Obesity and Hearing Loss: Mechanisms and Future Challenges

In recent years, it has been suggested that the development of obesity could affect the auditory system, altering its functionality and its ability to process sound. However, little research exists on the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying this relationship, especially in humans. This narrative review aims to highlight the research supporting the role of obesity as both an independent risk factor for hearing loss and as a condition that may exacerbate age-related hearing loss, providing an analysis of the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes. We focus on the role of adipose tissue dysfunction associated with obesity and obesity-related alterations and how this disbalance may, directly and indirectly, aggravate natural physiological damage in the cochlea, such as age-induced. This review also synthesizes evidence from metabolic, cellular, and auditory research to provide a comprehensive understanding of how obesity impacts hearing function. Moreover, we propose some methodologies from a metabolic and nutritional point of view to enrich the study of this relationship.