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.
Vitamins B6 and B12 have also been proven to boost melanin production. Goddard says that vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, has been found to trigger the production of enzymes and chemical reactions that boost the metabolism of the hair proteins (keratin and melanin) in the hair follicles.
Foods to increase melanin in the hair
Copper-rich foods such as various kinds of nuts, mushrooms and meat liver also promote follicular melanin synthesis. Sources of vitamin A, C, and E including carrots, papaya, eggs, citrus fruits, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts and pistachios can improve the health of your hair.
The rate of loss of hair colour is actually written within your genes. So, if your parents experienced greying early in their lives, you might too. However, it is not possible to restore your hair's colour, unlike what most claims on the internet might tell you. Your hair follicles cannot produce melanin on their own.
Eating vitamin C–rich foods like citrus, berries, and leafy green vegetables may optimize melanin production. Taking a vitamin C supplement may help as well.
Ultraviolet Radiation as a Regulator of Melanogenesis
A major extrinsic regulator of melanogenesis is ultraviolet radiation (UVR), including UVA and UVB light. This is the main stimulus for melanin production, leading to induced pigmentation of the skin, or 'tanning'.
Green leafy vegetables: These top the melanin foods list as the antioxidants in them have the most potential to enhance melanin production. Other than the green leafy vegetables, you may avoid eating anti-oxidant rich foods, dark berries, and dark chocolate to avoid high melanin content.
Vitamin deficiency causes loss of Melanin in your hair
Vitamin B12 helps Red Blood Cells (RBCs) carry oxygen to various parts of the body, including hair follicles. Its deficiency could lead to hair discolouration because of the lack of oxygen in hair follicles.
If your diet lacks certain nutrients, it could very well affect melanin production in your hair follicles. Vitamin B-12 is the most common culprit, with folate, copper, and iron deficiencies increasing your risk, too.
Melanin deficiency is associated with vitamin deficiency. That's why you need to increase your vitamin intake through your food or vitamin supplements. Vitamin A, C and B12 are the most needed vitamins to increase the melanin production in your hair.
Bhringraj
Bhringraj or Eclipta Alba has hair darkening properties that are very useful in stopping premature greying of hair [8]. Bhringraj can be used in the form of oil. You can also add its powder to your hair masks.
Vitamin D is known to enhance the rate of melanin synthesis; and this may concurrently regulate the expression of furin expression.
Biotin has many benefits. It triggers hair growth, it treats hair loss related disorders, and it thickens and strengthens the hair. One of our favorite beneficial effects of Biotin is that is can reverse premature greying of hair.
According to these articles, the citric acid in lemon juice is a natural bleach, or oxidizing agent. It whitens hair by chemically reducing your hair's color pigment, or melanin.
Black seed oil does darken hair and can help prevent greying of your hair. It has become renowned in the haircare world for its ability to prevent and reverse greying locks, so get in on the action of this wonder oil now!
Argan oil treatment reduces the melanin content in 92.1 cells.
Vitamin B-12 deficiency is one of the most common causes of prematurely graying hair. Researchers have noted that vitamin B-12 deficiencies are often concurrent with folic acid and biotin deficiencies in people whose hair has started to turn gray early.
B-6 may help restore hair to its original color following an illness or deficiency. Para-Amino benzoic Acid (PABA) and Pantothenic Acid are part of the family of B-complex vitamins. Both of these vitamins are available at health food stores and pharmacies. Use them to postpone the onset of graying.