title: Associations between diet and both high and low pure tone averages and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in an older adult population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence from animal models suggests that redox homeostasis (the balance between oxidative stressors and antioxidants) and vascular health are important in the pathogenesis of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and that dietary nutrients that have roles in these processes could influence the susceptibility to SNHL.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine associations between total nutrient intakes and auditory function outcomes in an older human population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive characteristics and dietary data from food frequency questionnaires were collected in a cross-sectional study design and analyzed for associations with auditory function outcomes (i.e., otoacoustic emissions and pure tone audiometry measured in a sound-treated room by an audiologist).
  
  
  METHODS
  2111 adults, 49-99 yr of age
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher carbohydrate, vitamin C, vitamin E, riboflavin, magnesium, and lycopene intakes were all significantly associated with larger TEOAE amplitude and better pure tone thresholds. Higher cholesterol, fat, and retinol intakes were significantly associated with lower TEOAE amplitude and worse pure tone thresholds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that nutrients with known roles in redox homeostasis and vascular health are associated with auditory function measures in a human population. Further investigation is warranted to determine direct and indirect influences of dietary intake on measures of auditory function and to explore which nutrients/nutrient combinations are predictive of SNHL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, TN, USA. christopher.spankovich@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spankovich
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.forename: Heidi J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Silver
authors.forename: Warren
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.forename: Victoria M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Flood
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D004032:Diet; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats