Hearing Loss: The Impact of Tea on Hearing

Wednesday June 18, 7:45 am ET

SAN ANTONIO, June 18 -- The healthy aspects of tea have been appreciated for centuries, and a recent study suggests that drinking tea can slow the progression of cochlear otosclerosis -- a sensorineural hearing problem, according to Jack Bukowski M.D., assistant professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School.

The following is an excerpt of Dr. Bukowski's recent interview with Douglas Beck, Editor-in-Chief of Healthy Hearing (www.healthyhearing.com):

Bukowski: In general terms, the healthy aspect of tea has been appreciated for centuries. Most of that has been anecdotal, but within the last 10 years there have been significant advances in research related to the molecular aspects of tea health.

One of the first significant findings was the discovery of flavinoids and antioxidants in tea, and those are thought to do at least two main things. One is to inhibit the formation of cancer cells, so it's an anti-mutagenic, and two, it's thought that tea might have significant protective effects on the cardiovascular system by decreasing the number of free radicals which can lead to atherosclerosis.

Beck: As audiologists, we deal with hearing-impaired patients with endolymphatic hydrops, Meniere's disease, Meniere's syndrome and similar manifestations -- many of which believe are autoimmune responses. What are your thoughts on that?

Bukowski: There's one ear disease I looked into called cochlear otosclerosis and some people believe it may be related to at least some of the cases of Meniere's. I believe there are cases of cochlear otosclerosis, in which there is excess osteoclast activity. Osteoclasts have the effect of reabsorbing bone, not only in the middle ear bones but also in the otic capsule and they secrete cytokines which may damage inner ear hair cells. Interestingly, tea may have anti-osteoclast activity, so if you were to drink tea, perhaps it would slow the progression of cochlear otosclerosis.

Beck: What types of teas are you speaking of in particular?

Bukowski: Tea, or "true tea" is made from the leaf of a tea tree, and there's only one species of tea tree. There are several ways to manufacture tea from the tea tree. The common teas we think of such as black tea, green tea, pekoe tea are teas that come from the leaf of a tea tree and they are processed in different ways. Those manufacturing processes have some effect on the antioxidant activities of tea, but as far as the immune system reactivity, the manufacturing processes have no effect on the immune process.

To view the full interview, click here: http://www.ereleases.com/pr/healthyhearing061803.html.

Douglas Beck, Au.D., is an audiologist and the Editor-in-Chief of Healthy Hearing -- the world's leading hearing healthcare website providing up-to-the- minute news, information and resources regarding hearing, hearing loss, as well as hearing amplification systems, middle ear and cochlear implants. Healthy Hearing provides an information exchange and informational materials for those faced with diseases of the ear and the challenges of hearing impairment.

    Visit HealthyHearing.com at http://www.healthyhearing.com.

      Contact:

      Douglas Beck, Au.D.
      HealthyHearing.com
      Phone: 210-545-0133
      Email: audsx2@aol.com