AWAY GREYS
The 5 foods that could BANISH grey hairs for good – and they all cost less than £1
According to the findings of a new study, the foods could pave the way for new hair care treatments in the future
GROWING old gracefully means embracing the challenges and changes ageing can bring.
But for many people, all that goes out the window with the arrival of grey hair.
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Up until now it's not been possible to completely prevent grey hair from happening.
But that could all be about to change after the findings of a new study.
Recent research from Nagoya University in Japan led by Masashi Kato and Takumi Kagawa suggests an antioxidant might suppress the process.
The researcher's focused on three antioxidants - luteolin, hesperetin, and diosmetin - to assess their anti-greying effects in mice that were bred to go grey like humans.
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And the difference was shocking.
The mice that received luteolin retained their black fur while others turned grey.
This happened regardless of whether luteolin was given externally or internally.
"This result was surprising," Professor Kato said.
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"While we expected that antioxidants may also have anti-graying effects, only luteolin, not hesperetin or diosmetin, demonstrated significant effects.
"This finding suggests that luteolin may have a unique medicinal effect that prevents greying."
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Luteolin's anti-greying effects are linked to its influence on endothelins - proteins that play a crucial role in cellular communication.
In the study, luteolin treatments were shown to preserve endothelins and their receptor.
This was able to prevent the decline in melanocyte activity that typically accompanies greying.
"Interestingly, luteolin had limited effects on hair cycles, indicating that its primary impact is on pigmentation rather than hair growth or shedding," Professor Kato added.
"This targeted action makes luteolin a particularly intriguing candidate for addressing age-related hair greying."
The similarities between the hair greying processes in the model mice and humans offer encouraging prospects for creating human applications, said the researchers.
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What is luteolin found in?
Luteolin is found in many fruits and vegetables.
Those that often cost less than £1 in supermarkets include:
- Celery
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Onion
- Green pepper
It's also found in fruits, such as apple skins, oranges, and berries like blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and currants.
And herbs like dandelion, peppermint and rosemary also contain it.
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As well as fruits, vegetables and herbs, luteolin is available as a supplement for topical and oral use - which makes it a viable candidate for further development as an anti-greying treatment.
Building on these results, Dr Kagawa added: "It would be interesting to investigate whether luteolin's anti-ageing effects could also be applicable to other age-related changes, including balding."
Why does hair turn grey?
HAIR turns grey as we age because the pigment cells within hair follicles, called melanocytes, gradually die off, producing less melanin (the pigment that gives hair its colour), resulting in new hair strands growing in with less colour and appearing grey or white.
The age at which someone starts to get grey hair can be influenced by genetics.
It's believed stress can contribute to grey hair as part of the body's fight-or-flight mode.
And have shown vitamin B12 deficiency or problems with your pituitary or thyroid gland can cause premature greying that's reversible if the problem is corrected.
There are no effective treatments that can reverse or prevent grey hair, although some experts have suggested lifestyle changes like eating more fruits and vegetables, managing stress, and stopping smoking can help.
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