Association of Coffee Consumption with Hearing and Tinnitus Based on a National Population-Based Survey

Coffee is the one of the most common beverages worldwide and has received considerable attention for its beneficial health effects. However, the association of coffee with hearing and tinnitus has not been well studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of coffee with hearing and tinnitus based on a national population-based survey. We evaluated hearing and tinnitus data from the 2009–2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and their relationship with a coffee consumption survey. All patients underwent a medical interview, physical examination, hearing test, tinnitus questionnaire and nutrition examination. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between coffee and hearing loss or tinnitus. We evaluated 13,448 participants (≥19 years) participants. The frequency of coffee consumption had a statistically significant inverse correlation with bilateral hearing loss in the 40–64 years age group. Daily coffee consumers had 50–70% less hearing loss than rare coffee consumers, which tended to be a dose-dependent relationship. In addition, the frequency of coffee consumption had an inverse correlation with tinnitus in the 19–64 years age group but its association was related with hearing. Brewed coffee had more of an association than instant or canned coffee in the 40–64 years age group. These results suggest a protective effect of coffee on hearing loss and tinnitus.