High blood sugar levels damage our hearing

Sugar consumption in Germany is high—too high. That’s why the AOK is launching a campaign to reduce sugar intake. After all, too much sugar is harmful to our health. It can even affect our hearing.

On average, we consume 90 grams of sugar per person every day. That’s too much. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a maximum of 50 grams of sugar per day for adults and only 25 grams for children. Artificially added sugar in food is particularly problematic in this context—especially in foods where we wouldn’t expect it. A tablespoon of ketchup, for example, contains about a teaspoon of sugar. In light of this and the sharp rise in obesity in Germany, the AOK has now launched a campaign to reduce sugar intake under the slogan “Sweet was yesterday.”

A large-scale American studyinvolving more than 5,000 participants has confirmed that excessive sugar in the blood not only damages our nerve pathways and blood vessels and can lead to diabetes, but can also impair our hearing. One in ten of those surveyed had diabetes. Of these, just under a quarter reported moderate or even severe hearing loss. This is a disproportionately high percentage. Researchers therefore recommend regular hearing screenings with an ENT specialist.

You can easily reduce your personal sugar intake by taking small steps. Savory ready-made meals, fruit yogurts, spreads, and juices are real sugar traps. Take a close look at what you’re buying—and choose fresh, unprocessed foods. A balanced, healthy diet also helps combat long-term risk factors such as high cholesterol, obesity, stress, and high blood pressure, thereby helping to prevent sudden hearing loss, for example.