New analysis of Beethoven’s hair reveals likely cause behind his deafness

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Legendary German composer Ludwig van Beethoven was exposed to high levels of lead that were not enough to kill him but likely contributed to his various illnesses, including gut issues and hearing loss, researchers say. Previous research found that the composer’s hair contained extremely high levels of lead, concluding that poisoning by the metal caused his eventual death, but a later analysis revealed that this lock of hair belonged to a woman, not Beethoven. Artificial Intelligence helps complete Beethoven Symphony Last year, researchers conducted a toxin analysis on two of these locks – known as the Bermann and Halm-Thayer Locks – assessing them for lead using two different versions of a highly accurate testing technique. “While the concentrations determined are not supportive of the notion that lead exposure caused Beethoven’s death, it may have contributed to the documented ailments that plagued him most of his life,” Nader Rifai, one of the researchers from Harvard Medical School said.