The Impact of Diet on Your Hearing: What you eat matters more than you might think

The Impact of Diet on Your Hearing

Can what you eat affect your hearing? 

Overview    |    Blood pressure and your ears    |    Cholesterol matters for hearing   |    Diabetes and hearing loss    |    Tinnitus and nutrition    |    Conclusion 

Last Hearing Aid UK Update:  30/01/2026

Overview

You probably already know that what you eat affects your overall health, such as your weight, your energy levels, and your risk of various health conditions. But here's something that doesn't get talked about nearly enough: your diet also plays a significant role in your hearing health.

The connection isn't always obvious, and it's not as though eating a bag of crisps will immediately make your hearing worse. But the cumulative effects of your dietary choices, particularly around blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, can have a real impact on how well you hear, both now and in the years to come.

Many of the dietary changes that support better hearing are the same ones that benefit your overall health. So whilst you can't eat your way out of existing hearing loss, you can certainly give your ears the best possible chance of staying healthy for longer.

If you're interested in understanding how what's on your plate connects to what you can hear, here's what you need to know.

Blood pressure and your ears

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is one of those silent health problems that affects millions of people without them even knowing about it. It is common to have high blood pressure, especially in older adults, and many haven't been diagnosed because it typically has no symptoms.

High blood pressure has been linked to an increased risk of hearing loss. The delicate structures in your inner ear rely on good blood circulation to function properly. When blood pressure is consistently high, it can damage the tiny blood vessels in your ears, potentially leading to hearing problems over time.

Simple ways to manage blood pressure

The good news is that blood pressure is often manageable through relatively simple lifestyle changes:

• Watch your salt intake:  This is perhaps the most straightforward dietary change you can make. Try not to add salt to your food at the table, and check labels on processed foods; you'd be surprised how much sodium lurks in ready meals, bread, and even breakfast cereals.
• Moderate your alcohol consumption:  Following the NHS guidelines (no more than 14 units per week, spread over at least three days) can make a real difference to your blood pressure.
• Manage stress:  Stress directly impacts blood pressure, so making time for activities you genuinely enjoy, such as reading, walking, spending time with pets, whatever helps you unwind.
• Move your body:  Walking, swimming, yoga, tai chi, and dancing regularly can help lower blood pressure.

As always, speak to your GP before making significant changes to your diet or starting a new exercise routine, particularly if you already have diagnosed health conditions.

Cholesterol matters for hearing

Recent research has shown there may be a connection between high cholesterol and hearing problems. If you have high cholesterol, you're more likely to experience hearing impairment during your lifetime.

This is mainly because high cholesterol reduces blood circulation to your inner ear. Those delicate hair cells we mentioned earlier need a good blood supply to function properly, and if you restrict that supply, you risk long-term damage.

Dietary changes that help

Lowering cholesterol through diet isn't particularly complicated, though it does require some thought:

• Cut down on saturated fats: This means less red meat and full-fat dairy products. You don't have to eliminate them entirely, but moderation is key.
• Increase your vegetable intake:  The more vegetables on your plate, the better. They're not just good for cholesterol, but they provide nutrients your whole body needs.
• Choose fish and white meat:  Fish, particularly oily fish like salmon or mackerel, is excellent. Chicken and turkey are good alternatives to red meat.
• Opt for lower-fat dairy:  Semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, and reduced-fat cheese.
• Stop smoking:  If you smoke, quitting is one of the best things you can do for both cholesterol and blood pressure. The NHS offers support programmes that genuinely help.

Diabetes and hearing loss

If you have diabetes, you're approximately twice as likely to experience hearing loss compared to someone without the condition. That's a significant increase in risk, and it's worth understanding why.

Persistently high blood glucose levels reduce the flow of oxygen to your ears, which can cause nerve damage over time. The hearing nerve, like all nerves, needs a good oxygen supply to stay healthy.

Prevention and management

Diabetes can be controlled with medication and dietary changes, but prevention is always better than management. If diabetes runs in your family, regular checks with your GP are important.

If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, the dietary advice for managing it overlaps significantly with the guidance for protecting your hearing:

• Avoid processed carbohydrates:  White bread, white pasta, white rice, as these cause rapid spikes in blood sugar. Wholegrain alternatives are much better.
• Limit artificially sweetened foods:  Chocolates, cakes, sweets, and biscuits. They're fine as occasional treats, but shouldn't be daily staples.
• Focus on whole foods:  Vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and fruits. Building your diet around these gives you the best chance of keeping blood sugar stable.

Tinnitus and nutrition

You may have heard claims about magnesium "curing" tinnitus or certain foods making tinnitus worse. There's currently no concrete evidence that specific foods can improve or worsen tinnitus.

That said, maintaining a healthy, balanced diet is important for overall hearing health, which can indirectly have a positive impact on tinnitus symptoms. If your general health improves, your experience of tinnitus often becomes more manageable, even if the tinnitus itself hasn't changed.

There's also very little evidence that foods negatively impact tinnitus, though moderation is always sensible. Keep an eye on your intake of:

• Sodium (salt)
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Tobacco

Some people with tinnitus find that excessive amounts of these can make their symptoms more noticeable, though this varies significantly from person to person.

If you're concerned about tinnitus, the best approach is to speak with a hearing care professional who can assess your specific situation and provide tailored advice.

Foods that support hearing health

Whilst there's no magic food that will prevent hearing loss entirely, certain nutrients do support the health of your ears. Here's what to include in your diet:

• Omega-3 fatty acids:  Found in oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines) and nuts, omega-3s have been linked to a reduced risk of age-related hearing loss. Aim for two portions of fish per week, and snack on nuts regularly.
• B vitamins:  A deficiency in B vitamins has been proven to increase the risk of high-frequency hearing loss. 

• Vitamin C:  Vitamin C strengthens your immune system and reduces the risk of ear infections. 

• Potassium:  Potassium is important for how your inner ear converts sound into electrical signals for your brain to interpret. Bananas are famously rich in potassium, but you'll also find it in potatoes, spinach, and beans.
• Zinc:  Zinc has been associated with helping tinnitus symptoms in some people, though evidence is mixed. You'll find zinc in almonds, cashews, chickpeas, and lean meat.
• Magnesium:  Magnesium is believed to protect the delicate hair cells in your inner ear from damage. Good sources include:
• Folic acid:  Folic acid may help slow the onset of age-related hearing loss. Include plenty of leafy greens - spinach, broccoli, asparagus - to get enough of this essential nutrient.
• Antioxidants:  Your ears use antioxidants to prevent cell damage caused by free radicals. 

Lifestyle factors and overall hearing wellness

All the dietary advice in the world won't help much if it exists in isolation, and your overall lifestyle plays a huge role in your hearing health.

Regular exercise, not smoking, managing stress, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting enough sleep all contribute to better circulation, lower inflammation, and healthier blood sugar levels. And all of those factors support the health of your inner ear.

The benefits of looking after your overall health with a varied diet and regular movement are well documented: living longer, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing your risk of developing chronic conditions. But here's one more reason to add to the list: maintaining good hearing quality for years to come, allowing you to enjoy your life at full volume.

Conclusion

The relationship between diet and hearing isn't straightforward cause-and-effect, but it's real and significant. What you eat affects your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, all of which impact your inner ear.

The dietary changes that support hearing health are remarkably similar to those that support overall health: more vegetables, more fish, less processed food, less salt, moderate alcohol consumption, and not smoking. 

And if you're concerned about your hearing, whether related to diet or not, getting it checked is straightforward and will help make informed decisions about your hearing health going forward.