by Barry Keate

For several years I’ve been hearing discussions about a connection between sugar metabolism disorders, such as Diabetes, and tinnitus. A detailed study from the Federal University of Rio Grande School of Medicine, in Brazil, has brought this dietary connection into sharp focus. It is published in the current issue of the International Tinnitus Journal, Volume 10, Number 1, 2004.

A complete discussion of the metabolic disorders that lead to Diabetes is beyond my expertise and is still being researched and debated by scientists. I have therefore simplified the study and distilled it into something useful for myself and hopefully the readers of this newsletter.

The inner ear, like the brain, is totally without energy reserves. Its metabolism depends directly on the supply of oxygen and sugar (glucose) from the blood supply. Alterations in glucose metabolism therefore have great potential for disturbing the workings of the inner ear. The researchers referenced previous studies showing that between 84 and 92% of tinnitus patients were shown to have a metabolic disorder called hyperinsulinemia.

Hyperinsulinemia is an elevation of insulin levels in the bloodstream. It is a direct consequence of a metabolic disorder known as Insulin Resistance. This is characterized by a reduced biological response to insulin at the cellular level. Insulin becomes less effective in transferring glucose from the bloodstream to the cells. The pancreas then produces more insulin in order to lower blood glucose levels and insulin levels increase. Hyperinsulinemia is known to be related to hypoglycemia and, as it progresses, leads eventually to Type II Diabetes.

There are three standard tests to determine hyperinsulinemia. They all involve having the patient drink 100 mg of pure glucose in a water solution then monitoring blood insulin levels over a period of time. The first test is fasting insulinemia, the second is a two hour test and the third is a five hour test which measures and averages insulin levels every hour. The fasting insulinemia test has been shown to only have an accuracy of 10% for diagnosing hyperinsulinemia. The two hour test has an accuracy of 89% and the five hour test has an accuracy of 99% in diagnosing this metabolic disorder.

Hyperinsulinemia and Type II Diabetes can most often be controlled through diet and exercise. This fact led the researchers to embark on a clinical trial to find if dietary control of hyperinsulinemia would have an affect on the patient’s tinnitus.

They enrolled 80 tinnitus patients who were also diagnosed with hyperinsulinemia into the study. They placed the 80 patients on a minimum 2 year diet designed to restore insulin to normal levels. Patients were asked to eat every three hours to prevent hypoglycemia; to avoid refined sugar and simple carbohydrates; to restrict their intake of fatty foods, especially saturated or hydrogenated fats; to take no more than 2 cups of coffee per day, limit intake of alcoholic beverages and drink four to six glasses of water per day.

The end results of this study are quite remarkable. The researches found that, of the 80 patients enrolled, 59 had followed the diet for the minimum of two years and 21 had not. In the patients that followed the diet, improvement of tinnitus was 5 times greater than in those who did not follow it. Specifically, of those who adhered to the diet, 24% had no improvement, 22% had some improvement, 39% had significant improvement and 15% had resolution of their tinnitus; it completely disappeared. Over 50% of the patients who adhered to the diet had significant improvement or complete resolution.

Of those who did not adhere to the diet, 86% had no improvement, 0% had some improvement, 14% had significant improvement and 0% had resolution. Overall, of those who adhered to the diet, 76% had improvement ranging from moderate to complete elimination, while in those who did not adhere, 14% had improvement.

The researchers continued to state that carbohydrate disorders are one of the probable causes of Meniere’s disease as well as tinnitus. They said that while tinnitus can be managed with diet and exercise, dizziness is the symptom that diminishes the most with metabolic control.

They conclude by urging physicians who treat tinnitus patients, to give them a thorough investigation for metabolic disorders, using the 5 hour glycemic and insulinemic curves, and to urge their patients who have these disorders to adjust their diet and lifestyles to manage insulin levels, thereby reducing tinnitus and Meniere’s disease symptoms.

Michael Seidman, MD, noted tinnitus authority, has long advocated regular exercise and diet restrictions for those people with tinnitus. Dr. Seidman states, “It is imperative that people with tinnitus adhere to an excellent diet based on all food groups and that they reduce or eliminate their use of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, fatty foods, salt and simple sugars (such as refined carbohydrates)”. Dr. Seidman also endorses the use of Arches Tinnitus Formulas for the reduction of tinnitus symptoms recognizing that a "multi-modality” approach is very effective.

So, put away the pastries, limit white bread, forego the ice cream and go for a walk. Eat more vegetables and fruits and avoid as much as possible processed foods which are often high in fat and salt. If you have a particularly disturbing case of tinnitus, consult with your doctor about possible metabolic disturbances and a specific diet that can help. And remember Arches Tinnitus Formulas have been clinically proven to reduce tinnitus for most people and can significantly reduce neurological and cardiovascular damage caused by Diabetes related metabolic disorders.