Over 50 million Americans have experienced one or more symptoms of a condition called tinnitus, which manifests as the hearing of sound without a source. These sounds can range from a low roar to a tinny squeal, but are often reported as a high-pitched ring. Tinnitus is generally separated into two forms, persistent tinnitus and bothersome tinnitus. Bothersome is classified as distressing but infrequent, while persistent isn’t easily distressing but frequent. While there isn’t much evidence to suggest that dietary solutions can play a role in improving tinnitus, there is a recognized need to investigate the relationship between diet and tinnitus further. Here are 6 possible dietary strategies to help with tinnitus.

1. Bread

In a recent paper, a cross-section of the middle-aged UK population totaling over 500,000 individuals had their tinnitus evaluated over a period of 4 years. When given a questionnaire about the severity and regularity of their tinnitus, choosing rustic breads like sourdough or other brown breads like pumpernickel over white and wholegrain bread was related to a decently inverse effect on bothersome tinnitus.

2. Eggs

While dairy avoidance failed to register much of a positive effect on tinnitus symptoms, the avoidance of eggs was associated with a small inverse effect on bothersome tinnitus. 

3. Sugar

Avoiding sugar in all forms is a good dietary strategy for everyone not running a marathon or entering into a CrossFit competition. Tinnitus is no exception, and avoiding sugar resulted in better tinnitus symptoms no matter how severe.

4. Oily Fish

As opposed to non-oily fish, mackerel, herring, trout, salmon, sardines, anchovies, cod, and tuna, all resulted in a greater reduction of tinnitus symptoms than did fish like tilapia.

5. Coffee

A different study with an 18 year follow up found that 250 mgs of caffeine or more in the form of coffee was associated with a lower risk of tinnitus in women

6. Alcohol

The correlation between agitation of tinnitus symptoms and alcohol consumption is dramatic according to a study done in a Welsh tinnitus clinic. The study claims that 84% of people with tinnitus reported that it became more severe when consuming alcohol.