What your earwax can reveal about your health

Earwax, often overlooked and considered unpleasant, is gaining attention from scientists for its potential to reveal important health information. Researchers are exploring the chemistry of earwax, also known as cerumen, to find new ways to diagnose various diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes. Earwax is a combination of secretions from glands in the outer ear canal, mixed with hair, dead skin cells, and other debris, resulting in the sticky substance we all know. Once formed, earwax moves slowly from the inner ear to the outer ear, taking months to reach the outside. The primary function of earwax is to keep the ear canal clean and protected from bacteria, fungi, and other unwanted intruders. Despite its unappealing nature, earwax has been largely ignored in medical research until recently. Scientists have discovered that earwax can provide valuable insights into a person's health. For instance, most people have wet earwax, which is yellow and sticky, while about 95% of East Asians have dry earwax, which is gray and non-sticky. This difference is due to a gene called ABCC11, which also influences whether a person has smelly armpits. Interestingly, studies have shown that women with wet earwax have a significantly higher risk of breast cancer compared to those with dry earwax. In a study conducted in 1971, researchers found that Caucasian, African-American, and German women with wet earwax had a four-fold higher chance of dying from breast cancer than Japanese and Taiwanese women with dry earwax. However, more recent studies have produced mixed results, with some failing to find a clear link between earwax type and breast cancer risk. Beyond cancer, earwax may also help diagnose other health conditions. For example, a rare genetic disorder known for causing a sweet-smelling urine, similar to maple syrup, has been linked to specific compounds found in earwax. This discovery suggests that doctors could potentially diagnose this condition through earwax analysis, making it a simpler and more cost-effective method than traditional genetic testing. Additionally, researchers are investigating the connection between earwax and Ménière's disease, a condition that leads to vertigo and hearing loss. A recent study found that patients with this disease had lower levels of certain substances in their earwax compared to healthy individuals, indicating that earwax could serve as a biomarker for this condition. The ability of earwax to reflect the body's internal chemical processes is what makes it such a valuable resource for health diagnostics. As scientists continue to study earwax, they are developing diagnostic tools that could accurately predict the presence of certain cancers based on earwax analysis. In a 2019 study, researchers identified 27 compounds in earwax that could serve as a 'fingerprint' for cancer diagnosis, achieving 100% accuracy in predicting whether someone had cancer. This research is paving the way for a future where earwax analysis could become a routine part of medical examinations, allowing for early detection of diseases like diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The potential of earwax as a diagnostic tool is exciting, and researchers are hopeful that it will lead to quicker and more accurate diagnoses, ultimately improving patient outcomes.