Chapter 10 - Magnesium and hearing loss

Summary

Abstract

Hearing loss is a major public health problem with a large number of causes. Among them, noise-induced hearing loss, drug ototoxicity and sudden sensorineural hearing loss have been proven to result in part from metabolic disorders. Metabolic disorders have multiple origins such as: ionic, ischemic, excitotoxic and production of cochlear free radicals causing cell death, via necrosis or apoptosis. The efficacy of magnesium, administered either to prevent or to treat hearing damages has been demonstrated in several studies in animals and in humans, particularly in noise-induced hearing loss. The exact mechanism by which Mg²⁺ acts is not fully known. Different hypotheses exist including calcium antagonism, vasodilatation, antioxidant and anti-NMDA properties. Because it is a relatively safe and well-known treatment, magnesium therapy, alone or in association, could be of a great interest to improve auditory recovery.

Introduction

According to the World Health Organization, 278 million people worldwide have moderate to profound hearing loss in both ears. Besides pathologies of unknown origin such as sudden hearing loss and Meniere's disease, hearing loss has so many known causes, it would be arduous to list them all.