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Session: Nutrition-related Factors in Aging and Chronic Disease (Poster Theater Flash Session 7)

(PTFS07-02-23) Association of Plasma Omega-3 Blood Levels and Prevalent Hearing Loss in the UK Biobank

Monday, July 24, 2023
8:05 AM – 8:09 AM ET
Location:  Fairfax

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Michael I. McBurney, PhD (he/him/his)

    Adjunct Professor/Senior Scientist
    University of Guelph and Tufts University/Fatty Acid Research Institute
    Guelph, Ontario, Canada

    Disclosure(s): AlphaSights: Independent Contractor (including contracted research) (Terminated, June 23, 2023)
    American Society for Nutrition (ASN): Executive Role (e.g. Board of Directors) (Terminated, June 30, 2022)
    Church & Dwight Co.: Advisory Committee/Board Member (Ongoing)
    Council for Responsible Nutrition: Independent Contractor (including contracted research) (Terminated, June 30, 2022)
    DSM Nutritional Products: Consultant (Terminated, January 31, 2021)
    McCormick Science Institute: Consultant (Terminated, July 31, 2021)
    OmegaQuant Analytics: Consultant (Terminated, September 30, 2020)
    PepsiCo Incorporated: Consultant (Terminated, January 28, 2021)
    VitaMe Technologies: Advisory Committee/Board Member (Ongoing)
    World Health Organization: Independent Contractor (including contracted research) (Terminated, December 31, 2022)

    • Co-Author(s)

  • WH

    William S. Harris

    Fatty Acid Research Institute

  • NT

    Nathan L. Tintle, PhD

    Senior Scientist
    Fatty Acid Research Institute
    SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota, United States

  • SC

    Sharon G. Curhan

    Harvard University

Disclosure(s):
Michael I. McBurney, PhD: AlphaSights: Independent Contractor (including contracted research) (Terminated, June 23, 2023)
American Society for Nutrition (ASN): Executive Role (e.g. Board of Directors) (Terminated, June 30, 2022)
Church & Dwight Co.: Advisory Committee/Board Member (Ongoing)
Council for Responsible Nutrition: Independent Contractor (including contracted research) (Terminated, June 30, 2022)
DSM Nutritional Products: Consultant (Terminated, January 31, 2021)
McCormick Science Institute: Consultant (Terminated, July 31, 2021)
OmegaQuant Analytics: Consultant (Terminated, September 30, 2020)
PepsiCo Incorporated: Consultant (Terminated, January 28, 2021)
VitaMe Technologies: Advisory Committee/Board Member (Ongoing)
World Health Organization: Independent Contractor (including contracted research) (Terminated, December 31, 2022)
Objectives:

Background: An estimated 1.57 billion people globally suffer from hearing loss (~20% of the population). Higher intakes of fish have been correlated with age-related hearing loss in humans and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation helped prevent hearing loss in mice.

Objectives: To evaluate cross sectional associations between plasma omega-3 fatty acids, i.e., docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and self-reported hearing loss in the UK Biobank which collected data from questionnaires, biological samples and physical measurements on 502,639 individuals 40-69y between 2007-2010.

Methods: Among individuals with plasma DHA data (n=117,938), hearing data were available for between 71,368 and 115,303 individuals [57±8y (mean±SD); 54% female], depending on the outcome. DHA was measured as % total plasma fatty acids by nuclear magnetic resonance. A “yes” to any of the following questions constituted evidence for some type of hearing loss: 1) do you have difficulty hearing; 2) do you find it difficult to follow a conversation if there is background noise, e.g., a TV, radio, dinner party, etc.; and 3) do you use a hearing aid most of the time? Logistic regression models were constructed by DHA quintile adjusted for age, sex, and multiple additional demographic and medical history variables.

Results: Thirty-eight percent of 115,303 respondents reported difficulty hearing, 26% of 113,134 reported background noise hearing problems, and 5% of 71,368 respondents used hearing aids. People with the highest DHA levels (top quintile) had lower risk [Odds Ratio; OR (95% CI)] of hearing loss relative to those in the lowest group (bottom quintile): hearing difficulty, 0.89 (0.85, 0.94); difficulty hearing with background noise, 0.92 (0.88, 0.96); and hearing aid use, 0.80 (0.71, 0.90) in fully adjusted multivariable logistic regression models.

Conclusions: Individuals in the top DHA quintile were 8 to 20% less likely to report hearing issues (vs lowest quintile). Other cohorts should be explored to confirm the inverse association of plasma DHA with incident hearing loss and the effects of increased DHA intakes on hearing metrics should be tested in randomized trials determining potential causal mechanisms.

Funding Sources: Not applicable