Conditions: Tinnitus
Keywords: tinnitus, zinc
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Enrollment: 116
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
There is widespread belief and some evidence to indicate that zinc can successfully treat tinnitus. Zinc deficiency is more likely to occur in the elderly . The primary objective of this study is to establish the effectiveness of zinc for the treatment of tinnitus in individuals 60 years of age and older. Subjects will be randomly assigned to either receive zinc daily or a placebo. After 4 months and a 1-month wash-out, the subjects will be crossed over to the other group.

Detailed description:
There is widespread belief and some evidence to indicate that zinc can successfully treat tinnitus. Zinc deficiency is more likely to occur in the elderly . The primary objective of this study is to establish the effectiveness of zinc for the treatment of tinnitus in individuals 60 years of age and older. Subjects will be randomly assigned to either receive zinc daily or a placebo. After 4 months and a 1-month wash-out, the subjects will be crossed over to the other group. 116 patients were tested. Tinnitus loudness and the Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire are the outcome measures.

Arms:
arm 1: Zinc sulfate (50 mg elemental zinc) taken once daily for 4 months. Washout 1 month. Placebo oral capsule taken once a day for 4 months. arm 2: Placebo oral capsule taken once a day for 4 months. Washout 1 month. Zinc sulfate (50 mg elemental zinc) taken once daily for 4 months.

Interventions: intervention 1: Zinc intervention 2: Placebo oral capsule
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Zinc taken once daily intervention 2: Placebo capsules taken once daily

Protocol document: