Recently, it was announced that European researchers had discovered a breakthrough cure for gray and thinning hair: a topical application of a sun-activated compound called PC-KUS (a modified pseudocatalase). However, the researchers may be a few hundred years late with their discovery since onion juice (which contains natural catalase) has been used as a remedy for thin and graying hair for ages.
What the researchers found was that gray hair is primarily caused by a buildup of hydrogen peroxide at the root of hair follicles and that this was due in great part to a reduction in the natural antioxidant compound catalase. In addition to helping cleanse the scalp and follicles, onion juice also promotes the production of catalase. Catalase prevents gray hair as well as promoted thicker hair follicles.
The researchers “new” breakthrough appears to be the rediscovery of a remedy for gray hair and baldness that herbalists have known for centuries: Onion juice. Hundreds of years ago, famed herbalist John Gerard (1545- 1612) wrote: “the juyce of onions annointed upon a bald head in the sun bringeth the hair againe very speedily.” Today, many herbalists recommend onion juice either singly or in combination with other natural items as a remedy for gray and thinning hair.
How to Restore Your Beautiful Hair and Skin
by Barbara Minton
See all TBYIL articles by Barbara Minton
(The Best Years in Life) Will your hair turn gray or fall out? The answer is dependent on your body having proper levels of natural thyroid hormones. Ground breaking research has documented that human hair follicles are direct targets of thyroid hormones.
The study assessed the impact of the two central thyroid hormones of the body, T3 and T4 on the human hair follicle. Human hair follicles in their growth phase were obtained from women between the ages of 40 and 69 with adequate thyroid levels. The follicles were cultured and treated with T3 and T4.
The results showed that T4 up-regulates the proliferation of hair matrix keratinocytes (cells responsible for growth), and a combination of T3 and T4 down-regulates programmed cell death. T4 was also shown to prolong the growth phase, possibly due to the down-regulation of a key inhibiting growth factor. Both T3 and T4 significantly stimulated the synthesis of melanin in the follicle. Melanin is what gives pigment or color to the hair. This study was published in theJournal of Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Other research has led to the conclusion that hair loss is the result of decreased metabolism in the scalp follicles of people with low levels of thyroid hormone, resulting in early release of the hair shaft and root. Brittle hair, hair that has split ends, and hair that easily breaks has been correlated with low thyroid levels. Many physicians and dermatologists diagnose low thyroid based on early graying of the hair and the loss of hairs from the outer ends of the eyebrows.
Thyroid problems can develop at any age and usually appear so slowly that they go unnoticed. At least 27 million Americans are estimated to have an undiagnoised thyroid problem, and most of them are females.
The thyroid is the master gland of metabolism. When your thyroid is not functioning properly it can affect every aspect of your health, particularly weight, mental outlook, body temperature and energy levels. Underactive thyroid, known as hypothyroidism, is the most common thyroid condition, affecting as many as one in five women at some point in their lives.
Untreated hypothyroidism dramatically increases your risk of serious health concerns and degenerative diseases. Another symptom of hypothyroidism is weak heart beat. When your heart beat is not as strong as it should be, the amount of oxygen getting to your cells is reduced. This is the kind of environment in which cancer grows.
Along with the loss of hair and its color, symptoms of hypothyroidism include difficulty losing weight, saggy skin, and muscle and joint pain. Severe or long term constipation is frequently associated with hypothyroidism. Depression and anxiety, including sudden panic attacks, can be symptoms of thyroid problems. Feeling overly cold when everybody else in the room is comfortable suggests hypothyroidism as does excessive fatigue. If you are tired when you get up after a good night’s sleep, or need a nap to get through the day, you probably have a thyroid problem.