Study: Eating fish could help prevent hearing loss

Lean fish has long been lauded for its nutritional value, but a new study suggests fish may have another health benefit: lowering your risk of hearing loss.

A new study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that eating two or more servings of fish a week was strongly linked with a lower risk of hearing loss. The researchers looked at data from 65,215 women gathered from 1991 to 2009, taken from the Nurses' Health Study II. The women who participated in the study reported their diet as well as information about hearing loss and other health conditions.

The findings were stark: No matter what kind of fish the women ate, those who consumed fish were less likely to develop hearing loss. Dr. Sharon Curhan, the study's lead author, told Time that the reason may be because fish help maintain blood flow in the inner ear. Curhan's team isn't yet sure if the results would be similar for males.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up