There are different types of hearing loss. There’s sensorineural, conductive, and mixed. Within those types, there are different causes too. It can be anything from medical conditions to physical environments.
Those two examples are probably what you were expecting when you think about the cause of hearing loss. You may be surprised to know that diet soda can lead to hearing problems also, in the form of tinnitus. It’s a concept that’s a little out there, but it needs to be considered.
Dealing with Tinnitus
Before we go into the link that shows diet soda can lead to hearing problems, let’s look at the problems it can cause. In particular, tinnitus.
Tinnitus is a common problem, basically on the perception of sound. It’s characterized by a ringing in the ear of the affected. That ringing is sometimes considered a buzzing, a hissing, or a clicking. Either way, it’s definitely annoying.
What’s important to know is that this is not considered a serious illness.
What’s the Link with Diet Sodas?
The link is the sugar substitute aspartame. The chemical structure of aspartame contains some nasty molecules such as methanol, aspartic acid, and phenylalanine.
If left to develop over long periods of time, this stuff can cause damage to both our brain and our inner ear. It’s the inner ear damage that causes the tinnitus.
The damage comes from the fact that aspartame acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter. This means it increases the electrical activity in our brain. From there, tinnitus can be born.
In Conclusion
Just because a company says they have a diet version, it doesn’t make it good for you. This is a great example of that. Diet soda can lead to hearing problems, but by realizing this, it’s possible to protect yourself against it.
