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.
“If your gray hairs are a result of chronic stress, a thyroid disorder, or [a] B vitamin deficiency, your hair may return to its normal pigmentation after these issues are corrected,” she explained. Therefore, taking a supplement that contains essential B vitamins may help, she added.
Pigment cells do not come back. Once hair turns grey or white, it is not ever going to turn back into brown, red, or black, or whatever your natural color was.
Gray hair is a natural course of aging; however, it may not be an inevitable or permanent process. Medications which target inflammatory cytokines, such as psoralen and cyclosporin, or stimulate melanogenesis, such as imatinib or latanoprost, have been reported to induce gray hair repigmentation in rare cases.
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.
Whether you've gone gray prematurely or right on time, there are currently no proven foods, vitamins, hair products, natural remedies or any other treatments that permanently reverse gray hair.
Any deficiencies of vitamin B9, B12, biotin, or vitamin D can contribute to premature graying. One 2018 review notes various deficiency studies on vitamin D3, vitamin B12, copper, zinc, and calcium and their connection to graying hair.
Aging decreases the synthesis of melanin, which is the pigment that gives hair its natural color. Free radicals can accelerate this process, leading to premature gray hair. Since collagen has antioxidant properties that can combat free radicals, increasing your collagen intake may help prevent or slow down graying.
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.
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.
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.
If the cause of greying is genetic, it is not possible to reverse the process, no matter what some marketers on the internet claim. In case of nutritional deficiencies and underlying medical conditions, you can gradually slow down or even reverse the process.
Biotin and collagen play distinct but complementary roles in hair health — biotin supports keratin production, while collagen provides structural support to the hair and scalp. Taking both biotin and collagen together can be beneficial.
Meet PA20 – A Proven Grey Hair Reversing Peptide
We use PA20 as a core ingredient in our Mela-9™ Complex because it has been shown4 to preserve the function of your hair's pigment-producing cells, promote repigmentation, slow, and even reverse the greying process. Repigmentation is a gradual process.
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.
While there are no proven vitamins for gray hair reversal, maintaining a balanced diet and following a healthy lifestyle may help slow down the process. If you're experiencing premature graying, before you start taking any over-the-counter supplements, talk to your doctor about a potential nutrient deficiency.
While moderate caffeine consumption is generally safe, excessive intake may negatively impact hair health. Potential Effects of Caffeine on Hair 1. Hormonal Imbalance: Caffeine can disrupt hormonal balances, particularly affecting the thyroid gland. Hormonal changes can contribute to hair graying, thinning, or loss.
However, reversing your grey hair is much less likely if you're older. To reverse grey hair, you need enough melanocyte stem cells (McSCs), which produce pigment cells (melanocytes) for your hair. These stem cells stop working with age, and hair greying is thought to be irreversible when they do [3].
If you're looking at how to increase melanin in hair, you must include in your diet, melanin rich foods and foods that are rich in vitamins. o Vitamin A – stimulates the oil-producing glands in the hair follicle and keeps the hair moisturized. Found in carrots, kale, spinach and sweet potatoes.
Hair supplements containing a combination of biotin and calcium pantothenate once daily orally were also prescribed. After 3 months, the patient showed some improvement, and the dose of the topical solution was reduced to 1 mL once daily. After 5 months, the patient achieved >90% conversion of gray hair to black hair.