Coffee and Tinnitus: Does Caffeine Make Tinnitus Worse?

If your ears ring, someone has probably told you to give up coffee. It sounds logical: caffeine is a stimulant, and tinnitus can feel louder when you are tense. But does caffeine make tinnitus worse? For most people, the evidence says no. A blinded trial found that cutting out caffeine did not relieve tinnitus, and sudden withdrawal may even have made symptoms harder to bear for a while. A large long-term study of women found that higher caffeine intake was associated with a lower, not higher, chance of developing tinnitus.

That does not mean every individual reacts the same way. Here is what the studies found and how to test your own response safely.

Key takeaways

• In a 2010 double-blind trial of 66 coffee and tea drinkers with tinnitus, giving up caffeine did not improve their tinnitus.
• The same trial suggested that abrupt caffeine withdrawal can add to tinnitus distress.
• An 18-year study of more than 65,000 women linked higher caffeine intake with a lower risk of developing tinnitus; this is an association, not proof of protection.
• Some people still notice their own pattern; a slow, careful experiment is better than quitting overnight.
• New, one-sided or pulsing tinnitus, or tinnitus with sudden hearing loss, needs prompt medical advice.

In this article

1. Why people are told to cut caffeine
2. Does caffeine make tinnitus worse? The research
3. What if coffee seems to bother your ears?
4. When to see a doctor
5. FAQ

Why people are told to cut caffeine

Tinnitus is the perception of sound, such as ringing, buzzing or hissing, without an outside source. It is very common, and its loudness and intrusiveness often change with stress, sleep and attention. Caffeine is a stimulant that can increase alertness, make some people jittery and disturb sleep when taken late. Put those together and the advice to avoid coffee seems to make sense.

The problem is that, for a long time, the advice was based on assumptions rather than experiments. In 2010, the lead researcher of a UK trial pointed out that many professionals recommended caffeine withdrawal as a tinnitus therapy despite a lack of relevant evidence.

Does caffeine make tinnitus worse? The research

The 2010 withdrawal trial

Researchers at the University of Bristol recruited 66 adults with tinnitus who normally consumed at least 150 mg of caffeine a day, roughly one to two cups of coffee. Over 30 days, their usual tea and coffee were swapped for blinded supplies, so they did not know which days contained caffeine and which did not. Some went through a phased withdrawal, others a withdrawal and reintroduction, and their tinnitus was measured with questionnaires and daily diaries.

The results, published in the International Journal of Audiology, were clear in direction: giving up caffeine did not relieve tinnitus, and acute caffeine withdrawal appeared to add to tinnitus problems. The paper’s title summed it up: caffeine abstinence looked like an ineffective and potentially distressing tinnitus therapy.

The 18-year Nurses’ Health Study II analysis

In 2014, a team led by Jordan Glicksman published an analysis in The American Journal of Medicine of 65,085 women from the Nurses’ Health Study II who did not have tinnitus in 1991. Over 18 years of follow-up, 5,289 developed tinnitus. Compared with women consuming less than 150 mg of caffeine a day:

Two important caveats. First, this is an observational study: it shows an association, not that caffeine prevents tinnitus. People who drink more coffee may differ in other ways. Second, the higher intake groups exceed the roughly 400 mg a day that the FDA and EFSA consider generally safe for healthy adults, so this is not a reason to drink more. What the study does suggest is that regular caffeine is unlikely to be a common cause of new tinnitus.

Summary of the evidence

What if coffee seems to bother your ears?

Studies describe averages. Some people do feel their tinnitus is more noticeable after a lot of caffeine, perhaps because they feel more wired, sleep worse or pay more attention to their bodies. If that is you, a careful self-test makes more sense than an abrupt cutoff that could bring headaches, irritability and poor sleep.

1. Track first. For one to two weeks, note your caffeine (cups, sizes, times), sleep and a daily tinnitus rating from 0 to 10.
2. Reduce gradually. Cut about a quarter of your caffeine each week rather than all at once. Swapping one cup a day for a lower-caffeine option is an easy start.
3. Watch timing. Keep caffeine to the morning and early afternoon. Poor sleep is a well-known reason tinnitus feels worse, and our guide to caffeine and sleep explains how long caffeine lingers.
4. Compare honestly. If your ratings do not change after a few weeks at a lower intake, caffeine probably is not your trigger, and you can go back to the amount you enjoy within safe limits.
5. Look at the bigger picture. Stress, noise exposure, alcohol and lack of sleep often matter more. Our article on coffee and anxiety covers caffeine and stress.

To check your total intake against the 400 mg guideline, see how much caffeine is too much.

Lower-caffeine options for the experiment

Cutting back is easier when the cup still tastes good. Our Half Caf blends regular coffee with water-process decaf for half the caffeine in a smooth medium roast. Peru Decaf is a Swiss Water Process single origin with caramel and citrus notes, and Decaf Espresso is roasted dark for a full-bodied shot any time of day.

When to see a doctor about tinnitus

Most tinnitus is not dangerous, but some patterns should be checked promptly by a doctor or hearing specialist:

• Tinnitus in one ear only, or that started suddenly.
• Tinnitus that pulses in time with your heartbeat.
• Tinnitus with sudden hearing loss, dizziness or vertigo.
• Tinnitus after a head injury.
• Tinnitus that affects your sleep, mood or concentration.

A professional can look for treatable causes, such as earwax or medication side effects, and suggest approaches such as sound therapy or counseling that help many people live comfortably with tinnitus.

Coffee and tinnitus FAQ

Should I stop drinking coffee if I have tinnitus?

Current evidence does not support quitting caffeine as a tinnitus treatment. If you want to test it, reduce gradually and track your symptoms.

Can caffeine withdrawal make tinnitus worse?

A 2010 blinded trial suggested acute caffeine withdrawal may add to tinnitus problems, likely along with other withdrawal symptoms like headaches and poor sleep.

Does decaf affect tinnitus?

Decaf contains only small amounts of caffeine, and there is no evidence it worsens tinnitus. It can be a useful way to keep the coffee ritual while cutting back.

Does coffee cause tinnitus?

A large study of women found higher caffeine intake was associated with a lower risk of developing tinnitus. It does not prove protection, but it argues against caffeine as a common cause.

Sources

1. Study casts doubt on caffeine link to tinnitus, University of Bristol, 2010 (St Claire et al., International Journal of Audiology, 2010).
2. Higher caffeine intake tied to lower incidence of tinnitus, HealthDay, 2014 (Glicksman et al., The American Journal of Medicine, 2014).
3. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?, US Food and Drug Administration.

Facts checked in October 2026.

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or take medication, ask your doctor before changing your caffeine intake.

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