There are those questions that pop into your head on a rainy Tuesday night when you really just wanted to eat a plate of pasta. Like, does my diet affect how well I hear? And especially if you eat vegetarian or vegan. Because if you prefer plants to Parma ham, will your ears change? The answer is: yes, it can. Not because broccoli cleanses your eardrums or because zucchini secretly massages auditory nerves, but because nutrition plays a bigger role in your hearing than many people realize. Time to find out.
How nutrition and hearing affect each other at all
Your hearing is not a separate island living its own life somewhere behind your cheekbones. Everything in your body is a kind of cooperating orchestra. And when one of the musicians decides to take a break, it immediately sounds like the conductor is making a stab at it. Your ears depend primarily on good blood flow, stable energy supply and sufficient nutrients to keep doing their job.
A vegetarian or vegan diet can contribute to this positively or negatively, depending on how consciously you eat. Because yes, you can be vegan and still live on three sandwiches without anything in between (very clever) and a bag of bell pepper chips. But of course, that doesn’t do your ears any favors.
The role of vitamins and minerals that keep your hearing going
Your ears love certain nutrients. Not for culinary enjoyment, but simply not to deteriorate. Vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns can be very beneficial in this regard – provided you know what to look out for.
Vitamin B12: the diva of hearing
B12 is known as the can’t-miss vitamin for your nervous system. And your auditory nerve? That, of course, is part of it. B12 deficiency is relatively common among vegans and sometimes vegetarians. And insufficient B12 can lead to poorer signal transmission on the auditory nerve. Plants do not provide B12 by themselves, so supplements or fortified products are not a luxury but a necessity.
Omega-3: the circulatory boost
Omega-3 fatty acids help keep your blood vessels supple. And let your inner ear be one of those divas that can’t stand poor circulation. Vegans and vegetarians often have somewhat lower omega-3 levels because the best known source (fatty fish) is not on the menu. Fortunately, you can easily overcome this with walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed or – even better – algae oil. The latter is basically the fish without fish: same nutrients, zero fins.
Iron: oxygen transport for your ear
Too low an iron level can make you anemic – literally – and that affects your ears. Poor oxygenation means less energy for your hair cells. And those hair cells are responsible for converting sound into electrical signals. You want them to stay in tip-top shape.
Iron is great to get from lentils, beans, tofu, pumpkin seeds and dark green leafy vegetables. Tip: Combine with vitamin C to boost absorption.
Zinc: for repair and resistance
Zinc plays a role in repair processes and the immune system, including in your ear. A deficiency is sometimes linked to tinnitus symptoms or hearing loss. Zinc from plant sources is a little more difficult to absorb, but not impossible. Think nuts, beans and whole grain products.
Are vegetarians and vegans at an advantage?
Believe it or not: on certain levels absolutely. Because a plant-based diet is usually packed with antioxidants. And what are antioxidants? The bodyguards that knock free radicals away from your hair cells as if they were at the door of an exclusive club. Free radicals cause damage in your inner ear, especially with loud noise, age and inflammation. So with plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grain products and unsaturated fats, you’re helping your ears get the VIP treatment.
In addition, vegetarians and vegans are on average healthier in terms of cardiovascular health. And healthy blood vessels mean better blood flow in your ears. That helps against both age-related hearing loss and ringing ears.
And what if you don’t eat optimally?
Well … then the same laws apply to everyone else. If your diet wobbles like a Christmas tree on a crooked table, your hearing is going to see the bill for that in the long run. Insufficient B12, omega-3, zinc or iron? Then your body can’t work as efficiently, and you notice it in all sorts of places – including your ears.
Some complaints that may arise from deficiencies:
- Reduced speech intelligibility
- More quickly suffer from noise or beeping
- Slower recovery processes
- Increased sensitivity to noise damage
Not because veganism is “worse,” but because every diet needs attention. Even a diet where you do eat fish can fall short if you live mostly on kibbeling and bitterballen.
What can you do to support your ears?
You don’t have to suddenly radically change your diet or live in a smoothie bar every day. A few smart choices will get you a long way.
1. Take B12 seriously
Supplements are not optional in a vegan diet. And in a vegetarian diet often just wise.
2. Add plant-based omega-3 sources
Walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, algae oil: small effort, big effect.
3. Eat colorful
The more colors on your plate, the more antioxidants. Your ears feast on them, figuratively speaking.
4. Check your iron and zinc
Regular blood tests can’t hurt. Especially if you are tired a lot, suffer from dizziness or concentration problems.
5. Pay attention to your noise levels
You can eat so healthily – a loud bang on New Year’s Eve or structurally too loud music can still cause damage. Hearing protection remains indispensable. Plant-based or not.
A plant-based diet can help your ears (if done smartly)
You can safely park the myth that vegans and vegetarians are automatically at increased risk for hearing loss next to the idea that carrots give your night vision super powers. Instead, a well-crafted vegetarian or vegan diet has all sorts of benefits for your blood flow, cellular health and immunity – all elements that contribute to healthy hearing.
But as with any diet, balance is important. Because you can eat plants until you see green, but without B12, sufficient omega-3s and adequate minerals, you’re putting your ears out in the cold unnecessarily.
So: eat a variety of foods, listen to your body and protect your ears from noise. Then you’ll have both a clear conscience and a sharp listening experience. And tell me – that sounds like music to your ears, doesn’t it?
