Can Magnesium Help Prevent Hearing Loss?

FACT CHECKED

People rarely think about their hearing when it’s working well; it’s only when something feels off that we start to take notice. Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic physical conditions in the United States, and the risk increases steadily with age: less than 1% of infants are born with hearing impairment, but about 15% of people 18 and older report difficulty hearing. About one-third of people aged 65–74 are affected, and after age 75, nearly half of adults experience hearing loss.

Treatments and assistive technologies, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants, can help improve communication and day-to-day function, but most types of hearing loss are permanent. Currently, there is no cure. However, there are proven ways to help prevent noise-induced hearing decline. 

Healthy-ear habits include getting regular checkups, avoiding sustained exposure to loud sounds or music, and using protective hearing gear in noisy environments like concerts, construction sites, and sports arenas. 

At present, research into hearing loss is largely focused on rare, monogenic forms of deafness — conditions caused by mutations in a single gene. The most advanced human studies to date target the OTOF gene, which encodes otoferlin, a protein essential for transmitting sound signals from the inner ear to the brain.

Outside of the research world, a small but growing body of research suggests that the mineral magnesium may also play a role in protecting the inner ear. Some studies and experts argue that adequate magnesium intake may support hearing health, particularly in the context of noise exposure and aging. This connection may be particularly relevant as research shows that approximately half of Americans consume less magnesium than they should. 

Here’s what you need to know about the link between magnesium and hearing preservation, including what experts say, what the science shows, and how to get magnesium safely.

Understanding Hearing Loss

Hearing depends on a delicate chain of events: sound waves enter the ear canal, vibrate the eardrum, move the bones of the middle ear, and travel into the fluid-filled cochlea. Inside the cochlea, microscopic sensory cells, called inner and outer hair cells, convert these mechanical vibrations into electrical signals that the brain interprets as sound.

Age-Related Hearing Loss (Presbycusis)

“Age-related hearing loss is the most common sensory abnormality in the world, and it’s the most common form of hearing loss,” says Rick Friedman, M.D, Ph.D., an otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon at UC San Diego Health and a professor of surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine 

This type of hearing dysfunction happens when the chain of events that allow us to hear breaks down. The outer hair cells, which are responsible for delivering sound waves to our inner ear, die off. “They are like God’s hearing aids, so you need louder and louder sound to get the input,” says Dr. Friedman. The inner hair cells, responsible for our ability to understand speech, can get damaged as well. “In this case, you have people who have reasonable hearing by threshold, but can’t understand speech,” he says. Additionally, the synaptic ribbons that allow for neurotransmission break down, making it harder for us to differentiate sounds. 

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

The second most common form of hearing loss, noise-induced hearing loss, can impact people of all ages. This type happens when loud sounds damage the inner ear’s outer hair cells. High-frequency hearing is often the first to be affected, making speech harder to follow in noisy settings. Because this damage is cumulative, repeated exposure to concerts, machine shops, firing ranges, or other loud environments can accelerate decline at any age.

Genetic Hearing Loss

Some hearing loss stems from inherited differences in how the cochlea develops or functions. Dr. Friedman notes that while rare single-gene conditions exist, many forms of hearing loss, including age- and noise-related loss, involve multiple susceptibility genes acting together.

Medication-Related Loss (Ototoxicity)

Certain drugs, including chemotherapy medications, aminoglycoside antibiotics, and some diuretics, can injure the hair cells of the inner ear and lead to permanent hearing loss. 

The Science: How Magnesium May Help

Magnesium, an essential mineral for overall health, is found naturally throughout the body. It supports more than 300 enzyme systems involved in critical biochemical processes, from stabilizing blood sugar to maintaining strong bones. Research also points to a potential protective role in inner-ear function, says Janet Choi, M.D., MPH, an otolaryngologist at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. 

Much of the research on magnesium and hearing loss is limited to animal studies because “we cannot ethically expose humans to damaging noise for research,” explains Hamid Djalilian, M.D., Professor of Otolaryngology at the University of California, Irvine. However, he notes that large population studies echo the pattern seen in research labs: People with optimal dietary magnesium intake generally show better hearing and a reduced risk of noise-related hearing loss.

While more research is needed to understand exactly how — and how well — magnesium can help prevent or improve hearing loss, researchers believe it may contribute to hearing protection through various pathways:

Better Blood Flow

The tiny blood vessels that feed the inner-ear hair cells need a steady supply of blood and oxygen. When that flow is reduced, those cells may get damaged more easily. 

“Magnesium can enhance blood flow to the cochlea, providing better oxygenation and nutrient delivery during periods of high metabolic demand such as loud noise exposure,” says Dr. Choi.

“Magnesium can enhance blood flow to the cochlea, providing better oxygenation and nutrient delivery during periods of high metabolic demand such as loud noise exposure.”

A frequently cited 2002 study on guinea pigs — commonly used in hearing research due to the similarity of their auditory systems to humans — found that the animals had significantly better inner-ear blood flow and oxygen levels following exposure to extremely loud impulse noise when given preventive magnesium. The animals with optimal dietary magnesium also had significantly less hearing loss. Researchers concluded that maintaining healthy magnesium levels may help protect the inner ear from noise-induced impairment of blood flow and oxygenation. 

Cell Protection

Inner-ear hair cells and the neurons that connect them are delicate and can be easily damaged by loud noise or other forms of stress. “Magnesium also appears to stabilize inner-ear hair cells and neurons, especially when they are exposed to acoustic trauma or metabolic stress,” says Dr. Choi.

Another animal study, this one from 2020 and conducted on rats, supports this theory. It found that when rats received diets supplemented with magnesium (along with vitamins A, C, and E), they experienced less cell death in their inner‐ear sensory receptors after noise exposure. 

Reducing Harmful Cell Damage in the Inner Ear

Oxidative stress, an imbalance between harmful free radicals and the body’s ability to clear them, is also a well-known contributor to hearing decline and an area of increasing focus in hearing loss research. 

According to Dr. Choi, “magnesium supports antioxidant defenses that limit the production of harmful free radicals generated by acoustic trauma.”

While magnesium isn’t technically classified as an antioxidant, studies show that a magnesium deficiency in humans can increase oxidative stress throughout the body. One reason may be that magnesium helps stabilize key antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD). SOD plays a major role in neutralizing free radicals that can damage cells, including the delicate hair cells and auditory nerves inside the inner ear. 

Who Can Benefit Most From Magnesium Supplementation? 

While the mechanisms by which magnesium supports healthy hearing have been supported in some animal studies, Dr. Friedman notes that when it comes to humans, “I don’t think there are significant clinical trials to definitively say either way.” 

Still, research on the subject shows promise, specifically for people who may be walking around with low levels of the mineral.

People with a General Magnesium Deficiency 

Overall, “magnesium deficiency is associated with a substantially higher risk of hearing loss,” says Dr. Djalilian. 

The normal range for blood magnesium is typically considered to be 1.7 to 2.2 milligrams per deciliter. “But once normal magnesium levels are achieved,” notes Dr. Djalilian, “additional supplementation does not appear to confer further protective benefit.” 

Since excess intake doesn’t mean extra protection, Dr. Djalilian says the focus for hearing preservation should be correcting a magnesium deficiency rather than supplementation for supplementation’s sake. 

Some research has linked higher dietary magnesium intake with a lower risk of hearing loss, but most of the evidence comes from studies where magnesium was evaluated alongside other nutrients. A study published in 2023 in older adults looked at magnesium in combination with calcium, and an earlier, larger population study found lower risks of hearing loss when magnesium appeared with antioxidants like vitamin C or beta-carotene. 

“About 50% of the U.S. population is consuming less than the required amount of magnesium.”

Because these nutrients were tested together, it’s unclear how much of the benefit was due to magnesium supplementation specifically. But one possible reason magnesium shows up in these associations? “About 50% of the U.S. population is consuming less than the required amount of magnesium,” says Dr. Choi. And that risk is even higher in “older adults, people with diabetes, those under chronic stress, and anyone with a limited diet,” adds Dr. Djalilian.

People with Severe Tinnitus (And Tinnitus Linked to Migraine) 

Tinnitus, a type of hearing impairment, is characterized by ringing, buzzing, or hissing sounds that have no external source. While it can be triggered by factors such as loud noise exposure or certain medications, it’s increasingly understood as a neurological condition. In many people, the issue stems from changes in how the brain processes sound, and it frequently overlaps with conditions like migraines.

Some research has shown that magnesium levels tend to be lower in people with severe tinnitus, as opposed to the general population, suggesting that a deficiency and the disease might be related. One small study following 26 tinnitus patients for three months found that 532 mg of oral magnesium was effective in lessening the perceived severity of their condition. 

Dr. Djalilian notes that those living with a severe form of the condition linked to migraine may find some relief from magnesium supplementation. “In these cases, magnesium isn’t targeting the inner ear cells, but rather working to calm nerve hyperexcitability and restore stability in neural signaling, he says, adding, “When taken at night, it can also improve sleep quality, which is commonly disrupted in those suffering from severe tinnitus.”

“Clinically, we routinely see improvement when magnesium is part of a broader treatment plan, especially in severe tinnitus that is linked to migraine, neuroinflammation, or central sensitization,” Dr. Djaliliam continues. However, “magnesium is rarely effective as a primary therapy for mild to moderate tinnitus,” he adds.

Testing Magnesium Levels

If you think you may be getting less magnesium than you should, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about testing your levels. The blood test for magnesium isn’t likely to be a part of your standard blood work, so it may require a special test. 

However, one challenge with magnesium testing is that even when total body magnesium stores are depleted, blood tests can come back in the normal range: “Low serum magnesium is a good indicator [of true deficiency], says Dr. Choi. However, she says while this is the standard test, “ a normal serum level does not necessarily rule out a mild deficiency.” 

As with many supplements, the best way to determine whether magnesium could help is to discuss your symptoms and blood levels with your doctor.

How to Get More Magnesium Naturally 

Most nutritionists recommend meeting vitamin and mineral needs through food when possible. However, for some people, this can be difficult. If you have a magnesium deficiency and have trouble getting the nutrients you need through your diet, your healthcare professional may recommend an over-the-counter supplement. 

The recommended dietary allowance for magnesium in adults is 310–420 mg per day. The exact recommendation varies by sex (males typically need more), age (we need more as we get older), and pregnancy status (pregnant people often need more per day). You can find your exact recommended daily dose here. 

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Magnesium (Source: NIH) 

Age	Male	Female	Pregnancy	Lactation
Birth to 6 months	30 mg*	30 mg*
7–12 months	75 mg*	75 mg*
1–3 years	80 mg	80 mg
4–8 years	130 mg	130 mg
9–13 years	240 mg	240 mg
14–18 years	410 mg	360 mg	400 mg	360 mg
19–30 years	400 mg	310 mg	350 mg	310 mg
31–50 years	420 mg	320 mg	360 mg	320 mg
51+ years	420 mg	320 mg

*Adequate Intake (AI)

Look for magnesium in fibrous foods like nuts, beans, seeds, and leafy greens. Good sources of magnesium include pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds, spinach, cashews, peanuts, black beans, baked potatoes, oatmeal, and bananas. 

Side Effects of Magnesium Supplements 

While magnesium is safe when consumed through food, supplements can affect everyone differently, and more of the mineral isn’t always better. The most common side effect of magnesium supplementation -– especially in high doses -– is digestive discomfort, including loose stools, cramping, or nausea. 

People with kidney disease or reduced kidney function should avoid supplements unless advised by a clinician. When the kidneys can’t clear excess magnesium efficiently, levels can build up in the bloodstream, which in rare cases may lead to low blood pressure, fatigue, muscle weakness, or heart rhythm changes.

Magnesium can also interact with certain medications, including some antibiotics, osteoporosis medications, and proton-pump inhibitors taken for heartburn. Before starting any new supplement, it’s important to check with your health care professional.

What Magnesium Can — and Can’t — Do for Hearing Loss

Magnesium isn’t a magic solution for preventing or treating hearing loss. But emerging evidence suggests it may support the inner ear’s resilience. “At present, the strongest evidence positions magnesium as a preventive factor rather than a treatment,” says Dr. Choi. 

For now, many experts agree that considering magnesium levels and supplementing if necessary should be one piece of a broader prevention strategy that also includes proven measures like avoiding prolonged loud noise, using hearing protection, and getting routine hearing evaluations.

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