Growing older is an inevitable process that is characterized by various changes, such as graying hair. However, new research has revealed that a certain antioxidant may considerably slow down the graying process. Considering that so many people would like to delay the signs of aging as much as possible, the market is full of products that hide gray hair. But, what if we were able to prevent it from happening in the first place? Recently, researchers examined three potential oxidants for their potential ability to suppress the graying process and one has shown great promise.
The Study on Antioxidants and Gray Hair
The study was led by Masashi Kato and Takumi Kagawa from Nagoya University in Japan. Using mice, the researchers set out to find out how three antioxidants (diosmetin, hesperetin, and luteolin), affected graying hair outcomes. These were no ordinary mice though, they were bred to model the graying process in humans at a rapid rate. There are two kinds of stem cells in the hair follicle bulges of mice: follicular melanocyte stem cells and follicular keratinocyte stem cells.
The research revealed that the mice’s hair turned gray due to a reduction in endothelin. A type of peptide, endothelin started to decrease in the keratinocyte stem cells of the mice. The follicular melanocyte stem cell receptors for endothelin also began to decrease. This process is comparable to what happens to gray hair in humans. Now that the process for graying hair had potentially been identified, the next step was to try and find a way to suppress it. This is where the three antioxidants, diosmetin, hesperetin, and luteolin, enter the story. For 16 weeks, one group of mice received daily external or internal luteolin treatments, while another received diosmetin or hesperetin treatments.
The Results of the Graying Hair Study
The difference in outcomes between the groups was rather striking. The group of mice that received the luteolin retained their black-colored fur. However, the other group all turned gray at the usual rate. Professor Kato was rather surprised by the results, stating, “While we expected that antioxidants might 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 graying.” These effects can be attributed to the antioxidant’s influence on the endothelin proteins.
The study showed that the luteolin treatments preserved endothelin protein and endothelin receptor expression. This preservation results in healthy signaling pathways which help prevent the melanocyte decline typically associated with graying hair. Furthermore, the study revealed that luteolin only had a small effect on hair growth and shedding cycles and that its main impact was on hair pigmentation. Not only is luteolin found in fruit and vegetables, such as celery, parsley, broccoli, carrots, and sweet peppers, but it can also be found in topical and oral supplement forms.
The Bottom Line on Gray Hair
Aging is natural, however, we are constantly discovering new ways to slow down the effects and signs of aging. Thankfully, many of these new ways simply require a change in diet and lifestyle. If the mice trials are anything to go by, we may soon have new luteolin treatments available. The researchers are also keen to explore which other effects of aging the antioxidant could potentially suppress. According to Dr. Kagawa, “It would be interesting to investigate whether luteolin’s anti-aging effects could also be applicable to other age-related changes, including balding.“
There are also several other potential health benefits linked to luteolin that researchers have yet to explore. Some researchers have suggested that it may also have neuroprotective and cardioprotective benefits, as well as help with pain management. This beneficial antioxidant also has anti-inflammatory properties. The food with the highest quantity of luteolin is radicchio, followed by various green peppers. Even if you aren’t concerned about graying hair, adding these foods to your diet will improve your health in many other ways.