Say yes to the extra shot of espresso – caffeine linked to lower risk of tinnitus
Love your cappuccino or a straight shot of espresso but worry how caffeine affects you? In terms of your hearing health, we are pleased to share some good news. Research shows that caffeine from coffee or tea may be connected to lower risks of tinnitus in women and to living longer in healthy adults. So if you ever needed an excuse to drink more coffee, read on.
Research reveals good news for coffee and tea drinkers
According to the American Journal of Medicine1, in a study of more than 65,000 women, caffeine has positive associations with your hearing health. Specifically, over a period of 18 years, women who had higher intakes of caffeine showed lower incidence of tinnitus. In fact, those who drank less than 150 mg (approximately an 8-ounce cup of coffee) a day showed higher rates of tinnitus.
Why is this important?
Tinnitus, a ringing, buzzing or similar noise that individuals hear without anything present producing the sound, can be debilitating. Especially when it presents as a chronic issue. Although some people develop tinnitus after a trauma, for many others the cause is unknown, so preventative measures provide much-needed help.
Too much of a good thing?
But how much caffeine is too much? The study showed that the women who ingested 450 milligrams to 599 milligrams of caffeine daily were 15% less likely to experience hearing loss. Those who consumed more than 600 milligrams were 21% less likely to develop tinnitus. To put it into perspective, to meet the 450-599 mg category, a person would have to consume about four 8-ounce cups of coffee. Casual coffee drinkers are in luck.
Good for your ears – and your heart!
Benefits for coffee lovers do not end with decreased incidence of tinnitus. At a recent meeting of the European Society of Cardiology2, Spanish researchers presented the results of a 10-year study of nearly 20,000 people called the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Project. The results showed that healthy people who consumed a Mediterranean diet and drank more coffee lived longer. Dr. Adela Navarro, a cardiologist at Hospital de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, said in presentation, “In the SUN project we found an inverse association between drinking coffee and the risk of all-cause mortality, particularly in people aged 45 years and above. This may be due to a stronger protective association among older participants.”
You may wonder how much coffee is helpful. Dr. Navarro told the audience that drinking four cups of coffee daily is fine for healthy people.
1http://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(14)00198-3/fulltext
2https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/higher-coffee-consumption-associated-with-lower-risk-of-death
