Research from Brigham And Women’s Hospital in Boston, USA, suggests that servings of two or more fish per week are associated with a lower risk of hearing loss in women. Data on over 65 000 women followed over the period 1991 to 2009, showed that compared to women who rarely consumed fish, those women who had two or more servings per week, were 20% less likely to experience hearing loss. Higher intake of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) showed a similar association.
Dr Sharon Curhan, who led the study, said,“Although a decline in hearing is often considered an inevitable aspect of aging, the identification of several potentially modifiable risk factors has provided new insight into possibilities for prevention or delay of acquired hearing loss. Consumption of any type of fish (tuna, dark fish, light fish, or shellfish) tended to be associated with lower risk. These findings suggest that diet may be important in the prevention of acquired hearing loss.”
(Fish and fatty acid consumption and the risk of hearing loss in women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Online 10 September 2014.)