Maintaining a good hearing
The ear is a complex organ that has a very important job - turning the sounds around us into nerve impulses that the brain can interpret. The outside of the ear catches the sound and directs it to the eardrum, which causes vibrations.
LISTEN These vibrations are conducted into the inner ear, which moves sound through fluid that is lined with specialized nerve cells called hair cells, which are sensitive to movement. Electrical impulses generated in the inner ear travel up your auditory nerve to your brain for translation. Our ear is a beautifully designed instrument, but ageing and environmental damage can cause the structures inside the ear to gradually deteriorate, reducing our ability to pick up sounds. Over 400 million people world wide have disabling hearing loss and almost 10% of them are children. It's estimated that by 2050, 1 in 10 people will have disabling hearing loss.
CAUSES OF HEARING LOSS
Environmental Damage: According to the WHO (World Health Organization) 1.1 billion people worldwide are at risk for hearing loss due to serious threat posed by exposure to recreational noise.14 And the implications of hearing loss are much greater than most people think. In a 2013 study, scientists tracked. the overall cognitive abilities (including concentration, memory, and planning skills) of nearly 2,000 older adults. After 6 years, those who began the study with hearing loss severe enough to interfere with conversation were 24 percent more likely than those with normal hearing to see their cognitive abilities diminish. Essentially, the researchers stated, hearing loss seemed to speed up age-related cognitive decline.15 If you are impacted by noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), or chronic tinnitus (ringing in the ears), you understand the debilitating impact on your hearing and quality of life. NIHL can be caused by a one-time exposure to an intense “impulse” sound, such as an explosion, or by continuous exposure to loud sounds over an extended period of time, such as generated in a mine or manufacturing plant. Recreational activities such as target shooting, motorcycle racing, and attending loud concerts can also put you at risk for NIHL. Experts are especially concerned with the dramatic increase in the level of noise children are exposed to in the age of iPods. Sound is measured in units called decibels; and exposure to high decibel sound damages hearing by damaging hair cells. When exposed to loud noise, hair cells release a burst of oxidative stress, which causes their eventual death. See below the average decibel ratings of some familiar sounds.
- 45 decibels The humming of a refrigerator
- 60 decibels Normal conversation
- 85 decibels Noise from heavy city traffic
- 95 decibels Motorcycles
- 105 decibels An MP3 player at maximum volume
- 120 decibels Sirens
- 150 decibels Firecrackers & firearms
Age Related Deterioration Age-related hearing loss (Presbycusis) affects 40% of the elderly population, and is becoming more prevalent. Presbycusis refers to hearing loss associated with the cochlear degenerative process of ageing. Because it’s associated with cellular senescence, it progresses slowly and may not be noticed. There is a lack of understanding of this disease process. At present, clinicians can only use family history, the history of onset and progression, and the results of audiometric testing to determine the degree of impairment to estimate the potential for future hearing loss. But optimal monitoring and management, including the use of hearing aids for sound amplification, can help maintain the quality of life for many patients.
NUTRIENTS FOR BETTER HEARING Numerous clinical studies have shown that specific nutrients can help improve hearing loss, and can help reduce future age-related hearing deterioration.
| Found in Pro Vitality and... | Nutrient | Ear & Hearing | |
| Vitamin A&D 100 capsules | Vitamin A | Shown to help reduce risk of hearing loss by 47% versus control group | |
Vitamin B Co. SR 60 tablets | Vitamin B | Poor folic acid and vitamin B-12 status may impair the myelination of the neurons in the cochlear nerves, and is correlated to poor results in hearing testing. | |
Vitamin C SR | Vitamin C | Laboratory studies show that vitamin C and carotenoids may help preserve hearing function | |
| Carotenoid Complex 90 capsules | Carotenoids | Laboratory studies show that vitamin C and carotenoids may help preserve hearing function | |
| Chelated Cal-Mag 90 tablets | Magnesium and Vitamin D | Expands blood vessels and improves blood circulation to the hair cells to help prevent their death.25 Vitamin D helps strengthen the tiny bones in the ears, and helps reduce hearing loss by reducing osteopenia | |
| Vitamin E 200 I.U. 60 capsules | Vitamin E | Shown to help reduce risk of hearing loss by 14% versus control group | |
| Omega-3 Salmon Oil Plus 90 capsules | Omega-3 Fatty Acids | Studies have shown that dietary intervention with Omega-3 fatty acids can prevent or delay the development of age-related hearing loss. | |
| Chelated Zinc 100 tablets | Zinc | Helps improve recovery time after sudden hearing loss |
