Tinnitus - Supplements

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Tinnitus
Roaring or ringing in your ears may mask other sounds and make it difficult to sleep. What can you do to tame tinnitus and hear clearly again? According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.
  • Rest easy with melatonin

    Improve sleep quality and relieve other symptoms of severe tinnitus by taking 3 mg of this natural hormone every night

  • Think zinc

    See a doctor to determine if you are zinc-deficient; if so, taking 90 mg of this essential mineral per day (along with 2 or 3 mg per day of copper) for three months may help

  • Get a checkup

    Visit your healthcare provider to find out if your tinnitus is caused by a treatable medical condition

Also indexed as:
  • ringing in the ears,
  • ringing in the ears (tinnitus),
  • tinnitus
Alternative Treatments

About this treatment

What Are "Star" Ratings?

a7_3star Reliable and relatively consistent scientific data showing a substantial health benefit.

a7_2star Contradictory, insufficient, or preliminary studies suggesting a health benefit or minimal health benefit.

a7_1star For an herb, supported by traditional use but minimal or no scientific evidence. For a supplement, little scientific support.

Our proprietary “Star-Rating” system was developed to help you easily understand the amount of scientific support behind each supplement in relation to a specific health condition. While there is no way to predict whether a vitamin, mineral, or herb will successfully treat or prevent associated health conditions, our unique ratings tell you how well these supplements are understood by the medical community, and whether studies have found them to be effective for other people.

For over a decade, our team has combed through thousands of research articles published in reputable journals. To help you make educated decisions, and to better understand controversial or confusing supplements, our medical experts have digested the science into these three easy-to-follow ratings. We hope this provides you with a helpful resource to make informed decisions towards your health and well-being.


SupplementAmountWhy
Melatonin
(Insomnia)
Take under medical supervision: 3 mg dailly at bedtime2 stars Supplementing with melatonin may improve sleep quality and relieve other symptoms of severe tinnitus.


2 stars Melatonin

Take under medical supervision: 3 mg dailly at bedtime

Caution: Melatonin is a potent hormone and its long-term safety is not established. Melatonin should only be taken with medical supervision.

Melatonin is a natural hormone that regulates the human biological clock. The body produces less melatonin with advancing age, which may explain why elderly people often have difficulty sleeping11 and why melatonin supplements improve sleep in the elderly.12

Middle-aged adults (average age, 54 years) with insomnia also have lower melatonin levels, compared with people of the same age without insomnia.13 However, there is not much research on the use of melatonin for sleep problems in middle-aged people.

Double-blind trials have shown that melatonin facilitates sleep in young adults without insomnia,14 but not in young people who suffer from insomnia.15However, one trial found that children with sleep disturbances stemming from school phobia had improved sleep after taking 1 mg of melatonin per night for one week, then 5 mg per night for one week, then 10 mg per night for a third week.16

The results of one double-blind trial also indicate that a controlled release melatonin supplement providing 2 mg per day improves sleep quality in people with schizophrenia.17

Normally, the body makes melatonin for several hours per night—an effect best duplicated with controlled-release supplements. Trials using timed-release melatonin for insomnia have reported good results.18 Many doctors suggest taking 0.5 to 3 mg of melatonin one and a half to two hours before bedtime. However, because melatonin is a potent hormone, the long-term effects of which are unknown, it should be taken only with the supervision of a doctor.


SupplementAmountWhy
Zinc
(Zinc Deficiency)
Take under medical supervision: 90 mg daily (with 2 or 3 mg per day of copper to prevent depletion)2 stars For people deficient in zinc, supplementing with zinc may help improve their tinnitus.


2 stars Zinc

Take under medical supervision: 90 mg daily (with 2 or 3 mg per day of copper to prevent depletion)

Zinc supplements have been used to treat people who had both tinnitus and hearing loss (usually age-related). Of those who had initially low blood levels of zinc, about 25% experienced an improvement in tinnitus after taking zinc (90–150 mg per day for three to six months).19 Such large amounts of zinc should be monitored by a doctor. Two controlled clinical trials20, 21 found no benefit from zinc supplementation (66 mg per day in one double-blind trial) in people with tinnitus. However, participants in these studies were not zinc deficient. Preliminary research suggests that zinc supplementation is only helpful for tinnitus in people who are zinc deficient.22 A doctor can measure blood levels of zinc.


SupplementAmountWhy
Coenzyme Q10
Refer to label instructions 1 star For people who are deficient in CoQ10, supplementing with the nutrient may improve tinnitus.


1 star Coenzyme Q10

In a preliminary trial, supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the amount of 100 mg three times per day for 16 weeks significantly improved tinnitus in people who had initially low blood levels of CoQ10. However, CoQ10 was not beneficial for people whose initial blood levels were not low.23


SupplementAmountWhy
Ginkgo
Refer to label instructions 1 star The herb ginkgo may be useful in treating tinnitus.


1 star Ginkgo

Ginkgo biloba has been used to treat tinnitus, with mixed results.24 The largest placebo-controlled trial to date failed to find any effect of 150 mg per day of ginkgo extract in people with tinnitus.25 Two smaller, controlled trials have found that standardized ginkgo extract (120 mg per day, containing 24% flavone glycosides and 6% terpene lactones), was effective at relieving the symptoms of tinnitus.26, 27 One trial failed to find ginkgo beneficial, but used less than 30 mg of ginkgo extract per day, an amount unlikely to have any therapeutic effect.28


SupplementAmountWhy
Periwinkle
Refer to label instructions 1 star Periwinkle contains a compound that has been shown to reduce symptoms in people whose tinnitus is due to poor blood flow.


1 star Periwinkle

Lesser periwinkle(Vinca minor) contains a compound known as vincamine. Extracts containing vincamine have been used in Germany to help decrease tinnitus.29 Preliminary clinical trial data show that vinpocetine, a semi-synthetic version of vincamine, can help reduce symptoms in people whose tinnitus is due to poor blood flow.30 Because these extracts are not widely available outside of Germany, consult with a doctor knowledgeable in botanical medicine about obtaining them.


SupplementAmountWhy
Vitamin B12
Refer to label instructions 1 star Vitamin B12 injections may help reduce the severity of tinnitus in people who are deficient in the vitamin.


1 star Vitamin B12

People exposed to loud noise on the job who develop tinnitus are commonly deficient in Vitamin B12.31 Intramuscular injections of vitamin B12 reduced the severity of tinnitus in some of these people. Injectable vitamin B12 is available only by prescription. The effect of oral vitamin B12 on tinnitus has not been studied.

Last Review: 05-11-2011

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Copyright © 2011 Aisle7. All rights reserved. www.Aisle7.net

Learn more about Aisle7, the company.

The information presented in Aisle7 is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. Self-treatment is not recommended for life-threatening conditions that require medical treatment under a doctor's care. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires June 2011.

© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

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