The study was conducted by European researchers who provided a group of elderly participants with folic acid supplements to compare with another group who were not taking the supplements, but were given a placebo instead.
The overall results indicated that age-related hearing loss had slowed down with those study participants who were taking the folic acid supplement. There was less of a decline in hearing loss of low-frequency sounds.
The three-year study involved more than 700 elderly men and women who had already experienced the onset of age-related hearing loss along with low levels of folate.
The trial research was conducted outside of the U.S., because too many products in the U.S. contain additives of folic acid in the food.
Some skepticism of the study was noted by outside professionals, citing certain aspects of hearing that were not included in the research.
Age-related hearing loss can be attributed to several factors including circulatory problems, medication-induced side effects and abnormalities of the ear. According to U.S. federal government facts, the first hearing problems related to age usually affect high pitch hearing prior to lower pitch hearing being affected.
So far there is no way to reverse age-related hearing losses.
