Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of tea drinking on auditory functions in aged subjects

  • Tea and Auditory Functions
  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Oolong tea drinking on the auditory functions in aged subjects. Retrospective cohort study was conducted on 265 subjects who were older than 55 years old. Tea drinking was determined from responses to a medical and food consumption questionnaires. The effects of Oolong tea drinking on pure tone thresholds (PTAs) for peripheral hearing and pitch pattern sequence (PPS) scores for central hearing were analyzed. Results showed that, before adjusting for other factors, PTas were not significantly different between “non-tea drinkers” and “Oolong tea drinkes”. But, the mean PPS score was higher in the “Oolong tea drinkers” (74.5 ± 12.7 %) than in the “non-tea drinkers” (68.4 ± 13.9 %). after adjusting for age, gender, waist circumference, and other variables, Oolong tea drinking (coefficient (β) ± standard error (se) = 2.60 ± 0.67, P<0.001) was positively associated with PPs score, but not with PTAs, by multivariate linear regression analysis. in subgroup analysis for PPS score by gender, Oolong tea drinking showed a significant positive association with PPS score in males (β ± se=4.75 ± 0.95, P<0.001), but showed association of borderline significance with PPS score in females (β ± se=1.57 ± 0.94, P=0.097), with adjustment of other risk factors. in conclusion, Oolong tea drinking was associated with better central auditory function, but not with peripheral hearing thresholds, especially in male aged subjects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

aRHi:

age-related hearing impairment

dB HL:

decibel hearing level

PPs:

pitch pattern sequence

PTa-high:

average pure tone hearing level of high frequencies

PTa-low:

average pure tone hearing level of low frequencies

References

  1. Gates GA, Cooper JC Jr, Kannel WB, Miller NJ. Hearing in the elderly: the Framingham cohort, 1983–1985. Parti. Basic audiometric test results. Ear Hear 1990; 11(4): 247–256.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Enrietto JA, Jacobson KM, Baloh RW. Aging effects on auditory and vestibular responses: a longitudinal study. Am J Otolaryngol 1999; 20(6): 371–378.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Snell KB, Frisina DR. Relationships among age-related differences in gap detection and word recognition. J Acoust Soc Am 2000; 107(3): 1615–1626.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hwang JH, Li CW, Wu CW, Chen JH, Liu TC. Aging effects on the activation of the auditory cortex during binaural speech listening in white noise: an fMRI study. Audiol Neurotol 2007; 12(5): 285–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Guimaraes P, Frisina ST, Mapes F, Tadros SF, Frisina DR, Frisina RD. Progestin negatively affects hearing in aged women. PNAS 2006; 103:14246–14249.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Van Eyken E, Van Camp G, Van Laer L. The complexity of age-related hearing impairment: contributing environmental and genetic factors. Audiol Neurootol 2007; 12: 345–358.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Hwang JH, Wu CC, Hsu CJ, Liu TC, Yang WS. Association of central obesity with the severity and audiometric configurations of age-related hearing impairment. Obesity 2009; 17:1796–1801.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Frisina DR, Frisina RD. Speech recognition in noise and presbycusis: relation to possible neural mechanism. Hear Res 1997; 106: 95–104.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Fuente A, McPherson B. Auditory processing tests for Spanish-speaking adults: an initial study, hit J Audiol 2006; 45(11): 645–659.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Olzowy B, Canis M, Hempel JM, Mazurek B, Suckfüll M. Effect of atorvastatin on progression of sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus in the elderly: results of a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Otol Neurotol 2007; 28(4): 455–458.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Durga J, Verhoef P, Anteunis LJ, Schouten E, Kok FJ. Effects of folic acid supplementation on hearing in older adults: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Int Med 2007; 146(1): 1–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Cruz OL, Kasse CA, Sanchez M, Barbosa F, Barros FA. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors in auditory processing disorders in elderly patients: preliminary results. Laryngoscope 2004; 114(9): 1656–1659.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Tadros SF, D’souza M, Zettel ML, Zhu X, Lynch-Erhardt M, Frisina RD. Serotonin 2B receptor: upregulated with age and hearing loss in mouse auditory system. Neurobiol Aging 2007; 28: 1112–1123.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lin YS, Tsai YJ, Tsay JS, Lin JK. Factors affecting the levels of tea polyphenols and caffeine in tea leaves. J Agric FoodChem. 2003; 51:1864–1873.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Chen D, Milacic V, Chen MS, Wan SB, Lam WH, Huo C, Landis-Piwowar KR, Cui QC, Wali A, Chan TH, Dou QP. Tea polyphenols, their biological effects and potential molecular targets. Histol Histopathol. 2008; 23: 487–496.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Lin JK, Lin-Shiau SY. Mechanisms of hypolipidemic and anti-obesity effects of tea and tea polyphenols. Mol Nutr Food Res 2006; 50(2): 211–217.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hsu SP, Wu MS, Yang CC, Huang KC, Liou SY, Hsu SM, Chien CT. Chronic green tea extract supplementation reduces hemodialysis-enhanced production of hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorous acid, atherosclerotic factors, and proinflammatory cytokines. Am J Clin Nutr 2007; 86(5): 1539–1547.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Chan YC, Hosoda K, Tsai CJ, Yamamoto S, Wang MF. Favorable effects of tea on reducing the cognitive deficits and brain morphological changes in senescence-accelerated mice. J Nutr Sei Vitaminol (Tokyo) 2006; 52(4): 266–273.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Pan T, Jankovic J, Le W. Potential therapeutic properties of green tea polyphenols in Parkinson’s disease. Drug Aging 2003; 20(10): 711–721.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Xie D, Liu G, Zhu G, Wu W, Ge S. (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate protects cultured spiral ganglion cells from H2O2-induced oxidizing damage. Acta Otolaryngol. 2004; 124(4): 464–470.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Schmitt NC, Rubel FW, Nathanson NM. Cisplatin-induced hair cell death requires STAT1 and is attenuated by epigallocatechin gallate. J Neurosci 2009; 29(12): 3843–3851.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Seidman MD, Ahmad N, Bai U. Molecular mechanisms of age-related hearing loss. Ageing Res Rev 2002; 1: 331–343.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Alberti KG, Zimmet P, Shaw J. Metabolic syndrome—a new world-wide definition. A Consensus Statement from the International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Medicine 2006; 23:469–480.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Tandon OP, Khaliq F, Goel N. Auditory evoked potential responses in menopausal women: a normative study. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 2001; 45: 361–366.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Khaliq F, Tandon OP, Goel N. Auditory evoked responses in postmenopausal women on hormone replacement therapy. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 2003; 47: 393–399.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Thompson SK, Zhu X, Frisina RD. Estrogen blockade reduces auditory feedback in CBA mice. Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery 2006; 135:100–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Hwang JH, Chao JC, Ho HC, Hsiao SH. Effects of sex, age and hearing asymmetry on the interaural differences of auditory brainstem responses. Audiol Neurotol 2008; 13:29–33.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. de Rivera C, Shukitt-Hale B, Joseph JA, Mendelson JR. The effects of antioxidants in the senescent auditory cortex. Neurobiol Aging 2006; 27(7): 1035–1044.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Hong BN, Yi TH, Park R, Kim SY, Kang TH. Coffee improves auditory neuropathy in diabetic mice. Neurosci Lett 2008; 441(3): 302–306.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Hong BN, Yi TH, Kim SY, Kang TH. High-dosage pyridoxine-induced auditory neuropathy and protection with coffee in mice. Biol Pharm Bull 2009; 32(4): 597–603.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Felipe L, Simôes LC, Gonçalves DU, Mancini PC. Evaluation of the caffeine effect in the vestibular test. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol 2005; 71(6): 758–762.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, Buddhist Dalin Tzu-Chi General Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan

    J. H. Hwang

  2. School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan

    J. H. Hwang & J. C. Chen

  3. Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    J. H. Hwang

  4. Department of Food and Nutrition, Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Y. C. Chan

  5. Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    C. J. Hsu & T. C. Liu

  6. Department of Neurosurgery, Buddhist Dalin Tzu-Chi General Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan

    J. C. Chen

  7. Department of Neurosurgery, Buddhist Dalin Tzu-Chi General Hospital, 2, Min-Shen Road, Dalin Town, Chiayi, 622, Taiwan

    J. C. Chen

  8. Departments of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-Shan S. Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan

    T. C. Liu

Authors
  1. J. H. Hwang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Y. C. Chan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C. J. Hsu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. T. C. Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J. C. Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to T. C. Liu or J. C. Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hwang, J.H., Chan, Y.C., Hsu, C.J. et al. Effects of tea drinking on auditory functions in aged subjects. J Nutr Health Aging 16, 252–256 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-011-0078-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-011-0078-5

key words

Search

Navigation