition of audio perception. How People Compensate for Impaired Hearing No one wears a hearing aid just to be fashionable. Many wear hearing aids to their own good advantage. By amplification hearing aids increase the sound waves that impact the eardrum. Advances in electronics has made it possible to minimize the size of these amplification devices and to filter out background noise, so that audio perception is improved markedly. Some of the more expensive hearing aids are virtually out of sight. Precise testing equipment along 3 with patient

participation can substantially identify the nature of hearing loss, thus making it possible to determine the kind of hearing aid that person will need, and whether devices should be placed in both ears or just one. Training of people with diminished hearing capacity can help them to understand better the sounds that they perceive. Recently information showing that hearing functions can be improved by changing the function of the body through various measures such as supplementing the diet. This latter component for better hearing will occupy the latter sections of this paper. First, however, we must deal with some common misconceptions. Does growing older automatically mean that we will be hard of hearing? Most doctors tell us that hearing issues increase as we get older. Almost all the available literature presumes that a certain percentage of the population will become hard of hearing when they get older. John A. McDougall, M.D., presents evidence to the contrary in his book, The McDougall Program for a Healthy Heart.3 He notes that people in the Third World eating their traditional diets have better hearing at the age of 70 than the average American has at 20. These people live to a ripe old age with all of their senses intact, while many of us have more hearing issues as we get older. When scientists compared the hearing of the African tribes people called Maabans with the people in Wisconsin, they couldnt find any of the Africans, at any age, with hearing concerns like those common in Wisconsin, the dairy capital of the United States. When scientists studied the Finnish people, who eat a high-fat diet, with Yugoslavs, who had a much lower cholesterol level,

they found Finnish children with hearing challenges at the age of 10. By the age of 19, those young Finns had a marked inability to hear high frequency sounds. Yugoslav children had no such hearing concerns. Dr. McDougall points out that, just as the arteries nourishing the heart and brain become clogged with fat, the vessels supplying the inner ear also become clogged, causing hearing function concerns. One solution to advancing hearing difficulty is Dr. Martins HearAll which promotes circulation to the auditory system, sharpens auditory sensitivity, and supports optimal hearing function. Scientific evidence in peer-reviewed reports will be cited later in this monograph to show the improved circulation provided by certain substances and antioxidants supplied in other substances show clinically proved hearing improvement.

dB, and a rock concert may approach 100 dB. A jackhammer emits sounds of about 120 dB from 3 feet away, and a jet engine emits sound of about 130 dB from 100 feet away. A general rule of thumb is that if you need to shout to be heard, the sound is in the range that should become a concern for our hearing function. Train engineers, military personnel, construction workers, hunters and musicians, especially rock musicians, may all be subjected to excessive noise. Portion of a healthy organ of Corti from a guinea pig shows the characteristic three rows of outer hair cells and single row of inner hair cells. (Right) Portion of a noise-damaged organ of Corti from a guinea pig exposed to sound at a 120-decibel level, similar to that experienced at a heavy metal rock concert, shows scars that have replaced many of the outer hair cells and shows the remaining stereocilia in disarray. Hearing is damaged because lost hair cells will not be replaced, and injured cells may be dying. Studies of populations that are not exposed to noise (like remote tribes in the Sudan and Easter Island), dont experience hearing issues. Remote populations also have other differences including: a high-fiber lowfat diet, virtually no obesity, no industrial pollutants, and lots of exercise. Evaluate your noise pollution and determine if you should be using earplugs or other types of protection. Be aware of risks connected with recreation such as shooting a gun, driving snowmobiles, or other similar activities. Do not listen to loud music for long periods.

Its a Loud, Loud World Stereo headphones, TV, movies, power tools, lawnmowers, leaf blowers, motorcycles, etc. all add to the noise problem. Noise is a concern because it places stress on the auditory system function which may require additional nutritional support for optimal hearing function and acuity. And many experts believe that much of the cumulative effect of noise that occurs over a lifetime may be a major concern for most people. Sounds above 90 decibels (dB), particularly if the sound is prolonged, may be the most stressful. Motorcycles, snowmobiles, and similar engines range around 85 to 90

Drugs Which May Damage Our Hearing There are a number of commonly used drugs that are known to be a potential concern for stress for hearing function and clarity. Included in the list are: Antibiotics (especially the aminoglycosides), Anesthetics (Lidocaine (Novocain), Anti-malarials (Quinine), Cardiac (Heart) Medications, Chemotherapeutic (Cancer) Agents, Diuretics, Glucocorticosteroids (Cortisone, Steroids), Miscellaneous Substances (Alcohol, Caffeine, Lead, Marijuana, Nicotine, Mercury), Mucosal Protectant (Stomach Ulcer), Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin), Methyl Salicylates (Bengay), Anaprox (Aleve), Psychopharmacologic (Mood Altering) Agents, and Vapors, Solvents (Gasoline). Neomycin is found in many over-the-counter antibiotic ointments, and is the drug that is most likely to be a concern for our hearing function, so it is recommended for external use only. But even this topical therapy has resulted in hearing function concerns when large areas were treated which allowed for large amounts of the drug to be absorbed into the body. Vancomycin is a similar to aminoglycosides when used intravenously.

multitude of non-harmonious sounds which we call noise. The vibrating air extends into our ear canal where it causes the tympanium or ear drum to vibrate. The Physiology of Hearing Hearing is the process by which the ear transforms sound pulses to nerve signals sent to the brain where these signals are interpreted. The air vibrates in all directions to transmit the vibrations of an object such as the plucked string of a guitar. The ear can pick up the different aspects of these vibrations such as loudness, pitch, and tonal qualities by detecting different physical characteristics of the vibrating air in the outer ear. The brain can even exclude from consciousness certain sounds while concentrating on one particular set of vibrations. Pitch is the perception of the frequency of sound waves, that is, the number of wave lengths that pass a fixed point in a unit of time. Frequency is measured in cycles per second, or hertz. The human ear is most sensitive and most easily detects frequencies of 1,000 to 4,000 hertz, but for normal young ears the entire audible range extends from 20 to 20,000 hertz. The musical note of middle C is 256 hertz, and each octave in musical consideration has twice the hertz for the next octave higher and half the hertz for the next octave lower. Sound waves of frequency higher than 20,000 hertz are referred to ultrasonic, although they can be heard by some of the other animals. Loudness is the perception of the intensity of the sound, that is, the pressure exerted by the sound waves on the tympanic membrane. The scale of loudness

How We Hear
The sounds we hear start with the vibration of air. This vibration might be a single frequency, or the harmonic frequencies in what we call music, or they may be a

transmission. Their delicate association is normally well protected from outside influences. However, infection of the mastoid or the inner ear can cause great pain and difficulty. The problems of this middle ear assembly are the kind that only medical help can remedy, and they will not be discussed here further. The inner ear serves two vital functions for human beings. The semicircular canals are associated with balance and orientation. Malfunction can cause dizziness and profound physiological effects throughout the body. Consequently, nutrients which help to overcome dizziness may also help with hearing. Through the oval window vibrations from the stapes enter the inner ear and are transmitted into the fluids of the inner ear. The vibrations of these fluids, by now significantly modified from the sound vibrations of the air outside the body, provide for movement of tens of thousands of hair like projections within the cochlea. These hairs, directly connected to nerve endings, provide the brain with signals to be interpreted as sound. Only when the brain perceives these signals, can a person be said to be hearing. The good health of the cochleal hairs, thus becomes vital to hearing. The nourishment of these hairs depends on oxygen and energy producing nutrients getting to them via tiny blood vessels within the brain. If a person has normal hearing, then it can be concluded that this nourishment is taking place all the time. When hearing diminishes, it might be because this nourishment is not taking place, although there are a number of other conditions which might be the cause. Even though most of the population suffering from hearing loss have inner ear problems, it is important to realize that this is not the only cause.

is from 0 decibels where the most sensitive ear cannot detect sound to 130 decibels which causes significant pain. The unit of a decibel is taken from communication engineering and it has a logarithmic formula derivation. Instruments for measuring a persons hearing ability report the results in decibels for given pitches. The vibrations of the tympanium result from the vibrations of the air. These vibrations are transmitted through the middle ear by three bones which some may have learned as the hammer, anvil, and stirrup. The medical names are malleus, incus, and stapes. These bones, suspended in a friction free chamber called the middle ear, provide a signal through the stapes to a membrane called the oval window on the edge the cochlea in the inner ear. The eustachian tube into the throat area provides for equalization of normal air pressure on either side of the tympanic membrane. Everyone is acquainted with the necessity of clearing the ears when changing elevation in travel. This means consciously opening the eustachian tube which might be closed. Furthermore, the tissues of the middle ear absorb air, so it is important for new air to be admitted to the middle ear through this tube. The skull bones that surround the ear canal, the middle ear, and the inner ear are porous, having hundreds of air cells. These cells are lined with mucous membrane and the whole bony structure which provides stable support for all the middle ear parts and sound insulation is called the mastoid. The little bones, malleus, incus, and stapes, together called the ossicles, are each suspended from the mastoid in unique ways and they form a chain of vibration 6

What Can Actually Go Wrong with Hearing?

We need to begin with a list of the major causes of poor hearing. 1. There can be an obstruction of the airway to the ear drum. 2. The eardrum can be damaged 3. Transmission of vibrations from the eardrum to

the cochlea can be impaired by faulty mechanisms in the middle ear. 4. The transformation of vibrations into nerve signals can be impaired though damage to the hair cells which make this transformation. 5. The brain can misinterpret the signals it receives. If a person suffers from any of these causes, then it is important to deal with the specific situation for that person. The first two of these have obvious, if technical remedies. If the ear passage is obstructed, medical help in clearing the obstruction is desired. By all means avoid any action that will damage the eardrum. Good sense and prevention are the most important factors connected with these malfunctions. The middle ear is an awe-inspiring feat of engineering. The tiny bones that transmit the vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear along with the pressure adjustment through the eustachian tube and the support of the surrounding porous mastoid bone are marvels in their functions. If any of these tiny parts do not develop properly during the fetal and embryonic stages, there can be a hearing disorder. Here again, medical help can diagnose and treat some of the abnormalities some people are born with. A further technical discussion of middle ear disorders is beyond the scope of this writing. Proper treatment should be sought to find remedies for such disorders which are relatively rare, but which occur often enough that proper diagnosis is especially important. Most often the physician will discover that difficulty Number 4 above, transmission of the vibrations into nerve signals, is the major cause of loss of hearing for older people and for people who have had hearing impairment as young people. The precise means by which this transmission takes place remains unknown. After considering the many theories, it becomes evident that proper maintenance of the hair cells in the cochlea is vital to good hearing. Some of the inner ear malfunctions can arise from difficulties of embryos in the first trimester (three months) of pregnancy when the differentiation of cells of the ear and the central nervous system are taking place most rapidly. The tranquilizing drug, thalidomide, used in America during the 1960s, was shown to cause some mothers to have babies with hearing defects. The viral infection called rubella, or German measles can also result in hearing problems for children of mothers 7

infected with this disease. The HIV infected mothers can have children who have hearing problems caused by the HIV. After birth, Meningitis can cause cochlear degeneration resulting in hearing loss. Other infections which can aggravate an already tentative hearing situation are measles, mumps, chicken pox, influenza, viral pneumonia, among others. Even a high fever by itself can damage the inner ear in some cases. Noise-induced hearing loss has become common in the noisy world in which we live. This condition can result from acoustic trauma where impulsive sound intrusions such as explosions assault the ear, or it can result from more chronic loud sounds such as jet engines, drop forges, pneumatic hammers, subways or rock music. Because exposure to excessive noise is often required by a persons employment, compensation is often demanded by employees who suffer hearing loss. Millions of dollars are paid to military veterans and to people from noisy industries as a result of their hearing loss. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has undertaken a program of hearing safety in all industries in the USA, so that efforts are made to minimize noise and to insist on ear protection when people have high exposure. Other personal difficulties can cause partial or complete deafness. Surgical procedures can result in damage to the inner ear, especially when excessive bleeding occurs there. A spasm of the artery going to the cochlea can leave the inner ear without circulating blood and thus cause deafness in the ear where the spasm occurs. Menieres disease, thought to be caused by an over-secretion of fluids in the inner ear, can result not only in deafness but in sudden attacks of vertigo, tinnitus, vomiting. All of these require medical attention which should not be delayed. Presbycusis, the name given to age-induced hearing disability, manifests itself most often in difficulty in speech discrimination. Even though, presbycusis may be avoided by a proper diet or supplementation, many older people now suffer from this diminished ability to engage in normal conversation. Schuknecht (1974) defined four different, but overlapping causes of this hearing loss.4 1. Sensory presbycusis: Produced by loss of outer hair cells and supporting cells in the basal turn of the cochlea. An audiogram will show greater hearing loss at the higher frequencies.

2. Neural presbycusis. Loss of neurons in the cochlea causes poor speech discrimination. An audiogram may be generally flat or slightly poorer in the higher frequencies. 3. Strial presbycusis: Atrophy of the stria vascularis in the middle and apical turns of the cochlea to produce a fairly flat audiogram. Speech discrimination is reasonably good, when heard at all. 4. Cochlear conductive presbycusis: Impaired mobility of the cochlear partitions which produces a sensorineural hearing loss. It can be seen that the hearing loss among most of the older population results from the malfunction of the inner ear. Improvement of the circulation and nutrition of this part of the hearing apparatus is vital to maintenance of good hearing as one grows older.

hearing difficulty by a means less noticeable than even the most well hidden hearing aid, such as a dietary supplement program. That is why this information was developed.

How Specific Natural Ingredients Support Better Hearing Function

Since hearing impairment can be arrested by better blood flow in the brain area and by antioxidants which combat oxidative damage to the sensitive portions of the inner ear, it is not surprising that blood vessel dialators and antioxidants are helpful. For many years, hearing aids have been the primary means of gathering sound and enriching the lives of people experiencing hearing concerns. Recently scientists have discovered nutritional ingredients and formulas that help support optimal auditory function and maintain hearing acuity. The latest research studies illustrate how to: Support optimal hearing and hearing cell function5 Provide specific nutrients for the auditory system Promote circulation to the auditory system6 Sharpen auditory sensitivity and promote cochlear ear function7 Protect hearing cells from free-radical damage and maintain longevity8, 9, 10

What Needs to Be Fixed for Optimal Hearing Function?

The most obvious place to start involves possible obstruction of the ear canal. A buildup of wax can obviously affect hearing, but this can be taken care of easily by a medical person. When this is done, hearing is restored and the problem and the solution have been elementary. Damage to the eardrum is best cured by prevention. Putting objects into the ear canal is bad! Everyone from the smallest child to the oldest senior citizen should understand this. The vast majority of people suffering from hearing loss have something wrong with the number or the function of the hair cells in cochlea and their transmission of accurate signals to the nerves and thence to the brain. Up until now this has been treated chiefly by amplification of the sound, so that diminished capability could be used more effectively. More recent discoveries have pointed to improving the circulation to the hair cells so that repairs can be made. Think of it, your own body is programmed to maintain adequate hearing and to repair hearing malfunction. There are things you can do to enhance this maintenance program. Most people would like to take care of a developing 8

ALPHA LIPOIC ACID

Lipoic Acid Protects Against Antibiotic-Induced Hearing Loss Sometimes known as thioctic acid because of its sulphur component, this universal antioxidant alpha lipoic acid, has the fortunate property of being soluble in both aqueous and fatty fluids in the body. Alpha lipoic acid has shown dramatic effects in repairing damage by an antibiotic. At the Hearing Research Laboratories at Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina, researchers investigated what positive effect lipoic acid could have on aminoglycoside (a class of antibiotics) induced damage to cochlear tissue of the ear.11 A number of studies have shown that gentamicin (a

widely-used aminoglycoside antibiotic for infection of the cornea, conjunctiva, urinary tract, and other infections) expedites the generation of free radicals, strongly suggesting that this process plays an important role in aminoglycoside-induced ototoxicity (ear damage).12 The Duke researchers had earlier investigated the ability of alpha lipoic acid to reduce ear damage to the cochlea when damage is induced by this antibiotic, shown to be highly ototoxic to the cochlea.13 Specifically, this antibiotic causes damage to the inner hairs of the cochlea, which play a critical role in the neuroelectrical pulses which are sent to the brain. 14 When the researchers measured electrical hearing threshold changes, the results showed that animals receiving alpha lipoic acid in combination with amikacin demonstrated significantly better hearing than the animals receiving amikacin alone. In effect, lipoic acidprotected animals did not have part of their hearing impaired compared with animals receiving the damaging antibiotic alone. The researchers thought that lipoic acid was particularly well suited to protect the ear because it is widely distributed in both aqueous and lipid tissues after administration. In addition, it crosses the blood-brain barrier quite readily, has low toxicity, and has excellent uptake in neural tissue.15 Furthermore, lipoic acid is delivered to both the intra- and extra-cellular environment.16 Another report which appeared some years ago discussed a certain vitamin regimen restored shortterm hearing loss, especially hearing loss related to Menieres disease.17 Menieres disease is characterized by recurrent vertigo, ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and progressive hearing loss. The cause of Menieres disease is unknown. The hearing-loss therapy involved the use of Vitamins B12, B1, B5, a steroid, a diuretic, and finally thioctic acid, a.k.a. alpha lipoic acid. This vitamin therapy was compared against what was described as conventional therapy, consisting of a steroid, Vitamin B, dextran, and a local anesthetic (to nerves distributed to the head). All told, 454 ears were treated for sudden deafness and 354 cases for perceptive hearing loss from other causes. Both treatments were equally efficacious; but in newer cases of hearing loss, treated within a four-week period of onset, the vitamin therapy gave significantly better cure and effectiveness rates. Also, in cases with severe hearing loss or vestibular 9

symptoms (vertigo, loss of balance, nausea, among others), the vitamin treatment was more effective. This was also true for cases of Menieres patients in this study. Remember that the vitamin therapy also contained lipoic acid at a level of 200 mg per dose, a respectable level. Lipoic Acid Protects Against Noise-Induced Hearing Loss In a recent paper18, lipoic acid combined with Vitamin E protected against exposure to high-energy impulse noise caused by explosions, which resulted in structural and functional damage to the hollow organs, especially to the respiratory and auditory (hearing) systems. Using rats in the study, these researchers examined whether a short period of pre-exposure supplementation with antioxidants could protect against the damage of the blast. The rats received either 800 iu of Vitamin E, 1,000 mg of Vitamin C, or 25 mg of lipoic acid. All items were given for three days. On the fourth day the rats were deeply anesthetized and exposed to a simulated blast wave. Supplementation with Vitamin E or lipoic acid - but not Vitamin C - reversed hearing loss. The amount of lipoic acid used was quite low compared to the amount of Vitamin E used. Typical human use of Vitamin E might be 800 iu/day, but typical lipoic acid intake might be 400 mg/day. Therefore, it can be concluded that a relatively small amount of lipoic acid can help protect against hearing damage. Taking Lipoic Acid Makes Good Sense Hearing impairment can occur due to aging and can be compounded by a multitude of other external conditions often beyond our control. If you live or work in a noisepollution environment, or are subjected to high-energy impulse sounds (such as sudden sirens or unpredictable loud noises); if you listen to loud music (even a Walkman can injure hearing); if you use any antibiotics or other drugs which may produce excessive free radicals in the ear; or if you are already experiencing hearing decline, it would be wise to consider lipoic acid. Given the positive safety profile of lipoic acid and the promise of a significant degree of auditory protection, it makes good sense to add lipoic acid to your supplement program. Far Reaching Consequences Because of its broad range of activity and uses, alpha lipoic acid is likely to continue to be acknowledged as a vital

component of any supplemental antioxidant program. According to Lester Packer, a leading scientist who has researched free radicals, Alpha lipoic acid could have farreaching consequences in the search for prevention and therapy of chronic degenerative diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Packer, professor at the University of California at Berkeley, believes alpha lipoic acid may help stroke victims. Because its the only antioxidant that can easily get into the brain, it could be useful in preventing damage from a stroke, he says. Who is likely to be deficient? Although alpha lipoic acid was thought to be a vitamin when it was first discovered, subsequent research determined that it is created in the human bodyand thus is not an essential nutrient. For this reason, humans are not known to be deficient in alpha lipoic acid. Yet, the evident improvement in many people indicates that supplementation with alpha lipoic acid can be beneficial. How much is usually taken? The amount of alpha lipoic acid used in research to improve diabetic neuropathies is 800 mg per day and 150 mg per day for glaucoma. However, much lower amounts, such as 2050 mg per day, are recommended by some doctors of natural medicine for general antioxidant protection, although there remains no clear evidence that such general use has any benefit. Are there any side effects or interactions? Side effects with alpha lipoic acid are rare but can include skin rash and the potential of hypoglycemia in diabetic patients. Individuals who may be deficient in vitamin B1 (such as alcoholics) should take vitamin B1 along with alpha lipoic acid supplements. Chronic administration of alpha lipoic acid in animals has interfered with the actions of the vitamin biotin. Whether this has significance for humans remains unknown.7 At the time of writing, there were no wellknown drug interactions with alpha lipoic acid. In this most recent study, Lester Packer, and Ishwarlal Jialal, administered ALA to 15 non-diabetic men and 16 non-diabetic women for 16 weeks. By the studys end, ALA had prevented the oxidation of key proteins and other molecules involved with numerous degenerative diseases, including heart disease, stroke, Alzheimers disease, and premature aging. 10

These results are especially significant to diabetics because diabetics in particular are at high risks for developing heart disease and other circulatory illnesses. The researchers suggest that ALA may improve the blood sugar-reducing effects of insulin. ALAs effects on diabetic neuropathy have been studied for years in the U.S. This nervous system disorder is marked by numbness and tingling in the extremities, and is believed to be caused by high blood sugar levels and low levels of nitric oxide, which damage nerve cells. Both short and long-term trials have shown that ALA relieves symptoms. Dosages of about 600 mg per day are commonly used for this disorder50 mg doses may be sufficient for general antioxidant protection.

ACETYL L-CARNITINE
Acetyl L-carnitine is widely accepted as being able to cross the blood-brain barrier to give protection from stress and to prevent the effects of aging on the brain.12 It acts in many ways to prevent the deterioration of brain cells. Dr. Robert Crayhorn writes, Acetyl Lcarnitine protects against the loss of receptors on brain

cells that normally occur with aging. These receptors on brain cells allow the brain cells to talk to each other. The better our brain cells talk to each other, the better the brain works. It is like having a broken phone in the houseyou dont know if someone is calling you or not. So it is with the receptors in the brain cellsif they are broken, nerve cells cant hear the signals and the brain does not work well. Acetyl L-carnitine is like the phone guy who makes sure the phones themselves are working. It also works on the wiringthe way that brain cells send their messages to each other.20 This example makes evident the usefulness of acetyl Lcarnitine in the transmission of the signals from the hair cells in the cochlea to the brain cells required to interpret the information about the sounds that the ear is encountering. Furthermore, acetyl L-carnitine has been used to help stroke victims recover.21 Crayhorn cites several other benefits for the nerves and brain. More specifically, Michael D. Seidman has shown in an excellent clinical study that acetyl L-carnitine improves the auditory thresholds in all frequencies.12 This might have been inferred from the brain studies previously cited, but Dr. Seidman has made it clear that L-carnitine gives substantial benefits.

oxygen remaining in the membranes of cells and organelles, as well as in the ETC, to auto-oxidize CoQ10. As the CoQ10 auto-oxidizes, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide and hydroxl free radicals are rapidly formed in massive numbers. These free radicals quickly damage cell/ organelle structure and function, as well as rapidly halt ATP energy generation by the ETC. Brain and spinal cord cells are especially prone to such damage, and may be irreparably damaged or even destroyed within minutes. The anti-aging benefits The mitochondrial power plants produce over 90% of all cellular ATP bioenergy. They are also generally the richest sites in CoQ10. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) allows mitochondria to reproduce themselves. While the DNA in a cell nucleus comes from both our parents, mtDNA comes exclusively from our mothers mtDNA. There are typically two or three copies of mtDNA in each mitochondrion, with average 1000 mitochondria per cell. Because mtDNAexists in the heart of the fiery furnace where electron sparks are constantly leaking as ATP is produced in the ETC, mtDNA is far more prone to free radical electron damage than is the DNA in our cell nuclei that contains the blueprint for our entire organism. At the same time, the repair capacity of mtDNA is much less than that of our cell nucleus DNA. As a consequence, over the course of a lifetime our mtDNA becomes ever more damaged, and the mitochondria produced therefrom become ever more ineffective at energy generation. Organ protector As our organs age or are damaged, we age and are damaged. Over a lifetime, blood flow to our organs diminishes due to arteriosclerosis and less efficient heart pumping. This reduces oxygen dependent energy production needed for repair, reproduction and normal function of the organ cells. Free radical damage accumulates over time, leaving ever more dead, dying or dysfunctional cells within organs. At some point a critical threshold is reached when too many cells within an organ are dysfunctional, and they can no longer sustain the organs life and function. Then the organ-heart, brain, liver etc. fails. CoQ10 protects organs in many ways, it cushions them 11

COENZYME Q10
CoQ10 is an important antioxidant component of the lipid (fatty) membranes that surround all cells, as well as the lipid membranes surrounding the various organelles (little organs), such as mitochondria and microsomes, inside cells. CoQ10 is also an important member of the Electron Transport Chain (ETC) within mitochondria, which are the power plants of the cell. Most of the oxygen we breathe is used inside the ETC to produce much of the ATP bioenergy that powers virtually every activity of our cells and bodies. Without CoQ10 human life quickly ends. CoQ10s pro-oxidant action When blood flow is seriously reduced to any part of the body, as in a heart attack, stroke, trauma, shock, or chronic poor blood circulation- cellular/ mitochondrial oxygen levels quickly drop in the affected region. Yet because oxygen is seven to eight times more soluble in the lipid zones of cell membrane, compared to the watery compartments of the cell, there is still sufficient

against hypoxic (low oxygen) and/ or ischemic (poor blood flow) damage. It enhances both normal and hypoxic ATP energy generation. Each cell in our organs must produce the energy it needs for life and health, cells cannot borrow energy from each other. The free radical quencher CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant, and in some studies is 30 to 100 times more effective, than vitamin E or vinpocetine as a free radical quencher within the brain cells. It lessens the free radical induced mtDNA damage that accumulates with acceleration over a lifetime, slowing organ damage and aging.

of vincamine, the brains 10-100 billion nerve cells are better able to use the primary nutrients it needs to functionoxygen and sugar. Soon, researchers discovered that vinpocetine had similar, but stronger, actionsand fewer side effects. Research shows that vinpocetine is particularly protective in cases where cerebral atherosclerosis (a condition in which fatty plaques clog the arteries that feed oxygen to the brain) occurs, as well as during ministokes or situations where the blood supply to the brain is temporarily shut off. In addition to improving oxygen and glucose metabolism, vinpocetine increases the amount of adenosine triphophate (ATP) generated from glucose. ATP is a cellular energy source converted from glucose when adequate amounts of oxygen are available. Without oxygen, glucose, and ATP, cells die. And because brain cells dont regenerate, brain cell death has particularly dire consequences. Vinpocetine have been widely researched and used clinically for over 25 years, in disorders ranging from cerebral arteriosclerosis and senile dementia, to Menieres (hearing) disease, tinnitus, and diabetic retinopathy. Vinpocetine has been shown to be a cerebral metabolic enhancer23 and a selective cerebral vasodilator.24 Vinpocetine has been shown to enhance oxygen and glucose uptake from blood by brain neurons25, and to increase neuronal ATP bio-energy production, even under hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions26. Vinpocetine has been shown to reduce the cell death that normally occurs when a brain region is temporarily but severely deprived of blood flow.27 Vinpocetine for Antibiotic-Induced Hearing Loss Before going into more detail on the general value of vinpocetine for the brain and the nervous system, we should point out that this remarkable alkaloid has proven benefits for hearing. The work recently reported has to do with the recovery of hearing by people suffering ill effects from anti-biotics. The antibiotics used typically for staph and strep infections are ototoxic: they can damage our hearing by increasing auditory thresholds. It is believed that this type of hearing loss is due, at least in part, to oxidative damage caused by the antibiotics. In a previous study, alpha-lipoic acid was found to alleviate the severity of this type of damage.12 Now, vinpocetine, an alkaloid phytonutrient and a sodium channel blocker (the 12

VINPOCETINE
What is Vinpocetine? Vinpocetine, or ethyl apovincaminate, is a variation on vincamine, an alkaloid found in the common periwinkle plant. Since the earliest research on vinca alkaloids in the 1950s, vincamine was found to increase blood flow to the brain and improve the consumption of oxygen and glucose by neurons (brain cells). In the presence

sodium channel is a voltage-sensitive intracellular signaling mechanism) previously known to be helpful with tinnitus (ringing in the ears), has been found to help prevent some of the antibiotics ototoxicity as well.28 Unfortunately, it doesnt take much of these antibiotics - drugs such as amikacin - to produce an undesirable effect. In an experiment with pigs, ototoxicity was rapidly produced with amikacin in just a few days. This type of damage is long-lived, if not permanent, and increases the delay, or latency, of hearing at relatively low frequencies. However, when vinpocetine was given following the amikacin for 13 days, the low-frequency hearing loss was prevented. Moreover, the pigs treated with amikacin alone showed a decreased weight gain (not desirable for livestock) and a remarkably increased mortality rate in comparison with the pigs post-treated with vinpocetine. As a sodium channel blocker, vinpocetine is thought to prevent the voltageoverload damage to which the antibiotic-dosed patient is subjected. Keeps Brains Healthy in Three Ways There are, fortunately, ways to protect brain cells. Since 1979, the use of vinpocetine in the treatment and prevention of mental decline due to vascular diseases have been subject to numerous clinical studies. Heres how it measures up: Blood Flow Studies show that as a selective cerebral vasodilator, vinpocetine widens blood vessels in the brain. There are very few substances that only produce vasodilation in the brain. Vinpocetine reduces vascular resistance in the brain, so that red blood cells are better able to pass through narrow passagesand better blood flow equals better oxygen delivery. Vinpocetine also helps the heart deliver blood to the brain with less effort, and it inhibits platelet aggregation. That is, it stops blood cells from clumping together and clogging the works. Cell Protection Vinpocetine also protects cells from dying when oxygen is low or cut off temporarily (hypoxia). First demonstrated with animal studies and confirmed in clinical trials, this protective action also improves glucose metabolism and ATP production during anaethesia- and laboratory-induced hypoxia. Changes in the availability of oxygen occurs during strokes, and leads researchers to conclude that vinpocetine may ward off effects of both strokes and the less dramatic ministrokes that contribute to 13

dementia. Often, individuals who have ministrokes dont even know theyre happeninga small tremor of the hand, or a slight, brief headache, may be the only symptom. But eventually, the hypoxia that the ministrokes incur takes its toll, increasing cell death and compromising neuronal function and ATP production. Mental Function Vinpocetine has been found to stimulate noradrenergic neurons in an area of the brain called the locus coeruleus. Noradrenergic neurons affect the function of the cerebral cortexthe part of the brain we use to think, plan, and act. The number of these neurons declines with age, impairing concentration, alertness, and the speed with which we process information. Vinpocetines Clinical Studies Both animal experimental and human clinical research have shown Vinpocetine to restore impaired brain carbohydrate/ energy metabolism. In 1976 Vamosi and colleagues reported their favorable results comparing Vinpocetine with Xanthinol Nicotinate in treating 143 patients with various cerebrovascular diseases. They measured a large number of blood and cerebrospinal fluid variables before and after treatment, such as glucose, lactate, pyruvate, oxygen, pH, electrolyte levels, etc. They concluded from their study Though not all the changes are significant statistically, yet connected with each other they prove that Cavinton [Vinpocetine] enhances both glycolytic and oxidative reactions of glucose breakdown in CNS [brain]. The changes in the concentration of K [potassium] and Mg [magnesium]... may be considered a sign of recovery of the energy metabolism of the nerve cells. Vamosis study also demonstrated a superior clinical efficacy of Vinpocetine over Xanthinol Nicotinate. In his review on the use of Vinca alkaloids in dementia, Nicholson29 observed that ...vincamine increases mitochondrial respiratory rate in mitochondrial suspensions..., indicating that vinca alkaloids can increase the rate of ATP synthesis... In addition, elevation of cortical cyclic AMP levels may increase ATP availability... and this may contribute to the metabolic activity of vinpocetine. Karpati and Szporny showed favorable results of Vinpocetine used to treat anaesthetized dogs. Anesthetics reduce brain aerobic metabolism and ATP production- this is a key aspect of their ability to produce unconsciousness. Based on their

experiments they note that Increase of cerebral arterial-venous oxygen difference, cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen and cerebral oxygen utilization indicate that RGH-4405 [vinpocetine] affects cerebral metabolism, with a dose-dependant rise in endogenous respiration of cerebral tissue... Our results indicate that rate of cerebral [energy production] metabolism is increased by [vinpocetine]. Karpati and Szporny conducted a study with cats that were subjected to repeated episodes of brain hypoxia. They reported that ... transitory and partial interference even with normal cerebral circulation caused an increase of Neurochemical disturbances due to hypoxia... deficient formation of intermediaries in the Krebs cycle was observed, mainly due to shortage of oxygen. These and cytological studies refer to a selective failure of mitochondrial metabolism... RGH-4405 [Vinpocetine] had favorable effects on these parameters... It seems probable that the effect of RGH-4405 [Vinpocetine] is even more pronounced in vascular insufficiency...30 These are just a few of the many reports indicating the ability of Vinpocetine to safely and effectively restore failing neuronal energy metabolism, even under hypoxic or ischaemic (poor blood flow) conditions. Vinpocetines Unique and Selective Affects Vinpocetine has also been shown to be a unique, selective cerebral vasodilator. Solti and co-workers reported their results using Vinpocetine with 10 men suffering from cerebrovascular disorders (average age: 49). They conclude; Vinpocetine belongs to the rather few drugs which exert a potent, favorable effect on the cerebral circulation. The effect of Vinpocetine on the cerebral circulation has two main features: 1. It strongly reduces cerebral vascular resistance, which is typically high in cerebral vascular disease. 2. Cerebral fraction of cardiac output is increased. No marked effect on systemic circulation, blood pressure and total vascular resistance decreased very slightly on acute vinpocetine effect. Since the drug, far from increasing RATHER reduces effort of the heart, its effects may be assumed to be favorable in cerebral alterations associated with heart disease and hypertension. Hadjiev and Yancheva also reported favorable clinical results with 50 patients suffering cerebral circulation impairment. They noted that Vinpocetine does not elicit 14

the steal effect that occurs with non-selective vasodilators. (The steal effect occurs when a vasodilator opens up blood vessels in brain regions that do not suffer from reduced circulation even more than it opens up blood vessels in regions suffering damaged circulation. This causes a net shift of cerebral blood flow away from the injured area, causing even further damage to the already blood starved part). Vinpocetine and Brain Aging Another key benefit from Vinpocetine derives from its activating effect on the noradrenaline nerve cluster in the reticular activating system called the locus coeruleus. Olpe and co-workers have shown that Vincamine and some of its derivatives (Vinpocetine) to be some of the most effective activators of locus coeruleus (LC) neurons. This small group of neurons extends its noradrenaline-secreting nerve fibers diffusely throughout the cerebral cortex (the thinking, planning, integrative brain). Olpe notes that LC neurons decline in number with increasing age, with degeneration advancing slightly faster in men than women. The lessening number and

activity of LC neurons that occurs with aging is known to play a significant role in the reduction of concentration, alertness, and information processing speed and ability that occurs with aging. Thus, Vinpocetines ability to improve the cerebral cortical activating power of remaining LC neurons makes it a true cognition enhancing agent.32 Vinpocetine, EEG and Aging Saletu and Grunberger have published considerable pioneering research on EEG correlates of vigilance, and the effects of various drugs on EEG recordings. They report that Human brain function as measured by... electroencephalogram (EEG) shows significant alterations in normal and pathological aging characterized by an increase of [slow wave] delta and theta activity and a decrease of alpha and ... beta activity [fast wave] as well as by slowing of the dominant [EEG] frequency. These changes are indicative of deficits in the vigilance regulatory systems, [which includes the LC neurons]. By the term vigilance we [mean] the... dynamic state of total neural activity... Elderly subjects with bad memory exhibit slower [EEG] activity and less alpha and alphaadjacent beta activity than those with good memory... Antihypoxidotic/ nootropic drugs such as... vincaminealkaloids [Vincamine and Vinpocetine] induce interestingly just oppositional changes [to the age related slowing of EEG waves] in human brain function, thereby improving vigilance. 33 Vinpocetines Side Effects Vinpocetine thus possesses a unique profile: Potent metabolic enhancer; selective (non steal effect) cerebral blood flow enhancer; neural oxygenator; antiplatelet aggregation blood thinner; locus coeruleus activator; EEG normalizing vigilance enhancer. And yet human and animal studies consistently show a remarkable safety profile and freedom from side effects. Thus, in a study on Vinpocetines ability to improve sensorineural hearing disorders, Ribari and colleagues note that The drug [Vinpocetine] has no side effects.34 In their extremely detailed examination of Vinpocetine use in 100 patients with neuro-vascular diseases Szobor and Klein report that Laboratory tests, urinalysis, blood picture, blood sugar, liver function, SGOT, SGPT, CN, electrolytes, cholesterol and total [lipids] did not change... The glucose tolerance did not 15

deteriorate in the diabetic patients. In a highly successful double-blind placebo study of Vinpocetine with 84 elderly patients suffering from chronic vascular senile brain dysfunction, Balestreri et al, found only 12 adverse effect reports in the Vinpocetine group (mostly digestive complaints) versus 17 in the placebo group! No significant adverse laboratory findings were found in either group.35 A major Japanese study by Otomo and colleagues with 207 patients suffering various cerebral disorders found only a 2% incidence of mild adverse side effects- anorexia in 2 patients, hives and stomach pain in 1 and hot flashes in 1. No significant adverse laboratory findings occurred in the 207 Vinpocetine patients.36 In their summary of various animal safety tests, Cholnoky and Domok found the oral LD50 for Vinpocetine (the dose lethal for 50% of the test animals) to be 534mg/ Kg of bodyweight for mice, 503 mg/Kg of bodyweight for rats. This would equate to approximately 35,000mg for a 150 pound human. The usual therapeutic dose for Vinpocetine for humans is 15-30 mg per day! Because of side effects at high doses when used with pregnant rats (uterine bleeding in some), Cholnoky and Domok caution against using Vinpocetine in pregnant women, or those trying or expecting to get pregnant.37 Overall, Vinpocetine side effects reported in the literature are rare, usually minor, frequently disappear with prolonged use, and rarely require discontinuance of the drug. Stomach/ GI upset, dry mouth, rapid heart beat, low blood pressure, and rash/ hives are the main (rarely occurring) reported side effects.

GINKGO BILOBA
As an herbal remedy used for centuries to improve balance there is little doubt that ginkgo biloba improves circulation to the brain and inner ear. This effect was born out in a 1995 study in Spain38 where 70 patients suffering from tinnitus and vertigo were observed to improve over a six month period of taking gingko biloba extract. The work by Hoffmann, already cited indicates that gingko biloba extract gives gradual improvement with fewer side effects than other treatments for sudden hearing loss.

KEY B VITAMINS AND MINERALS

The B-complex vitamins have vital roles to play in maintenance of circulation and cell function in all parts of the body, especially in the brain and hearing

apparatus. These specific food substances are so important that any dietary supplement for hearing must contain them to ensure that other valuable substances are properly used. Supplementing with B complex vitamins will help nurture the nerves that conduct hearing impulses and ensure a rich supply of oxygenated blood to the all-important cochlea. Thiamine (vitamin B1) was the first vitamin discovered. A deficiency of thiamine results in beriberi, the most dreadful manifestation of gross deficiency. As with many vitamins, simply avoiding the major deficiency diseases not the only benefit of this vitamin. Thiamine is necessary for the formation of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), a coenzyme enters into the cycles which convert sugar products into energy in every cell in the body. This cycle must be going on constantly in brain cells, or they die. Numerous studies have shown thiamine deficiency among elderly, undoubtedly contributing to the tendency toward hearing loss. Any excess of thiamine is cleared by the kidneys and consequently, an excess is not considered toxic. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is a component in flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) a necessary factor in the utilization of oxygen in the cell energy generation cycle. While thiamine is a fat-soluble preventive of beriberi, riboflavin is a water-soluble preventive. Many vital enzymes, more than 100, involved in energy derivation contain FAD and its derivatives. It is good insurance to have riboflavin supplementation. No case of toxicity of riboflavin in humans has been reported. Niacin (vitamin B3) provides nicotinamide in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and its derivatives, all vital in the transfer of energy in cells. While niacin itself will not cure beriberi, it facilitates the curing action of thiamine and riboflavin. Furthermore, niacin will prevent another deficiency disease, pellagra, which manifests as skin lesions and soreness of the mouth. Here again, there is more value to be derived from this vitamin than just the prevention of overt deficiency disease. More than 200 enzymes containing the NAD materials are known to catalyze reactions in the human body. Many of these reactions help nerve and hearing function cells operate at optimum efficiency. Toxicity from niacin is noticed when human dosage is above 2 grams (= 2,000 milligrams) per day, much higher than the supplementation found in the various 16

fortified foods and dietary supplements a person might take. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) is the food component we eat to produce pyridoxyl phosphate (PLP) which enters into the metabolism of the nitrogen which occurs in all protein molecules. As proteins are used and replaced by new proteins in muscles and in enzymes, the disposal of the nitrogen-containing fragments of the old proteins becomes important. PLP become an indispensable agent in this disposal process. The maintenance of these proteins in the enzymes is vital for the functions of the energy transformation necessary in brain and hearing function. Like other components of the B-complex group, the toxicity of pyridoxine is very low. Folic acid, also called folicin, supports energy production in hearing cells and promotes circulation to the ears. The deficiency disease associated with the lack of folic acid is called megaloblastic anemia. Folic acid is required to prevent cardiovascular disease, neural tube defects, and various forms of cancer. Women may have a deficiency during the ages of 16 to 40, while men may not show deficiency until they are age 60. In any event the contribution of folic acid to the health of the heart and the circulatory system mandates its use in preventing age-related hearing loss. Folic acid is generally regarded as a non-toxic vitamin. Most of the Vitamin B12 naturally circulating in the blood plasma is in the active coenzyme form known as methylcobalamin or methyl B12. But when most of us think of vitamin B12, we really have in mind cyanocobalamin or cyano B12 because thats virtually what all vitamin companies use. Its cheaper, but much less efficacious. As its name suggests, cyano B12 has a cyanide group attached, whereas methyl B12 carries a preferred methyl group instead. Before cyano B12 can join this metabolic pool and be properly utilized by the body, it has to be stripped of its cyano group and reduced in a time-consuming, multi-step process by the body... thats why cyano B12 is not very well absorbed by the body. The advantages of methyl B12 (the preferred coenzyme form) over cyano B12 include: Metabolically active and more bio-available by the body; powerful antioxidant; the only form of B12 that helps regenerate central and peripheral nervous tissues damaged in disorders such as hearing loss

due to auditory nerve damage, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and diabetic peripheral neuropathy [It insulates nerve fibers and regenerates damaged neurons]; the only form of B12 which can directly participate in homocysteine metabolism [Homocysteine tends to accumulate in the body whenever B12 gets deficient, and this accumulation has been linked with increased risk of alzheimers disease, cardiovascular disease, chronic fatigue syndrome/fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis, among other conditions];and the only form of B12 that helps generate an increased supply of natural, important SAMe (S-adenosyl methionine) by the body. A lack of vitamin B12 leads to pernicious anemia. Therefore, it can be understood that proper maintenance of blood function depends on this important nutrient which must enter the human body as food or by supplementation. According to a 1999 study, auditory dysfunction is associated with deficiencies in vitamins methyl B12 and folic acid, nutrients that promote healthy nerve function and circulation.39 Another study40 has shown a definite connection between methyl B12 deficiency and loss of hearing and tinnitus. A large study41 involving 522 patients showed that administering methyl B12 along with oxygenation at high pressure to people with sudden hearing loss, gave many patients with complete recovery. The amount of methyl B12 required each day is very small, the daily requirement usually being measured in micrograms. Amounts in excess of the need are without any hazard. Betaine a valuable small molecule and amino acid with the capability of transferring methyl groups. It is chemically related to choline, a compound necessary for all nerve functions. Even though choline can be formed in the body and betaine found in many foods, supplementation with betaine that a plentiful supply is available in the body. Magnesium is required for nearly all energy generation processes in the body, being involved in numerous specific mechanisms. For example, the part TPP plays in the development of energy from sugar derivatives requires also that magnesium be present for the TPP to perform its function. Oral magnesium supplementation has been shown clinically shown to help in the recovery from noise-induced hearing loss. 42 Likewise, Zinc is an essential cofactor in many enzymatic functions involving energy production and transfer. 17

Additional Aids to Support Better Hearing Function

Good Food for Healthy Hearing Good nutrition is essential. Eat a diet that is low in saturated animal fat and refined carbohydrates and include plenty of cold-water fish (i.e. salmon, trout, albacore tuna, herring, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, etc.), whole grains, seeds, nuts, and fresh vegetables and fruits. Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish, canola oil, soybeans, flaxseed, walnuts, and wheat germ. Omega-3s are essential fatty acids that our bodies cannot create without first obtaining them from food. The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids have been touted for years - with documented research. What has brought omega-3 into the spotlight in recent years, however, is the possible protective role in cardiovascular health. And better cardiovascular health means a healthy hearing function. Vitamins A and E also support optimal hearing function.43 Foods that contain vitamin A and E include: Liver, fish liver oils, eggs, carrots, nuts, wheat germ and dark-green leafy vegetables. Make sure that your diet contains plenty of fiber to prevent occasional constipation and keep the bowels clean. Drink 8 glasses of purified water per day. Ears are nourished by the bodys blood supply. Fatty foods can change the blood supply to the ears. In some countries where people eat a vegetarian diet, the people were found to have better hearing even when they were quite old. This is not true in our country. Researchers believe this may be due to our junk food eating habits and noisy surroundings. In some cases, hearing may be improved by reducing salt, which can cause fluids to be retained in the ear. Avoid dairy products, which some alterative practitioners believe create excess mucus in the body, especially in children. Exercises for Optimal Hearing Simple daily exercises can help provide tremendous support for optimal hearing function. Acupressure For Hearing Suppor t Acupressure is an ancient healing art developed over 5000 years ago. You use your fingers to press specific points on the surface of your body and/or head, in order

to stimulate the bodys natural self-defense abilities. The origins of acupressure are as natural as the instinctive impulse to hold your forehead or temples when you have a headache. Most people can recall having used your hands spontaneously to hold tense or painful places on your body or head. More Information for Hearing Health How can we promote our hearing so that we will always enjoy our favorite sounds? If we have healthy ears now, we can do things to keep it that way. Avoid very loud and dangerous noise. Even loud music is a concern. Do not listen to loud music with earphones. Wear earplugs if you are exposed to noise levels that may be harmful to your ears. Place pads under noisy counter top household appliances such as blenders. Wear hearing protectors, special ear inserts, or ear muffs around noisy equipment.

Work in your community to keep it quiet. Let elected officials know that you are concerned about protecting ears and hearing. Be on the alert for possible hearing problems with your children. Does your 3-month-old daughter smile when you speak to her? More and more hospitals are testing newborns for hearing loss. The sooner their disability is discovered and treated, the less likely they are to fall behind in the development of important language and social skills. Educate your children about the danger of loud recreational noise. If your ears frequently tend to get severely blocked with wax, clean them periodically with hydrogen peroxide. Be sure to report any sudden hearing loss to your doctor or audiologist immediately.
All information in this article is for educational purposes only, and should not replace the advice of your physician.
C 2001 HealthCare Laboratories

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