Gray hair & supplements

It's no news that women are aware of their hair, while more and more of the male gender also strives for healthy and thick hair, without any gray or white hairs peeking out! Many men and women also dye their hair to get the desired color, or to hide gray and white hair. But what makes us humans have different hair colors and what is the reason for gray or white hair? Are there nutritional supplements that can counteract gray hair?

Food supplements that counteract gray hair

What governs hair color and skin color?

Depending on the person's ethnic group, the hair can be black, brown, blonde or red. The background to the hair's color difference is the pigments eumelanin and pheomelanin. They are two different types of melanin , and a pigment found in animals. It actually determines both a person's hair color and skin color; more melanin gives a person darker hair and skin, while less gives a person lighter hair and skin.

Why does hair turn gray?

As we age, our hair slowly turns gray and eventually turns white, which is because we naturally produce less melanin as we age. However, there are those who get gray hair already in their teens. Gray or white hair is actually "transparent". This is due to a lack of melanin and pigmentation in the hair follicles. It only looks gray or white when the light reflects on the strands of hair.

Albinism, a genetic abnormality, gives a person white or pale blond hair. Autoimmune disease, malnutrition, anemia, and other medical conditions can also cause gray hair to appear early in life.

Thyroid or vitamin B12 deficiency, as well as iron deficiency (anemia) can also cause hair to turn white or gray. Abnormal values ​​for thyroid hormones, vitamin B12 (cobalamin) and iron (ferritin) can be tested for with a simple BLOOD TEST . Either as simple and separate tests at BLODKOLLEN , or where they are included together with other blood samples in our blood tests for hair: STORA HÅRKOLLEN FEMALE and STORA HÅRKOLLEN MEN .

Tobacco smoking can also make hair gray prematurely. But the biggest factor that affects when we get gray hair is the genetics we inherit from our parents.

What counteracts gray hair?

When the hair starts to turn white or gray, the whole hair is not affected. The gray hairs start to appear when there is still naturally colored hair left. White hair only occurs when all the colors in the hair are gone. Every hair on our body has its own cycle. Each hair grows, takes in nutrients for health and growth, falls out, and then grows back. Each of the hairs gets its own dose of melanin, and while some get enough melanin, there are some that don't, so these become light, while others become dark. What you notice is that the hair seems to turn gray; when it is actually a mixture of dyed, gray or white hair. As the person gets older and the body's ability to produce melanin starts to slow down, all the hair in the body turns gray or white, and that's when you start seeing all the hair as white.

How do you counteract a lack of the hair pigment melanin?

For young people and the elderly who suffer from melanin deficiency for various reasons, gray or white hair can be hidden by coloring the hair. But the best thing is of course – if you want, because many people actually enjoy gray hair and think it looks good – to try to prevent gray and white hair from appearing, unless it is due to the genetics that we inherit from our parents. Live healthily, don't smoke and feel free to supplement with food supplements that counteract melanin deficiency .

Eat foods rich in vitamin B-12 (cobalamin) . Vitamin B-12 is found naturally in animal products, including fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and milk products. Vitamin B-12 is generally not found in plant-based foods, but fortified breakfast cereals are a readily available source of vitamin B-12 with high bioavailability for e.g. vegetarians.

Also eat foods rich in iron , especially if you know you have an iron deficiency. Iron is mainly found in offal and blood foods such as liver and blood pudding. It is also found in meat, eggs and seafood. In plant foods, iron is found in whole grain products, nuts, seeds, dried fruit and legumes. Compared to many other nutrients, however, the body's absorption of iron is low. If you know that you have a pronounced iron deficiency and at the same time do not get iron through your diet, it may be good to supplement with a food supplement with iron .

What is the best dietary supplement to combat gray hair?

Collagen together with melanin is a good combination of dietary supplements to counteract gray hair growth.

Can collagen protect against gray hair?

Collagen can act as an antioxidant and fight damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are compounds that develop in the body due to stress, air pollution, smoking, poor dietary choices, alcohol and other environmental influences. Too many free radicals can damage your cells, proteins and DNA. Research shows that free radicals can also damage hair follicles. Because your body's defenses against free radicals decline with aging, older adults are especially susceptible to damaged hair. To fight free radicals and promote healthy hair, your body needs antioxidants. Several studies have shown that collagen – especially from fish – can have powerful antioxidant activity. One study found that marine collagen from fish could fight four different types of free radicals, while another study observed that the protein may be a more effective antioxidant than a well-known compound found in tea.

Can collagen protect the hair pigment melanin?

Due to its antioxidant properties, collagen can fight cell damage and counteract gray hair. Age-related gray hair is largely influenced by genetics, but free radical damage to the cells that produce melanin can also play a role. As you age, the cells (melanocytes) that produce the melanin that gives your hair its color begin to decline. However, free radicals resulting from poor diet, stress and environmental pollution can also damage melanin production. Without enough antioxidants to fight free radical damage, your hair can actually turn gray prematurely. In fact, one study found that the antioxidant activity of gray hair follicles was much lower than that of hair follicles that still contained melanin pigment. Since collagen has been shown to fight free radicals in various test-tube studies, it could theoretically help prevent damage to melanin-producing cells. As a result, it can prevent gray hair or slow down gray hair that occurs due to genetics.