[AudioBear]

@JK1 
 
No disrespect intended, but what are your professional  credentials to be giving out nutrition advice?  I ask because from my scientific perspective (PhD in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Nutrition, Professor and Head of a Dept. at a major university) natural remedies and dietary supplements are of no greater value than eating a sound balanced diet.  One doesn't treat tinnitus as a nutritional deficiency unless and until one has evidence of a nutritional deficiency which can only be established by testing.  National nutrition surveys show that the great majority of US citizens consume more than, or close to, 100% of the recommended amount of almost all vitamins and minerals which is why most Americans will not be helped by nutrition interventions. That is not to say that one can't suffer from deficiency-induced tinnitus.  The point being that if you haven't measured a deficiency, don't treat it.  There is an all to common belief that food is medicine, it is not, it's food.  The useful part about your suggestion is the reminder that if one eats a balanced diet in moderation and according to guidelines laid down by real experts, you will not need to worry about nutritional deficiencies as a cause of tinnitus.  See a doctor and/or a Registered Dietitian and by all means do not believe anything you read on the internet about nutrition unless it's on a scientifically vetted site like http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/.
 
Sorry to say because i too suffer from tinnitus, taking Vitamin C, Zn, and B12 are unlikely to do anything.  At best for the great majority they would have a placebo effect since the mere act of doing something gives us an expectation bias that our intervention worked.  If your doctor or RD advises nutritional augmentation or supplementation then take diet seriously.  By the way, you all might want to check out the PBS feature on the dietary supplement industry that ran this week and will be re-run.  It's all about how a multi-billion dollar industry has 50% of Americans taking supplements they don't need -- some of which are actually harmful.  
 
My pet peeve is the misbegotten belief that things that are natural are better and safer.  That's simply not scientific.  Ask a toxicologist, the most toxic things in our diets are natural.  Selling natural and spreading fears of chemicals is a major tool in selling nutritional supplements to frightened consumers.  Don't go there.
 
Final words: see a licensed and qualified health professional if you're seeking help with tinnitus.  

 

[JK1]

 
While those supplements might not be harmless at all, it's also not proven to actually work against tinnitus/infection (well at least some say, but general consensus is that it is not). A healthy diet and enough exercise are more than enough to keep you fit. Supplements rarely help unless a doctor diagnoses a specific deficiency.  

Doctors typically fail to diagnose nutritional deficiencies. Part of the problem is that they are often not aware enough of the symptoms, and don't know the suitable test to use. For example, if someone thinks they may be deficient in magnesium, a doctor might do a serum magnesium test. This is likely to show nothing though, as the body must keep overall blood magnesium level in a tight range for the heart to work. The body will pull magnesium from everywhere else it can to keep the heart beating. A test of red blood cell magnesium might show something, however a review of symptoms and the patient's diet are more likely to spot a magnesium deficiency.
 
Vitamin C is safe even in large amounts. Linus Pauling suggested that vitamin c be taken to bowel tolerance. Taking excess vitamin c causes diarrhea. He suggested that people keep gradually  increasing their vitamin c dosage until they start getting  diarrhea, then to take slightly less than that. That is extreme, and many would be taking 25 grams or more of vitamin C a day doing that. I take a gram of vitamin C after each meal, so typically three grams a day.
 
As for zinc, it is  nontoxic in reasonable amounts(under 150 mg a day), although taking  100mg or more a day over long periods of time can decrease the levels of copper and  iron. Longer term one shouldn't take in more than around 50 mg a day of zinc, but for shorter periods of time during an illness taking up to 100mg or so a day seems safe enough.
 
One of my friends is a physician. He often asks me for nutritional and supplement advice. Most physicians, especially older ones know little about nutrition and supplements.

 

[Ruben123]

Doctors typically fail to diagnose nutritional deficiencies. Part of the problem is that they are often not aware enough of the symptoms, and don't know the suitable test to use. For example, if someone thinks they may be deficient in magnesium, a doctor might do a serum magnesium test. This is likely to show nothing though, as the body must keep overall blood magnesium level in a tight range for the heart to work. The body will pull magnesium from everywhere else it can to keep the heart beating. A test of red blood cell magnesium might show something, however a review of symptoms and the patient's diet are more likely to spot a magnesium deficiency.

Vitamin C is safe even in large amounts. Linus Pauling suggested that vitamin c be taken to bowel tolerance. Taking excess vitamin c causes diarrhea. He suggested that people keep gradually  increasing their vitamin c dosage until they start getting  diarrhea, then to take slightly less than that. That is extreme, and many would be taking 25 grams or more of vitamin C a day doing that. I take a gram of vitamin C after each meal, so typically three grams a day.

As for zinc, it is  nontoxic in reasonable amounts(under 150 mg a day), although taking  100mg or more a day over long periods of time can decrease the levels of copper and  iron. Longer term one shouldn't take in more than around 50 mg a day of zinc, but for shorter periods of time during an illness taking up to 100mg or so a day seems safe enough.

One of my friends is a physician. He often asks me for nutritional and supplement advice. Most physicians, especially older ones know little about nutrition and supplements.

May I ask what you do for a living? Surely not a doctor in the Netherlands some of your advises are regarded as quackery (as ortomolecular therapists etc). Vit c and zinc are known to have little to no effect at all regarding infections.

 

[AudioBear]

@JK1 
 
I repeat my question.  What are your credentials and licensing to be giving nutritional advice?
 
You physician friend is committing malpractice by listening to you.  You are certainly correct that not enough and often hardly any nutrition is taught in medical schools.  They should study more nutrition but they should also consult a PhD in Nutrition or an RD when they want nutrition advice.  Many clinics and hospitals have these on staff. I ask again, what are your credentials?
 
Linus Pauling, however great a chemist he might have been, has been proven dead wrong at Vit C. Large doses can in fact be harmful.
 
Can we have the peer-reviewed papers that support your comments about magnesium?  Perhaps you have authored papers on magnesium. Share your sources.
 
So in your book it's ok to take all the Zn you want because it "seems safe enough"?  Even if there is no evidence of Zinc deficiency being the problem.  Where this leads is taking mega-doses of everything because so many diseases and conditions MIGHT be linked to a deficiency.

 

[JK1]

May I ask what you do for a living? Surely not a doctor

in the Netherlands some of your advises are regarded as quackery (as ortomolecular therapists etc). Vit c and zinc are known to have little to no effect at all regarding infections.

Quackery? Do you believe the NIH is a credible source?
Here is a link to an abstract on the NIH website: "Immune-enhancing role of vitamin C and zinc and effect on clinical conditions"
 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16373990

 

[Ruben123]

Quackery? Do you believe the NIH is a credible source?
Here is a link to an abstract on the NIH website: "Immune-enhancing role of vitamin C and zinc and effect on clinical conditions"

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16373990

They also say here "one swallow does not make summer". And it's not about me, I'm no doctor yet, it's the consensus here.

 

[JK1]

"I repeat my question.  What are your credentials and licensing to be giving nutritional advice?
 
You physician friend is committing malpractice by listening to you. "
 
Not quite, although for due dilligence purposes he  asks me for for articles that support my statements before giving it as advice to his patients.
 
As for large doses of vitamin c being harmful, if the form of the vitamin c isn't buffered, one can get issues from taking plenty of vitamin c.
Huge vitamin c doses such as 30 grams a day or more over long periods of time might possibly cause kidney stones, especially if one takes it as calcium ascorbate,
or doesn't drink enough water. I typically limit my vitamin C supplementation to one gram three times a day, although for short periods of time during illness I might take more.
I am currently using an ascorbate mix which is mostly calcium ascorbate as my vitamin c source, however I am considering changing to a different buffered form(perhaps magnesium ascorbate?) when my supply of the mostly calcium ascorbate is finished. Sodium ascorbate is much cheaper than magnesium ascorbate, however taking 3 grams of vitamin c a day as sodium ascorbate would 
add 400mg a day to my sodium intake. I have some time to think about it until my mostly calcium ascorbate supply is finished. I have decided to reduce my cacium intake for health reasons,
as too much calcium can cause problems.

 

[L8MDL]

I have no doubt that those who hear differences between CD quality and a 192/24 file of the exact same recording will reap great benefits from taking Vitamin C, Zn, and B12. Expectation bias is a powerful thing.

 

[JK1]

"natural remedies and dietary supplements are of no greater value than eating a sound balanced diet."
 
How should I begin to address that? A typical 155 pound goat can produce over 13 grams a day of vitamin C. Humans are one of the few animals which can't make
its own vitamin C. To get just one gram of vitamin C from oranges takes around 800 calories of them. One can get vitamin C from food with fewer calories by eating 
large amounts of vegetables, although few people enjoy eating so much vegetables. Now triple those amounts to get 3 grams a day of vitamin c from food.
 
http://blog.livonlabs.com/goat-vitamin-c-production/
 
We can go through all the vitamins and minerals and list how much of certain foods are needed to get the desired amounts. These will typically be 
amounts of food with too many calories or too much overall bulk to be desirable to consume. While some cavemen probably ate 10 pounds or more a day 
of vegetation, most people today don't want to do that.
 
"One doesn't treat tinnitus as a nutritional deficiency unless and until one has evidence of a nutritional deficiency which can only be established by testing."
 
First of all, one can sport a deficiency of certain nutrients just by analyzing the diet, although there might be a deficiency even with enough consumption due to 
absorbtion problems. Magnesium deficiency isn't that easy to diagnose using testing, although the erythrocyte magnesium test might show it. Many physicians 
just order a serum magnesium test though, which is likely to show nothing, since the body keeps serum magnesium in a tight range, since otherwise the heart
wouldn't work.
 
"National nutrition surveys show that the great majority of US citizens consume more than, or close to, 100% of the recommended amount of almost all vitamins and minerals"
 
Huh?????????? Studies show that approximately 75% of Americans get below the RDA for magnesium. Many also feel that the RDA for many nutrients is much too low.
The RDA for vitamin C for example is enough to prevent scurvy, but not the optimal amount a person should get for good health.
 
http://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-deficiency/need-more/

 

[AudioBear]

Lol

Let's not start that one yet again. It's well known that tinnitus is better in 24/192

 

[watchnerd]

I can pass ABX tests better when I listen in the dark if I've eaten carrots beforehand.

 

[FullCircle]

Were you taking the Ambien before the problem started? If so, it seems like there is a good chance the Ambien caused the problem! 

http://hearinglosshelp.com/blog/tinnitus-ear-pain-and-zolpidem/

I suggest that you immediately stop taking the Ambien. As for trouble falling asleep, not getting enough sunlight and getting too much caffeine may be the causes,
or at least contributing factors. I usually drink one cup of coffee a day right after I wake up. If I do drink a second cup, it is before noon. Caffeine has a 6 hour half life,
which means it takes 6 hours for the amount of caffeine in your body to be reduced by 50%. 

Emmmm

Actuaally going cold turkey after extended use of ambien can lead to permanent tinnitus.... read the posts by DR NIEL regarding ambien on the link u offered

I recommend contacting and seeking the advise of professionals that have been specifically trained in the areas of
Hearing health, ie a team of ent/otologist/audiologist

And my credentials are, doctorate of audiology

Doing anything else is frankly frightning

 

[FullCircle]

I can pass ABX tests better when I listen in the dark if I've eaten carrots beforehand.

Fresh carrots, frozen, and boiled, butter salt and pepper? I love carrots, makes me think of my moms stew, or my grandmothers brisket. She would always make a side of carrots with a brisket. Gwtting hungry just thinking about it

 

[JK1]

Emmmm

Actuaally going cold turkey after extended use of ambien can lead to permanent tinnitus.... read the posts by DR NIEL regarding ambien on the link u offered

I recommend contacting and seeking the advise of professionals that have been specifically trained in the areas of
Hearing health, ie a team of ent/otologist/audiologist

And my credentials are, doctorate of audiology

Doing anything else is frankly frightning

I didn't read the comments by Dr. Neil after the article until after I read your post. He suggests to those dependent on Ambien to reduce the dosage slowly until they are off of it. What a mess. 
Now you know why I resist taking prescription drugs and like to use natural supplements instead. Quite often prescription drugs solve a problem but cause another problem that might be
just as bad or worse.

 

[AudioBear]

While I am not fond of your nutrition advice (I haven't received your credentials and the peer-reviewed publications on which you base your claims yet either) we at least agree in some sense about SOME medicines but where we disagree is that it makes not an iota of difference if they are man-made or natural.   Let me explain.  Anything you expose your body to that is supposed to have pharmacological effects can have side effects.  
 
Take a look at the dietary supplement warnings from FDA on this page.  All natural, all produce adverse effects, some lethal.  
 
http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/SafetyAlertsAdvisories/
 
Where we are in agreement in understanding that drugs can have very serious side affects.  I was prescribed Ambien.  I looked up the side effects and took a pass.  I've taken the same pass on natural supplements intended to induce sleep.  They are equally dangerous for the simple reason that any chemical -- yes natural products have chemicals in them -- that causes you to loose consciousness is not to be taken lightly.  Take a look at the side effects of Valerian supplements http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-870-valerian.aspx?activeingredientid=870& or ST. John's Wort for treating depression see:  http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/st-johns-wort
 
So to come to the point, @JK1, natural products are as likely, or are more likely, to cause side effects than are rigorously tested pharmaceuticals.  It is a sad fact that because of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) no pre-market safety or efficacy testing is required for dietary supplements.  This is not magic, it's medical science.  It doesn't matter what you believe or how you want the natural world to be, being natural is no guarantee of safety or efficacy.  I teach toxicology, if you'd like I can recommend some good online toxicology courses that you could take to get over your addiction to things natural.  
 
[size=x-small]​[/size]This[size=x-small] topic is becoming a major distraction to those of us who have concerns about coping with tinnitus.  Let's move past natural remedies and get on with the discussion.[/size]