Intermittent Fasting, Intermittently?
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It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!
Have a question or a request? We love to hear from you!
In cases where we’ve already covered something, we might link to what we wrote before, but will always be happy to revisit any of our topics again in the future too—there’s always more to say!
As ever: if the question/request can be answered briefly, we’ll do it here in our Q&A Thursday edition. If not, we’ll make a main feature of it shortly afterwards!
So, no question/request too big or small 😎
❝Have you come across any research on alternate-day intermittent fasting—specifically switching between one day of 16:8 fasting and the next day of regular eating patterns? I’m curious if there are any benefits or drawbacks to this alternating approach, or if the benefits mainly come from consistent intermittent fasting?❞
Short and unhelpful answer: no
Longer and hopefully more helpful answer:
As you probably know, usually people going for approaches based on the above terms either
- practise 16:8 fasting (fast for 16 hours each day, eat during an 8-hour window) or
- practise alternate-day fasting (fast for 24 hours, eat whenever for 24 hours, repeat)
…which latter scored the best results in this large meta-analysis of studies:
There is also the (popular) less extreme version of alternate-day fasting, sometimes called “eat stop eat”, which is not a very helpful description because that describes almost any kind of eating/fasting, but it usually refers to “once per week, take a day off from eating”.
You can read more about each of these (and some other variants), here:
Intermittent Fasting: What’s The Truth?
What you are describing (doing 16:8 fasting on alternate days, eating whenever on the other days) is essentially: intermittent fasting, just with one 16-hour fast per 48 hours instead of per the usual 24 hours.
See also: International consensus on fasting terminology ← the section on the terms “STF & PF” covers why this gets nudged back under the regular IF umbrella
Good news: this means there is a lot of literature into the acute (i.e., occurring the same day, not long-term)* benefits of 16:8 IF, and that means that you will be getting those benefits, every second day.
You remember that meta-analysis we posted above? While it isn’t mentioned in the conclusion (which only praised complete alternate-day fasting producing the best outcomes overall), sifting through the results data discovers that time-restricted eating (which is what you are doing, by these classifications) was the only fasting method to significantly reduce fasting blood glucose levels.
(However, no significant differences were observed between any IF form and the reference (continuous energy restriction, CER, i.e. calorie-controlled) diets in fasting insulin and HbA1c levels)
*This is still good news in the long-term though, because getting those benefits every second day is better than getting those benefits on no days, and this will have a long-term impact on your healthy longevity, just like how it is better to exercise every second day than it is to exercise no days, or better to abstain from alcohol every second day than it is to abstain on no days, etc.
In short, by doing IF every second day, you are still giving your organs a break sometimes, and that’s good.
All the same, if it would be convenient and practical for you, we would encourage you to consider either the complete alternate-day fasting (which, according to a lot of data, gives the best results overall),or time-restricted eating (TRE) every day (which, according to a lot of data, gives the best fasting blood sugar levels).
You could also improve the TRE days by shifting to 20:4 (i.e., 20 hours fasting and 4 hours eating), this giving your organs a longer break on those days.
Want to learn more?
For a much more comprehensive discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to intermitted fasting, check out:
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Anise vs Diabetes & Menopause
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What A Daily Gram Of Anise Can Do
Anise, specifically the seed of the plant, also called aniseed, is enjoyed for its licorice taste—as well as its medicinal properties.
Let’s see how well the science lives up to the folk medicine…
What medicinal properties does it claim?
The main contenders are:
- Reduces menopause symptoms
- Reduces blood sugar levels
- Reduces inflammation
Does it reduce menopause symptoms?
At least some of them! Including hot flashes and bone density loss. This seems to be due to the estrogenic-like activity of anethole, the active compound in anise that gives it these effects:
Estrogenic activity of isolated compounds and essential oils of Pimpinella species
1g of anise/day yielded a huge reduction in frequency and severity of hot flashes, compared to placebo*:
*you may be wondering what the placebo is for 1g of a substance that has a very distinctive taste. The researchers used capsules, with 3x330g as the dose, either anise seed or potato starch.
❝In the experimental group, the frequency and severity of hot flashes before the treatment were 4.21% and 56.21% and, after that, were 1.06% and 14.44% at the end of the fourth week respectively. No change was found in the frequency and severity of hot flashes in the control group. The frequency and severity of hot flashes was decreased during 4 weeks of follow up period. P. anisum is effective on the frequency and severity of hot flashes in postmenopausal women. ❞
See for yourself: The Study on the Effects of Pimpinella anisum on Relief and Recurrence of Menopausal Hot Flashes
As for bone mineral density, we couldn’t find a good study for anise, but we did find this one for fennel, which is a plant of the same family and also with the primary active compound anethole:
The Prophylactic Effect of Fennel Essential Oil on Experimental Osteoporosis
That was a rat study, though, so we’d like to see studies done with humans.
Summary on this one: it clearly helps against hot flashes (per the very convincing human study we listed above); it probably helps against bone mineral density loss.
Does it reduce blood sugar levels?
This one got a flurry of attention all so recently, on account of this research review:
Review on Anti-diabetic Research on Two Important Spices: Trachyspermum ammi and Pimpinella anisum
If you read this (and we do recommend reading it! It has a lot more information than we can squeeze in here!) one of the most interesting things about the in vivo anti-diabetic activity of anise was that while it did lower the fasting blood glucose levels, that wasn’t the only effect:
❝Over a course of 60 days, study participants were administered seed powders (5 g/d), which resulted in significant antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and hypolipidemic effects.
Notably, significant reductions in fasting blood glucose levels were observed. This intervention also elicited alterations in the lipid profile, LPO, lipoprotein levels, and the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level.
Moreover, the serum levels of essential antioxidants, such as beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin E, which are typically decreased in diabetic patients, underwent a reversal.❞
That’s just one of the studies cited in that review (the comments lightly edited here for brevity), but it stands out, and you can read that study in its entirety (it’s well worth reading).
Rajeshwari et al, bless them, added a “tl;dr” at the top of their already concise abstract; their “tl;dr” reads:
❝Both the seeds significantly influenced almost all the parameters without any detrimental effects by virtue of a number of phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals present in the seeds having therapeutic effects.❞
Shortest answer: yes, yes it does
Does it fight inflammation?
This one’s quick and simple enough: yes it does; it’s full of antioxidants which thus also have an anti-inflammatory effect:
Review of Pharmacological Properties and Chemical Constituents of Pimpinella anisum
…which can also be used an essential oil, applied topically, to fight both pain and the inflammation that causes it—at least in rats and mice:
❝Indomethacin and etodolac were treated reference drugs for the anti-inflammatory activity. Aspirin and morphine hydrochloride were treated reference drugs for the analgesic activity. The results showed that fixed oil of P. anisum has an anti-inflammatory action more than etodolac and this effect was as strong as indomethacin. P. anisum induces analgesic effect comparable to that of 100 mg/kg Aspirin and 10 mg/kg morphine at 30 th min. of the study❞
Summary of this section:
- Aniseeds are a potent source of antioxidants, which fight inflammation.
- Anise essential oil is probably also useful as a topical anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent, but we’d like to see human tests to know for sure.
Is it safe?
For most people, enjoyed in moderation (e.g., within the dosage parameters described in the above studies), anise is safe. However:
- If you’re allergic to it, it won’t be safe
- Its estrogen-mimicking effects could cause problems if you have (or have a higher risk factor for) breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or endometriosis.
- For most men, the main concern is that it may lower sperm count.
Where to get it?
As ever, we don’t sell it (or anything else), but for your convenience, you can buy the seeds in bulk on Amazon, or in case you prefer it, here’s an example of it available as an essential oil.
Enjoy!
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Morin: Your Mouth’s New Best Friend
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There is a problem with most oral hygiene options, and the problem is, as Dr. Fernanda Brighenti explains:
❝We have a constant flow of saliva. We produce, on average, 1 milliliter of saliva per minute.
Anything we put in our mouths is quickly removed by saliva, especially because it has a smell and taste, which stimulates salivary flow.❞
“Anything we put in our mouths” includes oral hygiene products.
So, what to do about that?
The oral hygiene helper that sticks around
Dr. Brighenti and her team were investigating morin, a flavonoid found in guava leaves, apple peel, fig peel, teas, and almonds, for its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.
See also: Are You Getting The Right Kinds Of Flavonoids?
This is relevant, as gum disease is caused by bacterial biofilm buildup, and (inconveniently) current rinses to try to deduce that often have side effects (taste changes, tartar buildup, stains), and antibiotics are definitely not an option you want unless absolutely truly necessary.
See also: Antibiotics: Useful Even Less Often Than Previously Believed (And Still Just As Dangerous) ← includes, halfway down the article, the four ways that antibiotics can kill you!
What they discovered: dried morin powder can be added to oral hygiene products—and it works. Tests on multispecies bacterial biofilm showed strong antimicrobial action, and treated biofilms appeared less stained too.
See also: Make Your Saliva Better For Your Teeth
In the study, more things were tried too: encapsulation with sodium alginate and gellan gum improved solubility, stability, and adherence in the mouth despite saliva washout, but that’s certainly not something most of us can do at home unless we happen to live in a lab—is more something we can expect to see added to commercial products in the future.
What this means: per the researchers’ conclusions, morin provides a safe, natural, inexpensive alternative to antibiotics, and can reduce the side effects of existing treatments.
While this is great news for anyone who has teeth and would like to keep them*, it’s expected to be particularly useful for people with reduced motor skills (older adults, patients with special needs), and people who are sensitive to current oral hygiene products.
*That’s not the only reason, of course; the impact goes far beyond the teeth. Remember, for example, that periodontal disease is the sixth most common chronic condition worldwide; nearly half of the global population has oral disease, and none of us are immune (and it has big implications in turn for cardiovascular disease risk).
To read the paper in full, see: Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial evaluation of morin
Want to learn more?
We did a three-part series on oral hygiene:
- Toothpastes & Mouthwashes: Which Help And Which Harm?
- Flossing, Better (And Easier!)
- Less Common Oral Hygiene Options ← this writer is personally a big fan of the miswak stick! While she wouldn’t want to replace the other options entirely, it’s a great quick-and-easy on-the-go way to give one’s teeth a quick clean after a coffee or snack or such, without having to go to a bathroom and use a toothbrush and toothpaste etc.
Take care!
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Is it safe to use cake decorating dusts and dyes? 2 experts explain
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Have you ever baked or decorated a birthday cake?
Interest in elaborate cakes is booming, driven by social media trends and television shows such as Is It Cake?.
This means products such as edible glitter and colourful dyes are becoming increasingly common at children’s parties and other social events.
But a recent incident, where a young boy from Queensland was hospitalised after inhaling cake decorating powder, has raised concerns about the safety of these products.
And authorities have now announced a nationwide recall of the product in question.
Klaus Vedfelt/Getty What is ‘cake dust’?
“Cake dust” refers to many different products used to decorate cakes. This includes edible glitter, metallic-looking powders, coloured dusts that are brushed on to decorations, and liquid colours that are sprayed on to cakes using airbrushes.
These products are made of various substances. Some are a mixture of food colourings and sugar or starch. Some also contain pigments that give them a metallic or glitter-like appearance. These pigments may contain small amounts of aluminium, copper or zinc that, when eaten in large amounts, can be toxic to humans.
Many also contain amorphous silicon dioxide, which helps stop powders from clumping together. This is not to be confused with crystalline silica dust, which has been shown to cause a long-term lung disease called silicosis.
These substances aren’t inherently harmful, but can be dangerous if you are exposed to large amounts. However, how you consume them matters. For example, eating tiny amounts on the surface of a cake is very different to inhaling a concentrated cloud of fine powder.
This is because your lungs don’t process particles in the same way as your digestive system. Fine particles can travel deep into your airways, where your body then absorbs them. These particles may irritate lung tissue or trigger inflammation in both small and large airways. They may also block airways and reduce oxygen intake.
This can cause persistent coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. If you have any of these symptoms, or notice your lips turning blue, visit the emergency department immediately.
‘Non-toxic’ doesn’t mean edible
Some cake decorating products are labelled “non-toxic” rather than “edible”. You might assume these terms are interchangeable, but they are not.
In the recent Queensland case, the metallic cake dust was reportedly labelled “non-toxic” and intended only “for use on removable parts” of cakes. However, it was sold next to other edible cake decorating products.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time such dusts have put people’s health at risk. Between 2018 and 2019, United States health authorities investigated multiple poisonings linked to metallic “luster dust” cake decorations. These products contained high levels of metals, including copper and zinc. The child from Queensland inhaled cake dust that also contained these metals.
Are they more harmful to kids?
Yes. This is because children have much smaller airways than adults, which can become blocked or irritated more easily. They also breathe more quickly relative to their body size, meaning they may inhale more potentially toxic substances at a time.
Children are often drawn to these metallic-looking cake products because they appear to be sparkly. They are also more likely to accidentally inhale cake dusts, for example while helping decorate cakes or blowing out candles.
In the Queensland case, the child inhaled about one tablespoon of gold cake dust before he started coughing, became unresponsive and ultimately spent days in an induced coma. It’s likely the inhaled dust entered the boy’s lungs, where it blocked his airways.
This case shows the importance of keeping toddlers away from anything they could swallow, or that may settle in their lungs.
It also underscores the need for more research and tighter regulation. Research should focus on what metals, pigments and fine particles are actually in cake decorating products. Companies must make labels clearer and more comprehensive, adding warnings – such as “avoid inhalation” or “keep away from children” – if appropriate. Regulators should also reconsider how these products are marketed and sold, particularly if they are commonly used around children.
So, can I still use these products?
Parents and keen bakers can still use cake decorating products safely, by taking some simple precautions.
Check the label
Always check the label on any cake decorating products, to ensure the product is edible and intended for food-related use.
Avoid imports
Some imported products may not meet local food safety standards, meaning their labels may be unclear or inaccurate. And it’s best to avoid buying products sold through overseas online marketplaces, as they are generally less regulated.
Use and store them with care
When using cake decorating products, you should always follow the directions for use and only apply small amounts in well-ventilated areas. It’s best to keep them away from children, especially if they have allergies or lung conditions such as asthma or cystic fibrosis. Remember to close or secure any open products, and store them where young children won’t reach them.
William Alexander Donald, Professor of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney and Deborah Yates, Conjoint Professor, Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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How Often Do You Eat Fries?
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“Fries are not a health food” is not breaking news, but how often can you get away with them before it starts impacting health outcomes?
Researchers (Dr. Seyed Mousavi et al.) investigated the effects of fries, various kinds of non-fried potatoes, and white vs whole grains, on diabetes risk.
This was done over the course of three US cohort studies involving a total of a total of 205,107 participants, mostly women, whose diet and health outcomes were followed for 4 decades. Of these participants, 22,299 developed type 2 diabetes.
Here’s what they found:
❝After adjustment for updated body mass index and other diabetes related risk factors, higher intakes of total potatoes and French fries were associated with increased risk of T2D.
For every increment of three servings weekly of total potato, the rate for T2D increased by 5% (hazard ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02 to 1.08) and for every increment of three servings weekly of French fries the rate increased by 20% (1.20, 1.12 to 1.28). Intake of combined baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes was not significantly associated with T2D risk (pooled hazard ratio 1.01, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.05).
In substitution analyses, replacing three servings weekly of potatoes with whole grains was estimated to lower T2D rates by 8% (95% CI 5% to 11%) for total potatoes, 4% (1% to 8%) for baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes, and 19% (14% to 25%) for French fries. In contrast, replacing total potatoes or baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes with white rice was associated with an increased risk of T2D.
In a meta-analysis of 13 cohorts (587 081 participants and 43 471 diagnoses of T2D), the pooled hazard ratio for risk of T2D with each increment of three servings weekly of total potato was 1.03 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.05) and of fried potatoes was 1.16 (1.09 to 1.23). In substitution meta-analyses, replacing three servings weekly of total, non-fried, and fried potatoes with whole grains was estimated to lower the risk of T2D by 7% (95% CI 5% to 9%), 5% (3% to 7%), and 17% (12% to 22%), respectively.❞
That’s a lot of numbers, so let’s break it down, translate it from sciencese, and look at some of the key points.
In order, we have, for the emprical data:
- Every extra three servings of total potatoes per week increased risk by 5%
- Every extra three servings of French fries per week increased risk by 20%
- Baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes gave no significant change in risk
- Replacing three weekly servings of total potatoes with whole grains lowered risk by 8%
- Replacing baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes with whole grains lowered risk by 4%
- Replacing French fries with whole grains lowered risk by 19%
- Replacing total potatoes or baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes with white rice increased risk by 15%*
And now for the meta-analysis** numbers:
- Every extra three servings of total potatoes per week increased risk by 3%
- Every extra three servings of fried potatoes per week increased risk by 16%
- Replacing total potatoes with whole grains lowered risk by 7%
- Replacing non-fried potatoes with whole grains lowered risk by 5%
- Replacing fried potatoes with whole grains lowered risk by 17%
*This figure wasn’t in the abstract we quoted above, but we found it in the full substitutions table lower down in the paper, where it’s expressed as a Hazard Ratio of 1.15, which equates to a 15% increase in risk.
**A meta-analysis can be thought of as an “imaginary experiment” performed by collated existing data from other studies, running it through statistical models, and seeing what comes out. As you can see, the resultant numbers are slightly different, but the associations remain the same (i.e. the same additions/substitutions still give approximately the same relative increase/decrease in risk), which means the meta-analysis also supports the conclusions drawn from the empirical data.
On which note, the full paper itself can be found here: Total and specific potato intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: results from three US cohort studies and a substitution meta-analysis of prospective cohorts
That’s a lot of information; what’s most important?
In few words:
- Whole grains are the best
- Non-fried potatoes are ok
- White grains are bad
- Fried potatoes are the worst
Thus, substituting between those four categories will yield changes in risk proportional to how far apart they are from each other on that list.
Furthermore, to answer the question posed in our introduction today (how often can one eat fries before it starts impacting health outcomes), the honest answer is: never, technically.
See for example: Is Fast Food Really All That Bad? ← we realize that fries do not necessarily have to be fast food, but they share the nutritional profile being examined there.
And while “one bad meal” will not impact long-term health, it will have an immediate negative impact on short-term health, due to its gut-disrupting activity. If it really was just a one-off meal, an otherwise healthy gut will bounce back just fine, but it’s another argument for the case of “the negative health effects do start immediately”.
However, the dose does make the poison, and in this case, increments of 3 portions per week increased risk by 20%. We can say, therefore, that each portion per week increases the risk by 6.6%, and this risk is cumulative.
On which note: what is a portion?
- A portion is not: “however much you eat at once”
- A portion is: “a 4–6 oz serving”
So, if you have twice that at a sitting, that’s two portions. Thrice that at a sitting, and that’s the weekly 3 portions that increase the risk by 20%, already, in one day, and if you have more in the rest of the week, it will continue to add to the risk cumulatively.
If you’d like to dial down the portion sizes while simultaneously enjoying what you eat more, there are two useful approaches you might want to consider (you can do both if you want; there’s no conflict between them, and in fact, they can go quite well together):
- Some Surprising Truths About Hunger And Satiety
- Mindful Eating: How To Get More Out Of What’s On Your Plate
Want to learn more?
Check out:
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The Worst Halloween Candy For Teeth?
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…and other items from this week in the health science world:
More than a sour taste in your mouth
Everyone knows that sugar is bad for teeth; mostly only know that this is because it feeds harmful bacteria in the mouth, though.
People also know that acid isn’t good for the teeth, either! And after eating sugary foods, your mouth becomes more acidic and starts pulling minerals like calcium and potassium from your teeth.
So, guess what makes it worst of all? Food that’s sugary and acidic! Consequently, sour candies are the absolute worst, since they combine sugar with high acidity from ingredients like citric, malic, tartaric, and fumaric acids. that acidic mix rapidly lowers mouth pH and weakens tooth enamel.
And on a population level, it’s getting worse: sales of sour treats have surged by about 70% over the past decade, driven by viral “sour candy challenges”, and it’s not only kids: around 1 in 8 adults now seek intensely sour sensations too.
Two quick tips in this regard:
- Do not brush your teeth right away! It only spreads the acid and worsens enamel damage. Instead, rinse with water, floss if needed, and wait at least 30 minutes before brushing with your usual toothpaste.
- If (like this writer) you love sour foods: naturally sour foods like pickles, sauerkraut, and kombucha can benefit gut health, and unlike sour candies, they aren’t sugary, and thus are much less harmful to your teeth. You should still drink plenty of water with them though, as a) it rinses the acid b) fermented foods are often a bit high in salt, so hydration keeps things balanced.
Read in full: This common Halloween candy might be the scariest thing you eat
Related: From Apples to Bees, and High-Fructose Cs: Which Sugars Are Healthier, And Which Are Just The Same?
The blood of long life
Researchers (Dr. Motohiro Sekiya et al.) at the University of Tsukuba have discovered that a molecule found in the blood (known to its friends as CtBP2), appears to act as a master regulator of aging across the body.
How it works: it functions as a metabolic sensor, adjusting to changes in energy balance. When active, it supports healthy metabolism and cellular communication; when it declines, systemic aging accelerates.
This is quite big news, as it means aging is coordinated throughout the body rather than occurring in isolated organs—when CtBP2 activity drops, multiple systems appear to age together. Definitely another argument for tackling our health holistically!
Read in full: A hidden blood molecule may hold the secret to healthy aging and long life
Related: Blood Labs Demystified – by Dr. Ken Berry & Kim Howerton
The witch doctor is in
Fun fact: before the 14th century, women folk healers were accepted as essential community medical providers, but the rise of university-trained male physicians and church power led to their demonization as “witches”.
Ok, maybe that latter part isn’t so fun. And to add insult to injury, this also meant that as women were persecuted from the 14th to mid-18th centuries, a remarkable lot of traditional herbal knowledge was suppressed or outright lost.
Modern researchers are now reassessing the plants once used in “witches’ brews” for their pharmacological value. Many “magical ingredients” are erstwhile common names for certain plants, for example:
- Eye of newt: mustard seed (Sinapis alba)—shown to have anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and anti-tumour effects.
- Wool of bat: holly leaves—can lower blood fats and cholesterol, though toxic in large doses.
- Tongue of dog: hound’s tongue—historically used for malaria and hepatitis but contains liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
- Adder’s fork: adder’s-tongue fern—used for wound healing and circulation, now also found in cosmetic formulations.
There were also psychoactive phytochemicals that saw use, for example:
- Flying ointments: made from tropane alkaloid plants like deadly nightshade and henbane, absorbed through skin to cause hallucinations and sensations of flight—essentially an early form of transdermal delivery.
- Furthermore, the idea of witches flying with broomsticks between their legs likely came from this, too. Transdermal absorption is strongest places with thin skin and a lot of capillaries, making the armpits and groin amongst the most effective application sites to brush the ointment onto, and the other best sites are places with an accessible mucus membrane, which means bodily orifices. Add these two facts together, and there’s one very obvious most potent application site.
- Sleep potions: included foxglove (source of cardiac glycosides) and Indian snakeroot (source of reserpine, later rediscovered as a blood-pressure drug).
- Love potions: used mandrake, Ephedra sinica, and betel nut, all stimulant or euphoric agents; at higher doses they became poisonous though.
We don’t recommend these!
Read in full: Women folk healers were branded as witches, but their treatments may have been medically sound
Related: Herbs For Evidence-Based Health & Healing
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Here’s why you might want to clean your headphones
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Whether it’s enjoying a podcast, listening to music or chatting on the phone, many of us spend hours a day using our headphones. One 2017 study of 4,185 Australians showed they used headphones on average 47–88 hours a month.
Health advice about headphones tends to focus on how loud sounds might affect our hearing. For example, to avoid hearing loss, the World Health Organization advises people to keep the volume at below 60% their device’s maximum and to use devices that monitor sound exposure and limit volume.
But apart from sound, what else is going in our ears? Using headphones – particularly in-ear versions such as earbuds – blocks the ear canal and puts the skin in contact with any dirt or bacteria they may be carrying.
Here’s what you need to know about keeping your ears clean and safe.
Pieyu Art/Shutterstock First, let’s take a look at your ear
Over-ear headphones cover the entire external ear – the elastic cartilage covered by skin that’s shaped to trap soundwaves. In-ear headphones (as well as hearing aids) are shaped to fit and cover the entrance to the external ear canal, which is called the concha.
Sound vibrations travel through the ear canal – which is S-shaped and a few centimetres long – to reach your ear drum.
Deeper parts of the ear canal produce earwax and oils. These help keep your skin healthy, hydrated and less vulnerable to infection.
Tiny hairs in the ear canal also help regulate temperature and keep foreign debris out. These hairs and earwax help trap and move small particles, shed skin and bacteria out of the ear canal.
Earwax is the ear’s self-cleaning method and we only tend to notice it when there’s too much.
Excessive buildup can block your hearing or even clog the mesh of your earpods. But don’t try to dig earwax out of your ears yourself. If you’re concerned, speak to a pharmacist or GP for advice.
We generally only notice earwax when there’s too much. Alexander_P/Shutterstock How headphones can affect the ear’s bacteria
Healthy ear canals host a range of non-harmful microbes – mainly bacteria, but fungi and viruses too. They compete for space and nutrients, and this diversity makes it trickier for any potential pathogens (disease-causing microorganisms) to take hold.
But wearing headphones (and other in-ear devices such as hearing aids or ear plugs) may upset the balance between “good” and “bad” bacteria.
One 2024 study compared bacteria in the external ear canals of 50 people who used hearing aids and 80 who didn’t. The researchers found hearing-aid users – whose external ear canals are blocked for extended periods – had fewer types of bacteria than those who didn’t.
Another 2025 study looked at how using headphones (including over-ear, in-ear and on-ear) affected fungi and bacteria in the ear canal. It found using headphones was linked to a greater risk of ear infections, especially if people shared them.
This may because wearing headphones – especially in-ear devices – makes the external ear canal hotter and more humid. Trapped moisture is especially likely if you exercise and sweat while wearing headphones.
Higher humidity increases your risk of ear infection and discharge, including pus.
Wearing in-ear devices such as hearing aids or headphones for extended periods can also interfere with the ear’s natural “self-cleaning” function, aided by earwax.
So, what should I do?
Most of us need – or like – to wear headphones in our day-to-day routines. But for good ear health, it’s important to give your ears a break.
Allow your ear canals to “breathe” at different points throughout the day so they’re not constantly blocked and growing humid and hot.
You could also try bone conduction headphones. These don’t block the ear canal, because they transmit sound through your skull directly into the inner ear, without needing to block the ear canal. These can be expensive though. And while they allow our ears to breathe, high-intensity vibrations (high volume) can still damage hearing, so as with all headphones caution is required.
Other tips
Clean your devices regularly
Recommendations range from once a week to daily to after a physical workout.
For example, you can wipe them with a cloth or use a soft-bristled children’s toothbrush dampened with mildly soapy water. Blot dry with a paper towel and allow a few hours of drying before recharging or reuse.
But it’s best to follow your manufacturer’s guidelines. And don’t forget to clean the case and the body of your earbuds too.
Don’t use headphones when sick
If you have an ear infection, avoid using earphones as they may increase the temperature and humidity in your ear and slow recovery.
Watch for symptoms
If your ears become itchy, red or have discharge, stop using in-ear devices and seek medical advice.
Rina Wong (Fu), Research Fellow, Health Sciences, Curtin University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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