A review of research suggests that proper supplementation may reverse premature graying in those who are deficient in certain nutrients, including iron, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. However, even though some supplements are specifically sold as “anti-graying,” there aren't any studies that prove they work.
You can get a blood panel done to see if you are deficient, but none of that will change or stop hair from graying. A severe vitamin D deficiency can cause hair loss (as well as other issues), but not gray/white hair.
Premature graying may be reversed with vitamin B12 supplementation only if vitamin B12 deficiency is the cause. If you are graying due to other factors, such as genetics, zinc deficiency, and medications, your gray hair cannot be reversed.
One of the most frequent causes of premature hair greying is a vitamin B-12 deficiency. Researchers have found that in persons whose hair has already begun to grey early, vitamin B-12 shortages frequently coexist with folic acid and biotin deficiencies.
Genetic or age related greying of hair cannot be reversed. However, greying related to diet, pollution, bleaching and stress can be slowed down with a balanced diet and a good hair care regimen. Illnesses that cause gray hair The vast majority of people with gray hair have age-related graying.
It has long been thought that reversal of gray hair on a large scale is rare. However, a recent study reported that individual gray hair darkening is a common phenomenon, suggesting the possibility of large-scale reversal of gray hair.
Vitamin A, C and B12 are the most needed vitamins to increase the melanin production in your hair. Add citrus fruits like oranges, grapes, pineapple, and melon to your diet. Also eat vegetables like potatoes, carrots, beans, etc. Non vegetarians can try adding red meat, chicken liver, fish, and eggs to their diet.
The average age of onset of hair graying appears to be mid- to late forties; however, this varies with race, with the average age for Caucasians being mid-thirties, that for Asians being late thirties, and that for Africans being mid-forties.
Vitamin D toxicity, although rare, can occur from high intake of supplements over an extended period. This toxicity can result in a range of health issues, including hair loss, as the body struggles to regulate the nutrient's effects on various bodily systems.
There isn't a lot of medical data to back it up, but some research does show that magnesium deficiency may be behind some (not all) causes of gray hair. If this is the cause of your greying, then making sure your magnesium stores are optimal could stop or even reverse the greying of your hair.
Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that increasing vitamin B12 intake can reverse existing gray hair. Hair that has already lost its pigment is unlikely to regain its natural color.
The recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 400 international units (IU) for children up to age 12 months, 600 IU for people ages 1 to 70 years, and 800 IU for people over 70 years.
Research shows correcting a vitamin D deficiency can help promote thicker, healthier hair growth. However, supplements are just one piece of the puzzle. Overall nutrition, underlying conditions and genetics also play key roles. Discuss options with your doctor.
A review of research suggests that proper supplementation may reverse premature graying in those who are deficient in certain nutrients, including iron, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.
Regarding using baking soda for gray hair, experts endorse its potential benefits such as controlling pigmentation loss, lightening the strands, and providing texture. It can be used on coarse grey locks to make them smoother too by eliminating product buildup from oils or soaps.
In both reported cases, treatment with 50,000 IU vitamin D3 for 6 weeks and 3 months, respectively, followed by 1,000 IU/daily as a maintenance dose, resulted in noticeable hair regrowth and resolved the deficiency state. In both cases, the patients received no other topical or systemic treatment.
That said, certain conditions may temporarily restore pigmentation. For example, if greying is caused by a vitamin deficiency, stress, or an underlying medical condition, addressing these issues may slow or even partially reverse greying. However, the complete reversal of naturally aged hair remains a challenge.
There's no hard-and-fast rule about when (or if!) you should stop coloring your hair and go gray; it's ultimately a personal choice.
Melanin is what gives your hair (and skin) its natural color. People of African descent, Thai, and Chinese people, go grey more slowly.
When and how thoroughly your hair turns gray is influenced mostly by the genes you inherit from your parents. Though stress may play a role in the process, it would be more helpful to look to past generations rather than your current stress levels to help you predict when or if you'll go gray.
Massaging the hair with a mixture of almond oil, lemon juice, and amla juice, twice daily, for a few months, can help reverse grey hair without coloring. Rubbing onion juice onto the scalp helps in the reversal of grey hair. The tannic acid present in the black tea helps in darkening the hair color.