Is There a Link Between Tinnitus and Vitamin D Deficiency?

Many individuals are surprised to find out that their tinnitus affects far more than just their hearing. Untreated tinnitus has been linked to increased stress, insomnia, depression, and now, a vitamin D deficiency.

According to a 2021 study from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Bydgoszcz, Poland, tinnitus could be linked to lower vitamin D levels. The study included 201 patients and measured tinnitus severity, audiometry, the blood level of vitamin D, and other characteristics.

Interestingly, tinnitus patients with a lower vitamin D deficiency were not only much younger but also had a higher degree of tinnitus severity. The study found that “a large proportion of tinnitus patients suffers from vitamin D deficiency and that the vitamin D level correlates with tinnitus impact.”

If you find that your tinnitus worsens in the autumn and winter months, perhaps you should look into tinnitus management treatments that include vitamin D supplements. Even us in the Sunshine State aren’t safe from vitamin D deficiency!

The Science Part

Tinnitus and a vitamin D deficiency may not be expected to go hand in hand, but their correlation is deeper than you might think.

Vitamin D has several functions throughout the body, including modulating cell growth and controlling large parts of the immune system; a deficiency in this integral vitamin can lead to several autoimmune diseases and infections.

There are vitamin D receptors in your inner ears – a reasonable conclusion from the research team from this study was that a vitamin D deficiency may influence your auditory function, too.

Recent studies have found that a vitamin D deficiency could also be linked to vertigo, hearing loss, and other conflicts within the ear, and with the results of this study, tinnitus could be among them.

How to Fix Both at Once

The study finishes off with that “Although there is a link between vitamin D and tinnitus, a larger study should be performed to assess if vitamin D supplementation may be beneficial to tinnitus patients and to determine the optimal dose of vitamin D to be used in these patients.”

If you have reason to believe that your tinnitus symptoms could be due to a lack of sunlight (it is winter, even if Florida sometimes forgets that), please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for a tinnitus assessment and management consultation.