Thanks to a new patent for treating hearing loss using aldosterone and anti-inflammatory medication, humankind is a big step closer to reversing the #1 neurodegenerative disease of aging. If patent recipients Robert Frisina and colleagues at the University of South Florida successfully complete clinical trials, this method could be the first FDA-approved treatment for hearing loss (see press announcement).
The Parsemus Foundation has been a long-time advocate of research on the use of aldosterone, a natural mineralocorticoid hormone, to treat hearing loss (see our Aldosterone & Hearing page for more details). Aldosterone influences sodium and potassium transport, which affects the health of the inner ear. Aldosterone levels are lower in people with hearing loss, and normally decrease with age. Treatment of hearing loss with aldosterone has already been shown to be effective in animal and human studies.