Hearing Loss Pill

February 17, 2009

Take your vitamins the next time you’re getting ready to experience loud noises. University of Florida researchers have found a combination of vitamins and minerals can stop the chemical process in the ear associated with hearing damage.

Colleen Le Prell/UF hearing researcher: “With something like what we’re developing, which is vitamins, minerals, things that are known to be safe already available over-the-counter, someone could easily take a daily supplement. That’s ideal for someone who works in a noisy environment or someone who knows that periodically they’re exposed to noise.”

Results show that key vitamins and minerals could prevent permanent hearing loss even after noise exposure.

Colleen Le Prell/UF hearing researcher: “We did a study where we looked at a combination of salicytate, which is the active agent in aspirin combined with vitamin E, and we found that even up to about three days post noise exposure, we could prevent the permanent changes that are otherwise evident a week to ten days later.”

Researchers have already tested lab animals. Human trials come next. The results could mean a lot to the millions of Americans exposed to noise from everything from Mp3 players to loud engines.

(See related post: )