Low Folate Linked to Hearing Loss in Elderly

ALEXANDRIA, Va.Elderly individuals with low serum levels of folic acid may have an increased risk of age-related hearing loss (ARHL), according to a new study published in the December 2010 issue of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.

ARHL affects more than 28 million Americans between the ages of 60 and 74 dealing with the loss, and the findings show that low serum levels of folic acid among elderly people are significantly associated with hearing loss in high frequencies.

"Based on our research, age-related hearing loss may be associated with poor micronutrient status. The role of folate in cellular metabolism, the nervous system, and vascular function are important for the auditory system," said study author Akeem Olawale Lasisi, MBChB, FWACS, FMCORL.

The study included interviews with 126 elderly Nigerian men and women age 60 or older who had no known medical conditions and had been examined by physicians. The study excluded those who were found to have a history of diabetes, stroke, hypertension, ear diseases, ear infections, ear trauma, ear surgery, or exposure to noise and ototoxic drugs such as aminoglycosides, antibiotics and diuretics.