Tinnitus is characterized by ringing, buzzing, or roaring sounds in the ears. It affects an estimated 10-25% of adults and often negatively impacts people with this condition by diminishing their quality of life. While there's no cure, treatment can minimize symptoms and provide relief. Magnesium has been touted as a potential remedy for tinnitus.
This article provides practitioner insights and patient experiences to better understand whether using magnesium to treat tinnitus is beneficial.
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Understanding Tinnitus
Tinnitus, commonly called "ringing in the ears," affects more than 50 million people in the United States. It causes individuals with tinnitus to hear sounds that other people don't. Tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying condition, such as ear wax blockage, injuries, or hearing loss. It most commonly affects people ages 40-80.
Symptoms
People with tinnitus may hear the following sounds:
- Ringing
- Humming
- Pulsing
- Clicking
- Rushing
The sounds may be quiet or loud enough to block out other sounds. Tinnitus can also make sleeping or concentrating difficult.
Causes
Potential causes of tinnitus include:
- Age-related hearing loss
- Noise-induced hearing loss
- Earwax blockage
- Ear infections
- Ear trauma or injuries
- Some medications (antibiotics, cancer drugs, antidepressants, NSAIDs)
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
- Eustachian tube dysfunction
- Ménière's disease
- Otosclerosis (bony growth inside the ears)
- Blood vessel disorders
- Vestibular schwannoma (cancerous tumor)
- Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other autoimmune diseases
Tinnitus may come and go due to sleep deprivation, stress, or other lifestyle triggers.
Tinnitus symptoms range in severity from a minor nuisance to significantly hindering the quality of life when left untreated.
The Role of Magnesium in the Body
Magnesium is an essential mineral the human body needs from foods or dietary supplements. Its uses include regulating blood sugar and blood pressure and muscle and nerve functioning. It's also necessary to make bone, protein, and DNA and is involved in more than 300 enzyme reactions in the body.
This essential mineral is also vital for neurological health, including neurotransmitter balance. Magnesium deficiency may cause the following symptoms:
- Headaches
- Migraines
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Muscle cramps
- Muscle contractions
- Seizures
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Personality changes
- Coronary spasms
- Low blood potassium or calcium levels
Individuals who are deficient in magnesium may have a higher risk of osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for magnesium in adults ranges from 310-420 milligrams daily.
Unfortunately, more than 52% of the United States population doesn't meet daily requirements for magnesium. Groups at risk of magnesium deficiency include individuals with type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, and alcohol dependence, as well as older adults.
Magnesium and Tinnitus: The Science
Magnesium deficiency and tinnitus may be linked based on research. Studies examining the association between magnesium and tinnitus report the following results:
- While there's no cure for tinnitus, various combinations of magnesium and other supplements have been used as potential treatments.
- Using magnesium and other dietary supplements may improve sleep and produce positive outcomes on tinnitus reactions in some individuals.
- Some researchers report magnesium supplements may enhance hearing loss recovery, but the mechanism is unknown.
- Other studies show that magnesium could have a beneficial effect on reported tinnitus-related handicaps.
- Blood magnesium levels were lower in patients who self-reported tinnitus.
- Magnesium deficiency increases the risk of ototoxicity (inner ear damage from medication) and noise damage. Researchers report that magnesium's pharmacology and neurochemical roles need to be clarified.
- However, inconsistencies have been reported when using magnesium to reduce tinnitus, and some researchers do not recommend using supplements to treat it.
Researchers suggest possible mechanisms by which magnesium may affect hearing, including its role in the permeability of calcium channels, the release of glutamate, and its effect on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the auditory nerve.
Specific potential mechanisms of action might include calcium antagonism, antioxidant properties, vasodilation (improvement of blood flow), neurotransmitter regulation, and anti-NMDA effects.
Studies found that magnesium therapy is a safe, well-known treatment that may be useful for improving hearing impairment and tinnitus associated with it, particularly in individuals with magnesium deficiencies.
Practitioner Insights: How Magnesium Cured My Tinnitus
While research studying magnesium's effects on tinnitus is limited, personal testimonies and case studies support its use for improving hearing and reducing ear ringing.
- Practitioners have reported success when using magnesium to treat tinnitus in their patients.
- When researchers interviewed patients with subjective tinnitus, they found that magnesium supplementation reduced symptoms.
- The American Tinnitus Association reports that decreased serum magnesium levels are linked to tinnitus, and magnesium supplements may improve ear functioning with beneficial effects on tinnitus perception.
- While there are no established dosage recommendations for magnesium supplementation as a treatment for tinnitus, the tolerable upper intake level for magnesium is 350 milligrams daily for dietary supplements in individuals ages 9 and older. However, studies examining the effects of magnesium on tinnitus have used higher doses of more than 500 milligrams per day.
- Ingesting excessive magnesium from supplements may cause diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramping, low blood pressure, vomiting, facial flushing, depression, fatigue, muscle weakness, irregular heartbeats, difficulty breathing, and even cardiac arrest.
- Furthermore, magnesium supplements can interact with some medications.
Practitioners have recommended the following supplements to treat tinnitus:
However, the evidence supporting this use of supplements is mainly anecdotal based on patient reports.
Patient Experiences with Magnesium
Different forms of magnesium exist, including oral, intravenous (IV), topical, and dietary (magnesium-rich foods). Many practitioners recommend combining high-magnesium foods with a multivitamin supplement containing magnesium to meet daily requirements or additional magnesium supplements for individuals deficient in this essential nutrient.
Researchers have found that patients asked about the severity of their tinnitus reported improvements in symptoms after taking 532 milligrams of magnesium daily for three months under medical supervision.
Patients treated with magnesium also reported hearing improvements. Those with complaints of tinnitus had lower levels of blood magnesium.
Practical Advice for Patients
Tips for increasing magnesium include:
Magnesium Supplements
Various types of magnesium supplements exist. Recommended forms (because the body absorbs them more readily) include magnesium citrate, lactate, and gluconate.
Choose brands that are third-party tested for purity, including NSF-certified dietary supplements and Informed Choice-approved magnesium.
Magnesium-Rich Foods
It's also essential to eat an array of magnesium-rich foods in the diet, including:
- Nuts, seeds, and nut butters
- Spinach and other leafy greens
- Fruits
- Cereals
- Oatmeal
- Legumes
- Soy milk
- Yogurt
- Rice
- Potatoes
To optimize health outcomes, combine high-magnesium foods with supplements (as directed by a healthcare provider) and other healthy lifestyle changes.
Addressing Common Concerns and Myths
Common misconceptions regarding magnesium as a treatment for tinnitus include:
Myth: Tinnitus can be cured.
Fact: While there's no cure for tinnitus, some treatments reduce the bothersome symptoms of ringing in the ears.
Myth: I can take as much magnesium as I want to.
Fact: Magnesium overdose is possible. Avoid exceeding 350 milligrams of magnesium daily through supplementation unless a healthcare provider recommends it. Always check in with a medical specialist before taking dietary supplements.
Myth: Supplementing with magnesium always eliminates tinnitus.
Fact: Magnesium supplements may help ease tinnitus symptoms in some individuals, but studies are mixed and often subjective.
Taking magnesium supplements to treat tinnitus has some limitations, as only some who use magnesium experience the desired outcomes. Seek medical advice before trying magnesium supplements or if tinnitus persists despite trying new treatments.
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Key Takeaways
- Over half of the United States population fails to meet daily minimum magnesium RDAs.
- Magnesium supplementation shows promise in reducing tinnitus (ringing in the ears), particularly in magnesium-deficient people and those with hearing impairment.
- However, excessive amounts of magnesium via dietary supplements could cause adverse side effects and health problems.
- Individuals should consult with a healthcare provider before taking dietary supplements for tinnitus, including magnesium supplementation.
- Under the guidance of a healthcare professional, it's usually safe and effective to take recommended doses of magnesium supplements as a holistic medicine approach to tinnitus management.
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