Can drinking Guinness stop you going deaf?

A recent study has found a link between iron deficiency and going deaf, which has raised the question: ‘Does that mean drinking Guinness can help prevent hearing loss?’

The black stuff is famously rich in iron, so surely a daily dose could be beneficial to our health, or at least to our hearing…?

In a 1920s advertising campaign, Guinness made the claim that ‘Guinness is good for you!’’.

In the past, patients would be given Guinness to help them recover from an operation because of its high iron content.

It has also been thought that it can work as a low dose aspirin to prevent heart clots.

Guinness have long since changed their approach to marketing, and although Guinness does contain high levels of iron, there is less than 3% of the daily iron content needed in a pint.

However, the link between iron deficiency and hearing loss is real.

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University found a lack of the mineral can cause sensorinerual hearing loss – damage to the cochlea or nerve pathways.

They tested more than 300,000 people as part of the study. They found a significant association between participants suffering with Iron Deficiency Anaemia and those suffering with hearing loss or deafness.

The author of the study Kathleen Schieffer said: “An association exists between IDA (Iron Deficeincy Anaemia) in adults and hearing loss.

“The next steps are to better understand this correlation and whether promptly diagnosing and treating IDA may positively affect the overall health status of adults with hearing loss.”

Across the world, up to 30% of people are anaemic, mainly caused by a lack of iron in their diet.

While Guinness does contain iron, it is also recommended to include other iron rich foods in your diet such as leafy green vegetables, brown rice and meat.

Is it true? Can drinking Guinness help prevent you going deaf?

More popular articles and videos