It has been stated that a glass of wine a day can help to keep the doctor away. Now there is a little more incentive to pour yourself a glass of smooth Cabernet in the afternoon! Researchers have found that a key ingredient in wine could help defend against hearing loss and cognitive decline that can occur naturally through aging.
Doctors from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit have analyzed the potential health benefits that resveratrol, a substance found in red grapes and red wine, possesses. Resveratrol is prevalent in the skin of red grapes, and its health effects on humans has been an area that has yet to be fully explored in the medical field. For the study, the researchers tested a number of healthy rats to see whether being provided with small traces of resveratrol could help protect their hearing when exposed to loud noises.
The doctors discovered that after being given the resveratrol, the rats were less likely to suffer from any long-term symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss after extended periods of time listening to loud sounds. Researchers also alluded to the fact that resveratrol may be able to decrease reactive oxygen species formation, which means that the natural inflammatory process that can occur in the ear after exposure to loud noises is also reduced.
Dr. Michael D. Seidman, the director of the Division of Otologic/Neurotologic Surgery at Henry Ford Hospital and lead author of the study, was enthusiastic about how his research team’s evidence could shape the course of future hearing loss studies.
“Resveratrol is a very powerful chemical that seems to protect against the body’s inflammatory process as it relates to aging, cognition and hearing loss,” Seidman said in a statement. “Our latest study focuses on resveratrol and its effect on bioinflammation, the body’s response to injury and something that is believed to be the cause of many health problems including Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, aging and hearing loss.”
Although further research needs to be implemented toward testing resveratrol’s effects on actual human hearing, the study is another step forward into helping prevent future generations from experiencing hearing loss.
Other ways to help prevent auditory damage
The American Speech-Hearing-Language Association has estimated that there are currently 28 million Americans who are living with some variation of a hearing impairment. This statistic has steadily escalated over the past few decades, which may cause alarm into why more and more people are experiencing hearing loss today. While hearing loss is normally permanent once sustained, there are still preventative measures everyone can take to reduce the likelihood of auditory damage occurring. A few of these tips include:
- Avoid exceeding 50 percent of the capable volume in your headphones
- Wear earplugs if you plan on attending a concert or crowded environment
- Try to refrain from exposing your ears to loud outdoor noises such as fireworks and construction zones
- Schedule frequent hearing screenings with an audiologist
These are just a few of the ways you can make a difference in the fight against hearing loss.
