The link between coffee and lower risks of hearing impairment is backed by a research team from the University of Madrid, the capital of Spain.
The research team conducted a longitudinal study entitled Coffee consumption and risk of hearing impairment in men and women. It was participated by 16,142 men and 20,781 women. Before their coffee intake was recorded, their hearing was tested first. Throughout the 11-year research wherein the participants consumed 1.6 cups of coffee daily (on average), follow-up hearing tests were conducted twice.
The results showed that men who consumed more coffee had a lower risk of developing hearing problems. The type of coffee was an insignificant variable. According to the researchers, this benefit may have stemmed from the coffee’s properties that prevent inflammation.
The correlation was, however, absent in women. The researchers attribute this result to estrogen, a hormone that helps prevent hearing impairment caused by aging which makes the impact of coffee quite irrelevant in women.
Nevertheless, Dr. Marcos Machado-Fragua, one of the study’s authors, warns that this doesn’t warrant irresponsible coffee consumption in men, especially those who are struggling with caffeine-related health problems.