Relationship between age-related hearing loss and alcohol consumption in a Japanese population

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) has a multifactorial pathogenesis, and the influence of alcohol consumption on it is controversial. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between ARHL and alcohol consumption by using cohort data from Tohoku Medical Megabank Project, including self-reported questionnaires and pure-tone audiometry thresholds (500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz). ARHL was defined as a threshold of > 25 dB in the better ear. Multiple logistic regression analyses (age 50-79 y; 5,219 men and 9,266 women) were conducted separately for men and women and indicated that daily alcohol consumption levels of 60-80 and ≥ 80 g were significantly associated with increased odds of ARHL at 4,000 Hz in men (odds ratio [OR] 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.94; OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.12-2.16; respectively); consumption of 10-20 g was significantly associated with reduced odds of ARHL at 4,000 Hz in women (OR 0.81; 95% CI 0.68-0.96). Assessment of drinking-related single nucleotide polymorphisms suggested that the effect of alcohol on ARHL may differ by genotype. Our findings suggest a sex-specific association between alcohol consumption and ARHL; heavy drinking is a potential risk factor in men, whereas moderate drinking may have a protective effect in women.