A recently published study out of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA shines light on how women may be able to reduce their risk of hearing loss by increasing the amount of fish they consume each week.
The study finds that, when compared to women who rarely eat fish, participants who consume at least two servings of fish per week exhibit an associated decreased risk of hearing loss. The women who eat two or more servings per week were able to reduce their risk by 20 percent, according to HealthDay News. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Researchers conducted the study between 1991 and 2009. They followed more than 65,000 women throughout the duration of the study, all of whom kept a detailed record of their eating habits and whether or not they had experienced hearing problems, and when.
The study shows that increasing consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, are associated with cutting hearing loss risk.
"Omega-3 antioxidants, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and vitamin C have been the focus of a growing body of evidence showing potential hearing benefits," Dr. Gordon Hughes, program director of clinical trials for the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, tells NPR.
The inner ear needs adequate bloodflow to function properly and it is thought that omega-3 fatty acids could be beneficial to this process. It was also found that consuming any type of fish could lead to a reduced risk. This could include shellfish, tuna, light fish or dark fish.
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