Researchers have released a new study about the relationship between chocolate consumption and hearing loss. Initially, doctors in Korea hypothesized that eating chocolate could protect against both hearing loss and tinnitus. To explore this hypothesis, they evaluated data from 3,575 middle-aged participants (aged 40-64) in regard to both their hearing health and chocolate consumption.
They found that the rate of hearing loss was significantly lower among those who ate chocolate regularly, at 26.8%, than in those who did not eat any chocolate, at 36%. The researchers attribute the difference in the rate of hearing loss to the antioxidants contained within chocolate that have an anti-inflammatory effect.
The study also discovered that only chocolate possesses anti hearing loss properties, and sweets without cocoa do not have any positive effects on one’s hearing. While chocolate does not have any demonstrably positive effects on tinnitus, it also does not exacerbate tinnitus related annoyance.
