Exposure to loud noises and aging aren’t the only factors that can lead to hearing loss; our bodies are complicated, and sometimes underlying conditions in the body can lead to hearing loss. There have been a few recent studies exploring the connection between iron deficiency and hearing health: one study found that the odds of hearing loss were 55% higher in individuals with iron deficiency anemia compared to individuals who were not anemic, and another found that 90% of patients with the most common type of hearing loss were also diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency anemia itself is very common—almost 10% of the population is anemic—so let’s discuss this connection between hearing health and iron deficiency.
What Is Iron Deficiency Anemia?
Your body needs iron to function, and when you don’t have enough, you can develop Iron Deficiency Anemia, or IDA for short. Your body uses iron to generate hemoglobin, a molecule in your red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body. A lack of iron means insufficient hemoglobin, which in turn means oxygen isn’t getting to the places where your body needs it. Your heart may work harder and faster to compensate for the lower oxygen levels.
Symptoms of IDA include:
- Fatigue or brain fog
- Shortness of breath
- Elevated heart rate
- Chest pain
- Headaches
- Muscle cramps
- Cold hands and feet
How Does IDA Affect Hearing Health?
The ear is very sensitive to blood flow and oxygen levels, so if those change, it can significantly affect the ear. This can lead to tinnitus or permanent hearing loss.
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is a common side effect of IDA. As mentioned above, when your body is low on hemoglobin, your heartbeat speeds up to pump more blood around the body to make up for the low oxygen levels. Elevated heart rates can lead to tinnitus, a ringing or whooshing sound in the ear with no apparent external factor. In the case of IDA-caused tinnitus, you’re essentially hearing your heartbeat in your ear.
Hearing Loss
The organs in your inner ear need oxygen and healthy blood flow in order to receive sound waves and transmit them to the brain. If that blood flow changes or oxygen levels are diminished, the inner ear can sustain damage. Damage to the inner ear is irreversible, leading to permanent hearing loss.
What Causes IDA?
Not getting enough iron from your diet or heavy blood loss are two leading causes of IDA. Groups of people more likely to develop IDA include:
- People who don’t get enough iron from their diet
- Menstruating women
- Babies and young children, especially premature infants
- Kidney dialysis patients
- People with internal bleeding
How Can I Prevent Hearing Loss Caused by IDA?
The best way to prevent hearing loss caused by IDA is to treat the IDA itself. If your body is low on iron, eat more iron-rich foods, such as:
- Red meat
- Pork
- Eggs
- Fish
- Liver
- Tofu
- Beans and lentils
- Peas
- Broccoli
- Spinach and other dark leafy greens
- Dried fruits
You can also take iron supplements. Many success stories exist of people whose tinnitus quieted or even went away entirely once their iron deficiency was treated.
If you’re concerned about how your iron levels might affect your hearing health, consult your doctor for a blood test and call a hearing health professional for a tinnitus test or a hearing test. Call South Valley Ear Nose & Throat – West Jordan today to make an appointment.