Supplements and Tinnitus

If you have tinnitus you may have been looking for a magic pill or supplement that will make the tinnitus go away. If you listen to the radio or watch TV, you’ve certainly seen ads for products that claim to put an end to tinnitus. Do supplements really help?

Supplements recommended for tinnitus

There are many products marketed as herbal treatments or dietary supplements that treat tinnitus. While they may claim to contain proprietary and special formulations, many of them contain the following common ingredients:

• Zinc: Zinc is a trace mineral sometimes taken to reduce tinnitus. There is no published double blind placebo controlled study showing zinc is effective. If you do take zinc, don’t take it with antibiotics as zinc can prevent your body from absorbing the antibiotic needed to fight infection.

• Melatonin: Melatonin is not an herb or mineral but it is a hormone naturally produced in the human body to help maintain its internal clock. People with tinnitus sometimes have trouble falling to sleep and it is thought that melatonin assists with this problem.

• Ginkgo biloba: Ginkgo biloba is often promoted as a cure for tinnitus due to the belief that it increases blood flow to the head and this greater circulation will stop tinnitus. It is extracted from the leaves of a tree species of the same name. Most studies that prove the efficacy of this herb are not double blind.

Efficacy of supplements for tinnitus 

The highest standard of clinical research is the double blind, placebo controlled study. In these studies, participants are given either a placebo (inactive ingredients) or the study ingredient. Neither the participants nor the clinical staff knows who is receiving the study ingredient or the placebo. This removes chances of bias from the study.

There are currently no peer-reviewed studies that meet these standards proving that these supplements work.

In 2014 the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) issued a tinnitus clinical practice guideline. They recommended against Ginkgo biloba, melatonin, zinc or other dietary supplements for treating patients with tinnitus due to methodological concerns with the research.

This group went so far as to recommend that older people avoid Gingko biloba due to risks with drug interaction and bleeding disorders. 

Best treatment for tinnitus

If tinnitus is a problem for you, the best course of treatment is to consult your hearing professional. Tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying condition and your hearing specialist will be able to determine if undiagnosed hearing loss is the cause.

Your hearing specialist can help with strategies and devices that will help you control your tinnitus symptoms and find relief.

If you have tinnitus, look to your hearing professional and not the vitamin store for relief.