Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin B12
For the health condition: Hearing Loss

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Vitamin B12 has some scientific basis for its use in supporting or treating hearing loss, particularly in cases where deficiency is present. Several studies have found an association between low levels of vitamin B12 and certain types of hearing loss, such as sensorineural hearing loss and sudden hearing loss. Vitamin B12 plays a role in maintaining the health of nerve cells, including those involved in auditory pathways. Deficiency may lead to nerve damage, which could contribute to hearing impairment.

A few small clinical studies and case reports have demonstrated improvement in hearing or auditory function following vitamin B12 supplementation in patients with documented deficiency. For example, a 1993 study in American Journal of Otolaryngology found that patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss and low B12 levels showed improvement after supplementation. However, larger-scale randomized controlled trials are lacking, and the benefit seems limited to individuals with documented deficiency, rather than the general population.

There is no strong evidence supporting the use of vitamin B12 in individuals with normal B12 levels or as a general remedy for all forms of hearing loss. Most clinical guidelines recommend checking B12 levels in patients with unexplained hearing loss, particularly in older adults or those with risk factors for deficiency, and supplementing only if levels are low. Thus, while there is a plausible biological mechanism and some clinical evidence, overall support is moderate and not broadly applicable.

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