Vitamin B12 Deficiency & Age-Related Hearing Loss

Loss of hearing is a significant concern among the elderly population. As the number of individuals within the elderly population is expected to grow significantly in the next decade, the issues involving hearing loss are becoming a public health concern.

For some elderly adults, the loss of hearing may be associated from many years of lifestyle abuse upon the ears, or may be attributed to disease. For some, however, the loss of hearing may simply be attributed to a vitamin deficiency that has occurred over many years. For elderly adults, the deficiency of vitamin B12 is quite common and may be the underlying factor that results in age-related hearing loss.

As a side effect of vitamin B12 deficiency, many older adults report the initial symptoms of hearing loss to be complications of tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, followed by auditory hallucination development. If you, or someone you love, is experiencing these symptoms, it may be prudent to seek the medical attention of your family practitioner. With proper diagnostic studies, the serum vitamin B12 levels can be tested to determine if a deficiency is the underlying cause for these complications.

Fasting before a vitamin B12 serum test is important as a diet that is high or low in protein may lead to false-positive or false-negative blood tests. Additionally, because most age-related hearing losses are associated with the cochlea complication, damage to myelin may also distort any auditory tests that are done.

Without proper testing and intervention, by supplementing with vitamin B12, many older adults experience a decline in hearing. Because the supplementation of B12 will not restore hearing, the focus upon treatment should be one that involves prevention and early diagnosis. Therefore, as the aging process continues, it is important to maintain healthy levels of vitamin B12 throughout the course of your life.