Two-year observational study using objective OAE testing now indexed on PubMed Central; raw dataset publicly available on Open Science Framework
ANN ARBOR, MI, April 2026
— A two-year
real-world evidence study evaluating ACEMg, a patented antioxidant formula
developed through 36 years of NIH-funded research at the University of
Michigan's Kresge Hearing Research Institute, has been published in
Global
Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health
and is now indexed on PubMed
Central (PMC13010025).
The study analyzed distortion-product
otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) data from 190 adults with diagnosed sensorineural
hearing loss. Among 93 daily ACEMg users, 75.3% maintained or improved
objective cochlear function over the study period, compared with 26.8% in the
untreated historical control group of 97 patients (chi-square = 55.94, p <
.001). Most measurable benefit emerged within the first six months of daily use
and was sustained through 24 months of follow-up.
The research used DPOAE testing administered
by credentialed audiologists. Unlike standard audiometric tests that depend on
patient self-report, DPOAE provides an objective physiological measurement of
outer hair cell function in the cochlea.
"For decades, the standard clinical
position has been that age-related and noise-induced hearing loss is
irreversible," said Barry S. Seifer, corresponding author and CEO of Soundbites
PBC. "This study does not contradict that position for severe damage. What
it does suggest is that in patients with established sensorineural hearing loss
who took daily ACEMg supplementation, objective cochlear function was preserved
or improved more often than in untreated controls."
The
Science Behind the Formulation
ACEMg combines provitamin A (beta-carotene),
vitamins C and E, and magnesium in a patented formulation designed to support
the inner ear's antioxidant defenses against oxidative stress. The formulation
emerged from more than three decades of preclinical research at the University
of Michigan led by the late Professor Josef M. Miller, the inventor of ACEMg,
to whom the published paper is dedicated.
More than 25 peer-reviewed publications have
characterized the mechanism in animal and cellular models, demonstrating that
ACEMg supplementation is associated with reduced cochlear oxidative damage
following noise exposure and during age-related decline. The newly published
real-world evidence study extends this body of work into routine clinical
practice with adult patients.
A
Real-World Evidence Design
The authors selected a real-world evidence
design rather than a randomized controlled trial because ACEMg is already
commercially available as a dietary supplement under DSHEA and can be purchased
without prescription. A placebo-controlled trial of an over-the-counter product
available to any participant raises ethical and practical questions about
adherence and access.
The real-world design captures effectiveness
under actual clinical conditions: real patients, real adherence patterns, and
routine audiological follow-up. The authors fully disclose the limitations
inherent to this design, including the absence of randomization and the potential
for healthy-user bias. They note that future randomized controlled trials are
warranted to confirm these findings.
The full anonymized dataset is publicly
available on the Open Science Framework at osf.io/9xm4j/, an unusual standard
of transparency for the dietary supplement category.
Clinical
Context
Sensorineural hearing loss affects
approximately 466 million people worldwide and has been identified by the
Lancet Commission as the leading modifiable risk factor for dementia. No
pharmacological interventions are currently approved for treatment or
prevention of age-related or noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss. A series
of high-pro development programs targeting hair cell regeneration have
terminated in late-stage failure over the past five years.
"For clinicians whose patients ask about
nutritional approaches to hearing preservation, this study provides a
peer-reviewed evidence base for informed conversation," said Seifer.
"We are not claiming ACEMg is a treatment for hearing loss. We are
presenting the first published real-world evidence in this category, and we are
inviting independent replication."
Disclosure
ACEMg is regulated as a dietary supplement
under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). Barry S. Seifer
is co-founder and CEO of Soundbites PBC, which holds the exclusive commercial
license to ACEMg. This conflict of interest is disclosed in the published
study. The research was supported by Keep Hearing Initiative, the affiliated
501(c)(3) nonprofit.
About
Soundbites
Soundbites is a Public Benefit Corporation
legally bound to balance commercial objectives with its public health mission:
to measurably reduce the global burden of sensorineural hearing loss. ACEMg is
the first commercial product translation of more than three decades of academic
hearing preservation research at the University of Michigan.
Study
Citation
Seifer BS, Minor LA, Detweiler RA. Impact of
the ACEMg Biomedicine on Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Auditory Function:
Analysis of Real-World Clinical Data.
Global Advances in Integrative
Medicine and Health.
2026. DOI: 10.1177/27536130261434488. PMC13010025.
Full text (open access):
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13010025/
Dataset:
osf.io/9xm4j/
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