The underlying foundation of noise-induced hearing loss may seem well-understood. A fairly obvious cause-and-effect relationship is suggested by the name, after all. The universal understanding is simply that loud sounds damage the hearing mechanisms in the ear, leading to long-term and permanent hearing loss.
And while that’s true, the mechanisms underpinning that cause haven’t always been so well established. But because of recent research, we’re developing a deeper understanding of noise-induced hearing loss, and this includes the role of zinc intake after being exposed to loud noises. Hearing loss and zinc regulation have an important link according to this research.
How is hearing loss impacted by zinc?
Zinc is a mineral needed for carrying out necessary bodily functions and the majority of people have plenty of it. Healthy amounts of zinc are linked to a well-functioning immune system and play a part in how well your brain translates chemical signals. In most instances, a person’s diet supplies enough zinc.
The link between zinc and hearing loss might, at first glance, be difficult to recognize. After all, it isn’t immediately clear what role zinc plays in your hearing. However, a unique experiment has shed some light on what’s happening.
Researchers exposed mice to loud sounds and carried out a few analyses afterward. In mice, as with humans, the sensitive mechanisms of the ear become damaged when exposed to loud sound. For humans, sound will initially become impermanently muffled. As an individual is regularly exposed to loud noise, this damage will become more extreme and lasting. In both mice and humans, the body isn’t capable of healing or repairing this damage.
After taking some blood samples from the mice, some intriguing results in terms of free-floating zinc were revealed.
Is hearing loss caused or helped by zinc?
Scientists now have a greater picture of how the symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss occur because of this research. Typically, zinc in the body is molecularly bound. During the experiment, researchers noticed that zinc became free-floating when the ears were exposed to loud noises and sound-induced stresses. It’s likely the same thing occurs in humans.
This zinc de-regulation winds up causing cellular damage to the inner ear, especially to the parts of the inner ear in control of clear hearing. Scientists are now thinking that this is one of the mechanisms that causes hearing damage related to noise exposure.
Managing hearing loss
As scientists gain a deeper understanding of this, they might be able to develop novel approaches to prevent hearing loss in people who are frequently subjected to loud noise. However, it may be some time before those developments become a viable reality. But that doesn’t mean your ears can’t be protected.
So, you may be asking: how can I prevent noise-related hearing loss?
Here are several measures you can take to protect your hearing:
- Limit your exposure to loud sounds: Sporting events, concerts, and jet engines fall into this category. But there are some more commonplace noises that can cause hearing loss that may be surprising, and that includes things like a leaf blower, traffic, or people speaking loudly in a bustling office.
- Use ear protection: If there are loud settings you want to be in, or merely can’t avoid, ear plugs and ear muffs can help lessen the damage. If you attend that concert, for example, use a pair of ear plugs to ensure you can still hear, but that your ears don’t become irreversibly damaged as a consequence.
- Routinely check in with your hearing specialist: Undergoing a hearing screening (and regularly checking in with us) can help identify damage early.
Protect your ears by understanding causes
Can noise-induced hearing loss be cured? Sadly no. This form of hearing loss and tinnitus cannot be cured, though it can be managed very effectively. Strategies developed to keep your hearing safe will be more successful the better you understand the mechanisms behind hearing loss.
Although this research is promising, we still have a ways to go. But we seem to be getting closer to understanding. Your direct role is to get your hearing examined and use ear protection.