There are a variety of factors that influence the degree to which hair will turn gray or if it will turn gray at all. Genetics does play an important role, but there are other factors that can be controlled. There are nutritional deficiencies that can cause hair to turn gray, and addressing those can help prevent or slow non-hereditary gray hair. Learning how nutrition affects hair pigment will help in choosing the right supplements for gray hair.
B Vitamins
Supplementing the diet with B vitamins offers a broad range of health benefits, including helping to prevent or slow the appearance of gray hair. Vitamin B2, also called riboflavin, is important to the process of delivering nutrients and oxygen to hair follicles. It also plays a role in producing adrenal hormones, which help control pigmentation of hair and skin. One of the symptoms of vitamin B9, or folic acid, is gray hair. Biotin deficiency is also associated with premature grayness. Deficiency in biotin is fairly rare and can be an indicator of other ailments. Consult a medical professional before beginning supplementation, both to rule out medical causes for deficiencies and to determine safe, effective dosages.
Copper
According to Oregon State University’s Linus Pauling Institute, loss of pigmentation is one of the many symptoms of copper deficiency, since copper has an essential role in the enzyme processes involved in melanin formation. This is a trace mineral, meaning that the body needs only a small amount. While too little copper can contribute to health problems, too much copper can also be unhealthy. Consult a certified nutritionist to help determine the right dosage before supplementing copper to help with graying hair.
Selenium
While clinical testing of selenium has shown mixed results, according to information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, this mineral is commonly used in the treatment of non-hereditary gray hair. Premature aging can be a sign of selenium deficiency, which is one of the reasons that this mineral is used in cases of premature graying. One of the common ways that people become deficient in this nutrient, even when trying to have good eating habits, is through soil that has experienced mineral depletion. It is a trace mineral, so while it is essential to good health, too much can be detrimental. A nutrition professional can assist in choosing the correct dosage.
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