Recently, there have been several anecdotal claims on the Internet that have said that Benfotiamine can cure Tinnitus. But, is there any truth to this? Are such claims also backed by clinical studies that have evaluated Benfotiamine as a viable tinnitus treatment option? We explore answers to all of these questions below.
What is Benfotiamine?
Benfotiamine is a relative to thiamine. You might know thiamine as Vitamin B1, one of the 8 members of the vitamin B family. Unlike vitamin B1, Benfotiamine is better absorbed in the body. Once absorbed, it is naturally converted into thiamine. Benfotiamine is therefore a more bioavailable alternative to vitamin B1. The primary role of Vitamin B1 or thiamine is to help the body convert carbohydrates to energy. The energy then produced is used to drive various critical metabolic processes such as muscle function, heart function and also the function of nerves.
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How can Benfotiamine help you with Tinnitus?
The theory is that Benfotiamine taken in supplement form can address a severe Vitamin B1 or thiamine deficiency. This can in turn reverse or negate the effects of peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is basically damage to nerves that are found outside of the brain and spinal cord.
It is speculated that Benfotiamine can reverse nerve damage in the auditory nerve. This is then based on another theory that auditory nerve damage can cause hearing loss that can then cause Tinnitus. While some studies have shown that auditory brain damage can cause Tinnitus, there are unfortunately no studies that show that Benfotiamine can reverse said auditory nerve damage.
Will Benfotiamine give me relief from Tinnitus?
As just mentioned above, there are no clinical studies or any medical evidence that suggests that Benfotiamine can provide Tinnitus relief. However, there are several anecdotal references where people have claimed relief and sometimes even resolution of Tinnitus after taking Benfotiamine as a supplement. You can find such anecdotal references mostly in product reviews, where people claim that Benfotiamine supplements helped cure or relieve Tinnitus. Benfotiamine could also be working as a Tinnitus treatment if you begin to experience these Tinnitus going away signs, after Benfotiamine supplementation.
How Severe is Your Tinnitus?
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Should I take Benfotiamine for Tinnitus?
Whether or not Benfotiamine will help you with your Tinnitus will largely depend on whether or not you are Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) deficient. One of the most important symptoms of severe Vitamin B1 deficiency that you must look for is a condition called beriberi. This is more commonly known as neuropathy.
Common symptoms of neuropathy are; a tingling in your limbs, compromised sensitivity in your feet and fingers, muscle fatigue, a higher than average heart rate (80), frequent confusion, hand-eye coordination problems and also a tendency to struggle to wake up after sleep.
Other symptoms of thiamine deficiency include; loss of appetite, general tiredness, mood swings, blurry vision, nausea and delirium.
If you experience all or many of the above mentioned symptoms in addition to Tinnitus, you may benefit from taking Benfotiamine as a supplement. If you do not experience any or many of these symptoms however, there is almost no chance that Benfotiamine can help you with your Tinnitus.
How to test for Thiamine Deficiency?
Thiamine deficiency is unfortunately not detectable in urine and blood tests. However, your doctor can prescribe you a test that can measure the activity level of an enzyme called transketolase. A low activity reading will usually indicate a thiamine deficiency as this enzyme activity depends on healthy levels of thiamine in the body.
Benfotiamine dosage for Tinnitus
Benfotiamine is a very popular OTC supplement that you can buy from easily accessible marketplaces like Amazon. A dosage between 300 to 600 mg a day is considered safe, for up to 24 weeks. Daily intake of Benfotiamine dosage is best broken up into two doses, consumed along with meals.
It is however best that you first seek your doctor’s advice to find out what Benfotiamine dosage will best work for you and also if you need Benfotiamine supplementation in the first place.
Studies linking Vitamin B12 deficiency with Tinnitus
Unlike Vitamin B1 and Tinnitus, the medical community has established a more credible link between Vitamin B12 deficiency and Tinnitus, albeit backed by only one medical study. The study showed that severe or high vitamin B12 deficiency can cause something called demyelination. This is a process where a protective myelin sheath around nerve fibers is gradually destroyed by the lack of oxygen, a side effect of the body not receiving enough Vitamin B12 over prolonged periods of time.
We wrote a very detailed post about the connection between vitamin b12 and Tinnitus here.
