Gray hair is an issue that plagues many people from as early as their mid-30s. Now, the days of having to reach for hair dye to banish those gray hairs could finally become a thing of the past. Scientists at Nagoya University in Japan have uncovered a simple way to prevent graying, and it’s great news if you love vegetables. Researchers found that an antioxidant called luteolin appears to stop the graying process in mice. While it has yet to be tested in humans, scientists believe it could have a similar effect. Best of all, the antioxidant can be found in several common vegetables, including celery, broccoli, carrots, onions and peppers. If you’re not a fan of vegetables, don’t worry — luteolin is also available as a supplement for topical or oral use. Hair follicles contain pigment cells that produce melanin, a chemical that gives your hair its color. Gray hair lacks pigment, and could be regarded as hair’s “natural state.” When we’re young, our hair is colored by the pigments produced by the cells in the hair follicle known as melanocytes. As we grow older, the melanocytes gradually become less active, so less pigment is produced, color fades, and gray hair grows instead. The process can be accelerated by factors such as genetics and stress. Scientists are anxious to perform human testing, which they are confident will lead to the conclusion that gray hair truly can be banished. What’s more, they also believe luteolin could help prevent age-related balding.
