Eating fish reduces the risk of hearing loss in women, a new study by Brigham and Women's Hospital revealed.
Consumption of fish has been tied to various health benefits. According to a report by Mayo Clinic, eating two servings of fish a week can reduce a person's risk of heart attack. Even the American Heart Association recommends people to include fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids in their diet. Omega-3 fatty acids are known for reducing the risk of heart ailments in people. However, an increasing number of researches show that other nutrients available in fish might also be helpful for overall health benefits.
The new research shows that women who eat at least two servings of fish every week can be protected from hearing loss. "Acquired hearing loss is a highly prevalent and often disabling chronic health condition," study lead author Sharon Curhan of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, said in a press statement.
Curhan explained that the loss of hearing is often considered an unavoidable aspect of aging, the identification of several possible modifiable risk factors has provided new insight into possibilities for prevention or delay of acquired hearing loss.
For the study, published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers examined the relation between consumption of total and specific types of fish, long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and self-reported hearing loss in women.
The team tracked 65,215 women from 1991-2009. It noted hearing loss cases in 11,606 women. After comparing with women who did not fish, researchers found that women who had two or more servings of fish per week were at 20 percent reduced risk of hearing loss.
Researchers also examined the women individually. They found that higher consumption of each specific fish type was inversely associated with risk. Higher intake of long-chain omega-3 PUFA was also inversely associated with risk of hearing loss.
"Consumption of any type of fish (tuna, dark fish, light fish, or shellfish) tended to be associated with lower risk," Curhan said. "These findings suggest that diet may be important in the prevention of acquired hearing loss."
