Vitamins and Supplements for Hearing Loss and Tinnitus: Do They Actually Work?

The direct answer

No supplement has been shown to bring back hearing that has been lost to damaged inner-ear hair cells, and none is a proven cure for tinnitus. What can help is treating a real deficiency or medical cause that a doctor has confirmed. Everything else, including many 'hearing support' capsules, oils and tonics sold online, is unproven and usually a waste of money.

What the evidence says, supplement by supplement

• Vitamin B12: deficiency is linked with hearing problems and tinnitus in some people. If a blood test shows you are low, correcting it is worthwhile. If your level is normal, extra B12 will not improve hearing.
• Folate (B9): similar story. It matters if you are deficient, but there is no proof that extra folate restores hearing.
• Magnesium: small studies have looked at protection against noise damage, but the evidence is not strong enough to recommend it as a treatment.
• Ginkgo biloba: reviews of the research have found no reliable benefit for tinnitus or hearing loss.
• Zinc: reviews have not found a benefit for tinnitus, and too much zinc causes its own problems.
• Antioxidant blends (vitamins A, C, E and others): studied for noise and drug-related damage, but results are inconsistent and not established for routine use.
• 'Cure hearing loss' products: herbal oils, drops and capsules making bold claims have no scientific backing. Be especially wary of ones that promise to 'reverse' hearing loss.

When a supplement is worth considering

• A blood test confirms low vitamin B12, folate or vitamin D, and your doctor advises correcting it.
• You have a diet that lacks certain nutrients, for example a strict vegetarian diet and B12.
• You are taking a treatment plan from an ENT or physician that includes a specific supplement.

Risks of self-medicating

• Delay: time spent on capsules is time not spent on a proper test, and some causes are treatable only if caught early. Sudden loss is an emergency. See sudden hearing loss.
• Side effects and interactions: high doses of some vitamins and minerals are harmful, and ginkgo can interact with blood thinners.
• Some medicines harm the ear. Large or long-term doses of aspirin and certain other drugs are ototoxic. See medicines that damage hearing.
• Cost: hearing supplements are a large, poorly regulated market.

What does help

• A hearing test to find out what type of loss you have and why. Book a free hearing test.
• Treating medical causes such as wax, infection and fluid.
• Hearing aids for permanent sensorineural loss.
• Protecting your hearing from noise, and managing diabetes and blood pressure. See diabetes and hearing loss.
• For tinnitus: sound therapy and counselling. See tinnitus treatment options that work and causes, myths and help.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting any supplement.