A study of more than 3500 men over a nearly 20-year period has found that folic acid may reduce the risk of hearing loss in men by 20 percent. The results of the study were presented at the 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting in San Diego.
Men are more likely to experience hearing loss than women. The study’s researchers used data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study cohort from years 1986 to 2004, which included 51,529 male health professionals. In this population, the investigators identified 3,559 cases of hearing loss. When they evaluated the nutritional data, they discovered that men older than 60 who had maintained a high folic acid (folate) intake had a 20 percent reduced risk of developing hearing loss. Folate occurs naturally in food; folic acid is the synthetic form found in supplements and as a food additive. Other nutrients, including the antioxidants vitamins C and E and beta-carotene, did not demonstrate any benefit regarding hearing loss.
The daily Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for folate is 400 micrograms for both men and women ages 19 and older. Men who want to help reduce their risk of hearing loss can their recommended RDA of folate through supplementation or by eating food rich in the B vitamin, including green leafy vegetables, lentils, beans, and fortified cereals.