About 10 percent of adults in the United States have chronic tinnitus, or ringing in the ear, according to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. People with tinnitus may have hissing, ringing or buzzing sounds in the ear. Tinnitus may occur in one or both ears. Some people experience mild tinnitus, but others have loud tinnitus and have difficulty hearing, sleeping and functioning. Vitamins may reduce the symptoms of tinnitus.
Vitamin B1 or Thiamine
Vitamin B1, or thiamine, is important for proper functioning of the nervous system. A lack of thiamine can lead to cognitive difficulties and problems with neural functioning. Some people with tinnitus have reported decreased symptoms after taking thiamine supplements, according to an article in the April 2003 issue of "Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America." The authors noted that thiamine seems to have a calming effect on the nerves in the inner ear.
Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine
Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, is involved in several body functions, including the production of some neurotransmitters, which are chemicals in the body that help transmit signals from one neuron to another. The vitamin is used to treat tinnitus. Some people find a reduction of tinnitus when taking vitamin B6 supplements, according to the "Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America" article. Vitamin B6 seems to reduce tinnitus by having a stabilizing effect on the nerves. Anecdotal evidence only exists for the effectiveness of vitamin B6 in alleviating tinnitus, so research is needed to determine the efficacy of this treatment method.
Vitamin B9 or Folic Acid
Vitamin B9, or folic acid, is an essential nutrient that is an important part of many body functions, such as repairing damaged tissues and developing new cells. Nerves seem to function more steadily with folic acid. Anecdotal evidence suggests that taking folic acid supplements help to decrease tinnitus, according to the "Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America" article. Supplementation with folic acid may require two to three months to achieve a reduction of symptoms. Similar to vitamin B6, research is necessary to support the anecdotal evidence that folic acid relieves tinnitus.
Vitamin B12 or Cobalamin
Tinnitus may be related to a depletion of vitamin B12, or cobalamin. Vitamin B12 is needed to produce myelin, which is a fatty sheath that wraps around nerve fibers. Myelin allows for quick and proper conduction of nerves' electrical impulses. A high number of U.S. Army personnel with chronic tinnitus were deficient in vitamin B12, according to a study in the March and April 1993 issue of the "American Journal of Otolaryngology." Some of the research participants reported a considerable improvement in their tinnitus after taking vitamin B12 supplements.
References
- "American Journal of Otolaryngology"; Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Patients With Chronic Tinnitus and Noise-Induced Hearing Loss; Zecharia Shemesh, M.D., et al.; March and April 1993
- "Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America"; Alternative Medications and Other Treatments for Tinnitus: Facts From Fiction; Michael Seidman, M.D., et al.; April 2003
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Tinnitus
