Eating Fish May Prevent Hearing Loss

Two studies find omega 3 from fish lowers risk of age-related hearing loss

From Sharon O'Brien, former About.com Guide

You may already know that Omega 3 can lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, reduce inflammation and arthritis pain, and improve brain health.

Now, it appears, Omega 3 from fish oil can also prevent age-related hearing loss as you get older.

People over 50 who eat at least two servings of fish each week are 42 percent less likely to develop age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) than people who consume less than one serving per week, according to an Australian research study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers at the University of Sydney, Australia analyzed the dietary data of 2,956 adults age 50 or older in the Blue Mountains Hearing Study from 1997 through 2004, using food-frequency questionnaires to track the participants' eating habits. The participants also received hearing exams at the start of the study and during follow-up visits.

The researchers found that people in the study who consumed higher amounts of Omega 3 from fish had a lower risk of age-related hearing loss. A second study in the Netherlands, conducted over a three-year period, found similar results.

Why fish, in particular, rather than plants that contain high concentrations of Omega 3?

The Omega 3s found in fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and sardines consist of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). The Omega 3s found in plants, such as flax seeds, walnuts and green leafy vegetables consist of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which must be converted into EPA and DHA.

"There was an inverse association between higher intakes of long-chain n-3 PUFAs and regular weekly consumption of fish and hearing loss," the researchers wrote in their report. "Dietary intervention with n-3 PUFAs could prevent or delay the development of age-related hearing loss."

Although more research is needed to fully understand the correlation between consuming fish-based Omega 3 and age-related hearing loss, these early results suggest another good reason for older adults to make fish a regular part of their diets.