AuraQuell Prevention Against Noise-Induced-Hearing Loss: First Noise-Prevention-Induced Hearing Loss Tablet or Snack Food

In the United States and Europe more than 80 million people have a significant hearing loss. 1 Second leading cause of hearing loss is induced by exposure to loud noises. "Approximately 30 million Americans are exposed to high intensity noise in their workplace in one in 4 of these workers a permanent hearing loss will develop."4 Twenty-eight percent of post-deploying military soldiers exposed to loud noises has suffered a hearing loss. 1 In 2007, Veterans Affairs hospital spend approximately one billion dollars for clinical and treatment of hearing impairment and Department of Defense spend nearly $1.5 billion in compensation for hearing impairment. 3 Until recently wearing protect earplugs, hearing protective devices or staying away from hazardous noise, only solution prevented induced hearing loss. 2 In 2008, AuraQuell (pill) a combination of vitamins A, C, and E plus magnesium taken before a person is exposed to loud noises reduces the harmful and permanent noise - induced hearing impairment, especially when noise protective devices are not worn. 5

Noise-induced hearing loss (NHL) caused by one-time exposure to an intense sound such as an explosion or continuous exposure to loud sounds over a period of time (Examples: snowmobiles, motorcycles, use firearms, chain saws, and power tools 6) "The loudness is sound is measured in units called decibels." Long term exposure to decibels above eighty-five can cause hearing loss ("Exposure over an 8-hour period risks hearing loss." 7). 4 Also, children need to be protected from noise-induced hearing loss. "American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Campaign for Hearing Health also use 85 decibels as a threshold for dangerous levels of noise." 7 Hearing loss is particular caused when children and adults listen to loud noises for a long time. 2 Currently the United States has no federal regulations regarding standard limit that regulates noise levels of toys. 7

The sound we hear travels through the ear canal or outer ear to the middle ear. Anatomical parts of the middle ear amplify and vibrate sound we hear which travels to the inner ear. "The inner ear has a snail like structure called the cochlea filled with fluid and lined by cells with very fine hairs." The fine cell hairs within the inner ear are responsible to recognize between high and low frequency sounds. The fine hairs within the cochlea are very sensitive to loud noises. Noise induced hearing loss is the result of damage to the hair cells. 8 "The cells then shut do down and scar, and they cannot grow back." 3 : Subsequently a range from high frequency sound to low frequency sound is no longer disseminated. "This is reflected in audiometric changes which show slow loss of sound perception first in the 4 - 5 kilohertz (kHz) range, progressing both in severity and into lower frequency ranges." 8

Symptoms of induced noise hearing loss usually starts developing as inability to hear or perceive consonants (or hearing sound becomes muffled / distorted. 2) in a sentence and loss of hearing conversations against a noisy background. 8 Listening to radio or television requires raising the volume higher than had been heard in the past. Also symptoms include ear pain, itching or irritation, ringing, roaring, hissing or buzzing in the ear and pus or fluid leaking from the ear. 9 The symptoms of NHL may not be apparent to someone that has this hearing loss until diagnosed or detected by a hearing test. 2 Very likely family members or friends will first become aware of the hearing loss. 9

Researchers at University of Michigan Kresge Hearing Research Institute developed AuraQuell (pill), combination of Vitamins A, C and E, plus magnesium, taken before a person is exposed to loud noises. 3 General Motors and the United Auto Workers provided the funded for researching the mechanism attributed to induce hearing loss and the pre-clinical research that contributed to the development of AuraQuell. 3 During clinical studies, guinea pigs who had been administered AuraQuell experienced about eighty percent preventative blockage of noise-induced hearing impairment ("The treatment one hour before a five hour exposure to 120 decibel (dB) sound pressure level noise, and continued once daily for five days." 10) Josef M. Lynn, Ph. D., the Lynn and Ruth Townsend Professor of Communication Disorders, director of the Center for of the Center for Hearing Disorders at the University of Michigan Department of Otolaryngology's Kresge Hearing Research Institute and co-leader researcher expects AuraQuell could effectively block fifty percent of noise induced hearing loss in humans. 3 Clinical human testing of AuraQuell is being evaluated in four multinational trials: "Military trials in Sweden and Spain, an industrial trial in Spain, and trial involving students at the University of Florida who listen to music at high volumes on their iPods and other PDAs." 5 The human clinical trials for AuraQuell maybe in the form of a tablet or snack bar. 10 These trials studies are funded by National Institute of Health (NIH)."This is the first NIH - funded clinical trial involving the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss." 3 AuraQuell may prove to limit induced hearing loss of military personal exposed to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other noises. 5 Mr. Joseph Miller expects if human trial studies of AuraQuell proven successful, the noise-induced preventive concoction will be available within two years. 10

AuraQuell antioxidant vitamins and magnesium combination do not require extensive safety testing since these components are widely used in dietary supplements. The institute of Medicine and federal nutrition guidelines will be followed, regarding the safe dosage of AuraQuell administered during human clinical trials. 10

OtoMedicine (http://www.odomedicine.com) is a start-up company of the University of Michigan, which Joseph M. Miller developed, holds the license to develop the vitamin-and-magnesium pill (AuraQuell) for human applications. 3

References:

1.) Life Sciences Fund Makes Eighth Investment - http://www.wwj.com/Life-Sciences-Fund-Makes-Eighth-Investment/2152421

2.) Noise-Induced Hearing Loss - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/noise.asp

3.) Can Vitamins and Minerals Prevent Hearing Loss? - http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/128841.php

4.) Noise Induced Hearing Loss - http://www.occupationalhearingloss.com/noise_induced_hearing_loss.htm

5.) Vitamins-mineral cocktail may hold key to prevent noise induced hearing loss - http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-43972.html

6.) Noise - Induced Hearing Loss - http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000501/2749.html

7.) Dangerously Loud Toys - http://www.nypirg.org/consumer/toysafety03/loud.html

8.) Noise Induced Hearing Loss - http://www.agius.com/hew/resource/nihl.htm

9.) Hearing Loss - Symptoms - http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hearing-loss-symptoms

10.) Nutrients might prevent hearing loss in war zones, concert halls & workplace, new animal study suggests - http://www2.med.umich.edu/prmc/media/newsroom/details.cfm?ID=611