Tinnitus linked to obesity and body composition in men, study finds

By Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta, Ph.D.Jul 17 2024

A study published in the journal Scientific Reports finds a possible link between tinnitus and body composition in men.

Study: Associations between tinnitus and body composition: a cross-sectional study. Image Credit: Image Point Fr / Shutterstock

Background

Tinnitus is a perception of sound in one or both ears that can be bothersome to patients. The condition is commonly described as a ringing or buzzing noise in ears that can be transient or constant.

Tinnitus has two forms, i.e., subjective tinnitus and objective tinnitus. While subjective tinnitus is perceived only by the affected individual, objective tinnitus is detectable by physicians. Both types are often associated with hearing loss.

Subjective tinnitus can also occur in individuals with normal hearing. In these cases, a link has been found between tinnitus and various physical conditions, including pain, infection, sleep quality, anxiety, and depression. Subjective tinnitus can also be associated with diseases that cause structural or functional changes in the brain through chronic inflammation.

Some studies have found significant tinnitus associations with body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage in obese individuals. These associations might be due to obesity-related increased inflammatory responses.

In this study, scientists have investigated the association between tinnitus and body composition in individuals with normal hearing.

Study design

The study analyzed physical, otological (related to ear and its diseases), and body composition data of individuals who had participated in the ninth Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey.   

A total of 2257 participants were included in the analysis. Of them, 204 were classified into the tinnitus group, and 2125 were classified into the non-tinnitus group. Among participants with tinnitus, 152 had chronic tinnitus, and 47 had acute tinnitus.  

Important observations

A significantly higher prevalence of tinnitus was observed in men than in women. The percentage of individuals with hypertension and a history of dizziness was higher in the tinnitus group compared to that in the non-tinnitus group. Moreover, the tinnitus group showed higher levels of depression and anxiety and worse hearing levels than the non-tinnitus group.

The analysis controlling for age and mean hearing level revealed a significantly higher percentage of fat in the total body, arms, trunk, and legs and a significantly higher waist circumference among male participants in the tinnitus group compared to that in the non-tinnitus group.

The male participants with tinnitus also exhibited a lower percentage of leg muscle mass, total body fluid, and intracellular fluid compared to those without tinnitus. However, no significant differences in these body composition-related parameters were observed between female participants with and without tinnitus.

Among male participants with chronic tinnitus, a significantly higher trunk fat percentage and waist circumference and a significantly lower intracellular fluid percentage were observed compared to those without tinnitus.

A significant difference in leg muscle percentage was observed between the female population's chronic and acute tinnitus groups. However, this association disappeared after controlling for different confounding factors, including age and mean hearing level.

Prevalence of tinnitus in obese and non-obese participants

A significantly higher percentage of tinnitus was observed in male participants with obesity compared to those without obesity. However, no such difference was observed between obese and non-obese female participants.

A significant positive association was also observed between tinnitus and central obesity only among male participants.

Prevalence of acute and chronic tinnitus in obese and non-obese participants

A significantly higher prevalence of both acute and chronic tinnitus was observed among obese male participants compared to non-obese male participants.

A significantly higher prevalence of chronic tinnitus and a lower prevalence of acute tinnitus were observed in males with central obesity compared to those without central obesity.

No significant association was observed between tinnitus and obesity or central obesity among female participants.

Further statistical analysis found a significant association between chronic tinnitus and obesity in males.

Study significance

The study finds significant associations of tinnitus with body fat percentage, leg muscle mass percentage, body fluid percentage, and intracellular fluid percentage, particularly in males.

The study also finds significant associations between chronic tinnitus and obesity or central obesity in the male population.

Given the strong correlation between tinnitus and systemic inflammation, scientists suggest that tinnitus may be a side-effect of upper body obesity and that the chronicity of tinnitus may be more influenced by visceral obesity.

Available literature indicates that obesity can affect the fronto-temporal brain regions involved in the noise cancellation pathway. The structural changes in the brain regions due to obesity may also contribute to the onset and persistence of tinnitus.