Whether you enjoy all things chocolate or love picking up an iced latte at Offbeat Coffee Studio to beat the Alabama summer heat, many of us enjoy indulging in caffeine.
While the various health effects of caffeine have been and continue to be debated, one question you may have is whether or not consuming coffee or other caffeinated products can affect your hearing.
Coffee Consumption and Hearing Loss
Too much caffeine can raise blood pressure and restrict your blood vessels, potentially affecting blood flow to the ears. Overall though, it appears having a normal caffeine intake, like 1–2 cups of coffee a day, will not have any real effect on your hearing either way.
However, a 2018 Korean study found that daily coffee consumers between the ages of 40–64 years old actually experienced 50–70% less hearing loss than those who rarely consumed coffee.
While this alone isn’t enough to say coffee can reduce your risk of hearing loss, it seems you can rest easy that your morning cup of joe won’t harm your hearing ability.
What About Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is often described as a ringing in the ear, though people can experience other noises like buzzing, hissing, pulsing and clicking as well. It’s a common condition, with some people only experiencing acute or intermittent symptoms that resolve on their own, while others have chronic tinnitus that can last months or even years.
Tinnitus is a symptom of many other conditions and can be exacerbated by various triggers. For some people, caffeine intake may worsen tinnitus symptoms, either directly or by exacerbating anxiety or worsening sleep, two factors that can also increase tinnitus.
However, that same 2018 study found an inverse correlation between tinnitus and coffee consumption, and other studies have found no relationship between consuming caffeine and an increase in tinnitus symptoms.
If you have tinnitus and notice that your symptoms worsen when you drink more coffee or consume other caffeine products, consider cutting back to see if it helps improve your symptoms. However, there’s no clear evidence that caffeine worsens symptoms for most people with tinnitus, and if you consume it without noticing a change in your symptoms, then you are okay to keep doing so. Instead, consider reaching out to a hearing expert to learn about tinnitus management options.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, call North Alabama ENT Associates today.