Is there a diet for tinnitus?

Could your diet be causing your tinnitus or ringing in the ears? Chronic tinnitus is not well understood, but some people with the condition report that certain foods and drinks make it worse.

Heavy alcohol consumption has been linked to both hearing loss and tinnitus, but while moderate drinking may not be a problem for some people, it can trigger tinnitus for others.

Additionally, people who experience tinnitus as a symptom of Meniere’s disease may benefit from a low-salt diet, after which it becomes even more obscure. Let’s take a closer look at recent research findings and steps you can take to better manage your tinnitus symptoms.

Has research shown a link between diet and tinnitus?

Studying how nutrients affect tinnitus can be difficult, but several studies have attempted to explore the relationship.

High-fat diet and vitamin B12

A 2020 study asked over 34,000 UK adults to complete questionnaires about hearing loss, tinnitus, and diet. The researchers focused on vitamins and minerals, hoping to find any patterns between the three (they didn’t look at salt intake).

As a result of our investigation, we found the following:

• High intakes of calcium, iron and fat increase the chances of tinnitus.
• However, higher intakes of vitamin B12 and meat were found to reduce the odds of tinnitus.

The researchers suggested that fat intake may affect the health of blood vessels, which are important for hearing.

Low Vitamin D levels

In 2023, a meta-analysis of three observational case-control studies focused on the relationship between vitamin D levels and tinnitus. The analysis found that serum vitamin D was “22% lower in patients with tinnitus compared to those without.” Although further research is needed, this may suggest that low vitamin D is associated with tinnitus.

Protein-rich foods and caffeine

A 2023 Italian study used a 37-item food frequency questionnaire to survey 185 people with tinnitus and 198 people without. Interestingly, a higher intake of caffeine, butter, chicken, prosciutto, and legumes was found to be associated with a lower risk of developing tinnitus.

The researchers suggest that a varied diet rich in protein and with moderate caffeine intake may help prevent tinnitus, but acknowledge that specific dietary recommendations require further research.

Study limitations

These studies highlight the need for more research into the relationship between diet and tinnitus, but no study has established a direct causal relationship. Studies also have limitations: self-reported data may be inaccurate, and participants may not accurately recall their dietary intake or the severity of their tinnitus. Vitamin D studies are unclear whether deficiency causes tinnitus or whether both may be symptoms of another disease.

Additionally, while an Italian study has reported that moderate caffeine intake can help prevent tinnitus, other tinnitus sufferers say caffeine makes their symptoms worse.

Conclusion: The research on tinnitus and diet is inconclusive. You should not drastically overhaul your diet based on one study, and you should not make any major changes before talking to your healthcare provider.

Meniere’s Disease and Salt: Known Triggers

Salt helps the body retain fluids and is an essential electrolyte that we all need in our diet. But moderation is key: eating a lot of salty, processed foods can worsen high blood pressure and fluid retention. This is especially true for people with Meniere’s disease, an inner ear disorder that causes dizziness, hearing loss, and tinnitus (often in one ear). People with Meniere’s disease can reduce their tinnitus with a low-salt diet.

Food diary to track tinnitus symptoms

If you suspect that food may be causing your tinnitus, experts recommend keeping a detailed food and tinnitus diary. It will take time, but it could significantly improve your quality of life.

The British Tinnitus Society says your diary should include specific details about what you eat, such as the types of meat, vegetables, cheese and fish. It’s important to be specific, as you may find that, for example, eating brie triggers your symptoms, but eating cheddar doesn’t.

To find out if a particular food is causing your tinnitus, first avoid it for a week, then reintroduce it, then stop eating it again, and repeat the process to see if there’s a change in your tinnitus.

Keeping a food diary can reveal patterns in your eating and tinnitus, helping you decide whether to change your diet to find relief. This is entirely individual: cutting out red meat or limiting your coffee to one cup a day might help ease your tinnitus, or you might find that food isn’t the culprit at all.

Prioritize healthy eating and quality sleep

Dr. Allison King of Palmetto Family Hearing Center in Waxhaw, North Carolina, has treated many tinnitus patients over her 20-year career. Some patients say that sodium and caffeine make their tinnitus worse, but most don’t see a connection to diet. But that doesn’t mean diet isn’t important.

“I always encourage my patients to eat a healthy, balanced diet,” Dr. King said. “If your tinnitus bothers you at night, avoid consuming caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime. Although there is no evidence that these substances directly affect tinnitus, they do affect sleep patterns.”

She also urges people to avoid taking supplements that claim to “cure” tinnitus: “Research has not provided evidence that any dietary restriction or supplements in any way reduce the perception of tinnitus.”

The relationship between tinnitus and hearing loss

Although diet can also influence the condition, tinnitus is often a sign of hearing loss.

“Hearing loss with tinnitus, even if it is mild, is very common,” says Dr. King. “Tinnitus is actually a symptom, not a disease progression, so tinnitus often occurs to alert patients to changes that are happening in their auditory system.”

Finding help

If tinnitus is interfering with your daily life, visit our directory to find a hearing care professional experienced in treating tinnitus. If it is determined that the cause of your condition is hearing loss, the appropriate hearing aid may help reduce your tinnitus. Additional treatments such as sound masking and stress reduction may also be recommended.

“The best advice we can give patients is to avoid silence, which allows the brain to access other sounds, stay calm and practice stress reduction techniques,” Dr. King said. “Tinnitus doesn’t get worse; it’s our emotional response to tinnitus that changes our perception of it.”

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