Vitamins to Reduce Gray Hair

Graying hair is caused by decreasing melanin production in the hair follicle. While all hair will eventually turn gray, there are some steps to slow down the process.

First, determine the root cause of your graying hair, especially if it is an acute onset. While hair cannot turn gray overnight, certain skin conditions, like vitiligo, where skin pigment is decreased, can affect the hair. Overindulging in meats, fried, spicy, sour and acidic foods along with coffee is said to decrease the amount of nutrients used by hair follicles.

Looking for vitamins that may slow or reverse graying of oversimplifies the process. A combination of vitamins and minerals are most successful in stopping gray hair.

Increase Copper Intake

• Decreased melanin production is said to be tied to a lack of copper in the diet. Foods such as cashews, oysters and almonds are rich in copper.

  Blackstrap molasses, a byproduct of sugar cane processing, is loaded with such minerals as magnesium and copper and has long been recommended as a remedy to restore hair color and stop graying. Sugar cane is boiled three times to insure that all sugar has been extracted from the sugar cane. The first boiling results in processed sugar and a golden hued viscous liquid known as molasses. This is the traditional molasses, because it has a high degree of sweetness it is used in baking. The second boiling renders more processed sugar and a darker more robust molasses known as second molasses The third boiling of the cane results in Blackstrap molasses, which has the lowest sugar content but is rich in vitamins and minerals. Blackstrap molasses is available at health food stores and at feedstores. Often. it is mixed into animal food to provide additional nutrients.

  Blackstrap Morning Toddy

  1 Tbsp of blackstrap molasses
  6 oz. cup warm filtered or purified water to melt the molasses
  2 oz. soy, rice or almond milk
  Spice mixture of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to taste*

  Mix the ingredients together and drink every day.

  *You can use premixed allspice, or mix the spices together to create your own.

Iodine

• Iodine works in conjunction with copper to elicit better results. Sea vegetables, like kelp, are rich in iodine. Other sources of iodine are shellfish, such as shrimp, lobster and crab, deepwater fish which include tuna, shark, sardines and mackerel as well as turnip greens. Please note that several foods, if eaten in their raw state, can stop the body from absorbing iodine. Some of these are mustard greens, cassava melon and soybeans. See the resource section for a more complete listing.

Biotin

• The B vitamins and Biotin provide nourishment to the protein structures of the body. A full complement of B vitamins along with amino acids and minerals are available in Brewer's Yeast supplements. Foods like wheat germ and liver are also high in B vitamins. By propagating beneficial bacteria into the intestines, the body can create B vitamins. This presupposes a healthy diet high in bioavailable food sources. Adding plain yogurt with lactobacillus cultures can aid in the process.

PABA

• Para Amino Benzoic acid has been successful in reversing graying hair in some cases. It is also a B complex vitamin that adds pigment back to the hair. If you are being treated with sulfa drugs, you can become deficient in PABA. Natural food sources of PABA are liver, kidneys and molasses. It is also available through Brewers Yeast supplementation.

Vitamin A

• Vitamin A has a benificial effect on the sebaceous glands. These are glands that secrete sebum. Sebum is the oily material that keeps the hair follicle from drying out. Vitamin A is available in two forms: beta-carotene from plant sources and retinol from meat sources. Vitamin A is available in foods like liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes and spinach.