Asking people to speak up -- or feeling compelled to pretend you heard something you didn't -- is not the way most people want to spend their retirement years.
But there may be something you can do to help slow the kind of hearing loss that comes with an accumulation of birthday candles and gray hairs: Take folic acid. Just how much do you need?
The Wonderful World of Aging Ears
There are many wonderful things about growing older (here's a great example), but losing your hearing isn't one of them. So it was good news when one study showed that a group of men and women between the ages of 50 and 70 helped put the brakes on hearing loss by taking 800 micrograms of folic acid daily for 3 years.
Folic acid helps lower homocysteine, a possible culprit in some kinds of hearing loss. (Initially, all the men and women in the study had elevated homocysteine levels.) It could also be that folic acid helps boost blood circulation to key ear structures involved in age-related hearing loss. Find good food sources of folate.
How Much Do You Need?
Fortunately, many products in the U.S. are fortified with folic acid, from breads to cereals to pasta, so you probably get at least a few hundred micrograms from your diet. But it's likely you'll need a supplement to reach the RealAge Optimum dose of 700 micrograms per day. Just be sure to stay below 1,000 micrograms per day, especially if you're over 65; as you get older, folic acid could mask a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Read this article for more tips on helping your ears hear better.
RealAge Benefit: Getting 700 micrograms of folate (folic acid) a day from your diet or a supplement can make your RealAge 0.8 years younger.
Smart Search: Learn more about how to prevent hearing loss with RealAge Smart Search.
Take the RealAge Test
But there may be something you can do to help slow the kind of hearing loss that comes with an accumulation of birthday candles and gray hairs: Take folic acid. Just how much do you need?
The Wonderful World of Aging Ears
There are many wonderful things about growing older (here's a great example), but losing your hearing isn't one of them. So it was good news when one study showed that a group of men and women between the ages of 50 and 70 helped put the brakes on hearing loss by taking 800 micrograms of folic acid daily for 3 years.
Folic acid helps lower homocysteine, a possible culprit in some kinds of hearing loss. (Initially, all the men and women in the study had elevated homocysteine levels.) It could also be that folic acid helps boost blood circulation to key ear structures involved in age-related hearing loss. Find good food sources of folate.
How Much Do You Need?
Fortunately, many products in the U.S. are fortified with folic acid, from breads to cereals to pasta, so you probably get at least a few hundred micrograms from your diet. But it's likely you'll need a supplement to reach the RealAge Optimum dose of 700 micrograms per day. Just be sure to stay below 1,000 micrograms per day, especially if you're over 65; as you get older, folic acid could mask a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Read this article for more tips on helping your ears hear better.
RealAge Benefit: Getting 700 micrograms of folate (folic acid) a day from your diet or a supplement can make your RealAge 0.8 years younger.
Smart Search: Learn more about how to prevent hearing loss with RealAge Smart Search.
Take the RealAge Test
