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.
B vitamins, such as B6, B9 (folic acid), and B7 (biotin), can help improve the deficiency that causes grey hair. These vitamins help in the production of melanin, which is responsible for the color of hair. A deficiency in these vitamins can lead to premature greying of the 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
There have been many studies that show how too much zinc can lead to hair loss and other issues. Why is this? Even though we need to have a certain amount of zinc in our diets, there are many problems that can arise, including hair loss, if we have too much.
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.
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.
A good source of B12, such as an apple, banana, blueberry, or eggs, should be added to improve B12 levels over time. However, for short term improvements in your levels you should start with medication.
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.
While the recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms, higher doses have been found to be safe. Your body absorbs only as much as it needs, and any excess passes through your urine. High doses of vitamin B-12, such as those used to treat a deficiency, might cause: Headache.
Research has shown that less than 40 mg a day is a safe amount to take over time, but researchers are not sure what happens if more is taken over a long period. Additional concerns have been raised about combining multivitamins and additional zinc supplements and an increased risk of dying from prostate cancer.
Zinc picolinate and zinc citrate are often recommended for their high absorption rates, making them great choices for hair health. Incorporating a mix of these zinc sources into your diet or supplement routine can help you maintain the ideal zinc level for luscious hair growth and overall health.
The best source of zinc is oysters, but it's also plentiful in red meat and poultry. Other good sources of zinc include other kinds of seafood, nuts whole grains, breakfast cereals, and dairy products.
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.
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.
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.
Currently, no safe or proven method exists to increase melanin – the pigment, or color, in a person's skin, hair, and eyes. A person's genetics determine their natural melanin levels and skin color. In general, people who have darker skin tones have more melanin than those with lighter skin tones.