REVEALED: What’s truly behind the tinnitus plague. With more than 200 drugs from aspirin to antibiotics linked to the condition, the cheap supplements that offer relief

Common vitamin deficiencies caused by poor diet could be behind a surge in tinnitus cases, according to leading experts.

The condition, which causes sufferers to hear phantom noises often described as ringing, hissing, buzzing or whooshing sounds, affects about 7.6 million adults. There are no approved tinnitus treatments and the condition can last for years – even decades.

It is not a disease itself but rather a symptom often linked to hearing loss, loud noise exposure or ear blockages. Though most common in older adults, tinnitus cases are rising in young people.

One study found that tinnitus among young adults has grown by more than a third over the past two decades, now affecting about 2.3 million of them.

Most cases are linked to inner ear damage associated with hearing loss – experts believe that damage to sensory hair cells in the inner ear often triggers the brain to ‘fill in’ missing auditory signals, with experts blaming factors such as listening to music too loud through headphones.

But some specialists believe that tinnitus could be triggered by certain vitamin deficiencies – particularly iron, folate and vitamin B12, three essential nutrients the body cannot make on its own.

Iron can be found in red meat, beans and dark leafy greens; folate is in spinach, citrus fruits and fortified grains, and vitamin B12 is in meat, fish and dairy products.

‘Iron, folate and vitamin B12 help keep your nerves healthy,’ says Dr Sue Pavord, consultant haematologist at Oxford University Hospitals and an associate senior lecturer at the University of Oxford. ‘They protect and maintain myelin, which is the covering that wraps around your nerves. Without that myelin, the nerve can get damaged.

‘When the cochlear nerve, which carries sound signals from the ear to the brain, loses its protective sheath because there’s not enough B12, folate or iron, then it becomes damaged. This can then cause ringing in the ear.’

All three deficiencies have similar symptoms – fatigue, pale skin and shortness of breath. Experts say that anyone with these issues should see their GP and request a blood test.

These deficiencies can be treated through targeted supplements, such as oral iron tablets for iron deficiency, daily folic acid pills for folate replenishment and vitamin B12 administered via oral pills or regular injections.

Some experts are calling on the NHS to test the vitamin levels of tinnitus patients, saying a correction of deficiencies could improve the health of the inner ear.

‘It’s really important for anybody with tinnitus to get their vitamin levels checked because it’s a treatable factor,’ says Dr Pavord.

Some tinnitus patients have reported remarkable improvements after they were treated for a vitamin deficiency. One is Rachel Melinek, 44, who was plagued by a high-pitched ringing and whooshing sound in her ears for several years.

‘The tinnitus happened when I was lying down, making it hard to relax or go to sleep,’ says Rachel, an admin worker from north London. She later developed other symptoms, including feeling unusually cold even indoors, bouts of extreme tiredness and brain fog.

Rachel’s GP eventually carried out a blood test that revealed she had a mild folate deficiency. On their advice, Rachel began tracking her diet with a nutrition app to identify shortfalls.

‘My dietary intake of some nutrients, particularly iron and folate, was below the recommended amount,’ she says. ‘I upped folate sources in my diet, such as beans and lentils, and took a low-dose iron supplement.

‘I learned that caffeine and even some foods can affect how you absorb iron, so I stopped having tea or coffee too close to iron-rich meals or my supplements.’

Over time, Rachel noticed that her tinnitus became far less intrusive. ‘Now I only get it very occasionally, and it’s much milder,’ she says.