- Elevated blood lead and cadmium levels are strongly associated with higher tinnitus prevalence, especially at higher exposure quartiles.
- Mercury and selenium show nonlinear (often U-shaped) relationships with tinnitus, indicating both low and high levels may influence risk.
- No significant association was found between manganese levels and tinnitus.
- Demographic factors (e.g., sex, ethnicity, age) can modify the strength of associations between certain metals and tinnitus.
- The study is observational, so it identifies associations—not causation—but highlights heavy metal exposure as a potential modifiable risk factor for tinnitus.
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