Hearing loss is ubiquitous and increasing despite
advancements in external hearing protection.
At present exposure limits, one in four will develop a permanent hearing loss as a result of their occupational exposure to noise hazards. (National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety)
The military spends more than $1.5 billion in compensation, re-training, and equipment repplacement each year due to hearing and balance disorders. (Office of Naval Research)
Currently, 25% of those in Iraq/Operation Enduring Freedom leaving the field due to combat injury suffer a disabling hearing loss
Estimates are that 10% of Marines experience some level of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) by the end of basic training
Following a modest 6% annual expenditure increase trend, the Department Veterans Affairs. alone will spend an average of $750M annually to treat hearing loss as a result of the individuals military career. That will equate to $85,616 every hour, 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.
Currently, hearing loss and damage to the ear accounts for at least 25% of soldiers serving in Iraq/Operation Enduring Freedom who leave the field of operations due to an injury.
There are more baby boomers aged 45-64 with a hearing loss (10 million) than there are people over the age of 65 with a hearing loss (9 million)
Of the 30 million individuals suffering from hearing loss only 4 million choose to wear hearing aids.
Sales of nutraceutical supplements reached $17.B in 2001. (Nutrition Business Journal)
Surveys show that over 158 million consumers use nutraceutical supplements. (PREVENTION Magazine's Survey of Consumer Use of Supplements, 2000)
Results from a national survey conducted in 1999 by Men's Health magazine show that consumers use supplements as a way of preventing health problems and ensuring good health. (PREVENTION Magazine).
According to a survey conducted for Foundation for Innovation in Medicine, (FIM) 74% of Americans say that they take nutraceuticals. In addition, an overwhelming majority of the public, 74% in the FIM survey would like to see clinical testing of nutraceutical products.
