Grey Hair Treatment Discovered By Scientists
Posted by Xeno on May 7, 2013
Scientists found people who are going grey develop “massive oxidative stress” via an accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the hair follicle, which causes hair to bleach itself from the inside out.According to the FASEB Journal, the team, which includes experts from Bradford University’s School of Life Sciences, discovered the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide can be remedied with a treatment.They described it as “a topical, UVB-activated compound called PC-KUS a modified pseudocatalase”, the report said. The treatment can also be used for people with the skin condition vitiligo, which causes a loss of pigmentation. In 1993 Michael Jackson claimed to have developed vitiligo.
Study author Professor Karin Schallreuter, a specialist in vitiligo, said: “To date, it is beyond any doubt that the sudden loss of the inherited skin and localised hair colour can affect those individuals in many fundamental ways.”
The improvement of quality of life after total and even partial successful repigmentation has been documented.”The research team made their discovery after studying an international group of 2,411 patients.
FASEB Journal editor-in-chief Gerald Weissman said: “For generations, numerous remedies have been concocted to hide grey hair but now, for the first time, an actual treatment that gets to the root of the problem has been developed.”While this is exciting news, what’s even more exciting is that this also works for vitiligo.”This condition, while technically cosmetic, can have serious socio-emotional effects on people.”Developing an effective treatment for this condition has the potential to radically improve many people’s lives.”
Hair dye manufacturers are on notice: The cure for gray hair is coming. That’s right, the need to cover up one of the classic signs of aging with chemical pigments will be a thing of the past thanks to a team of European researchers. In a new research report published online in The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org ) people who are going gray develop massive oxidative stress via accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the hair follicle, which causes our hair to bleach itself from the inside out, and most importantly, the report shows that this massive accumulation of hydrogen peroxide can be remedied with a proprietary treatment developed by the researchers described as a topical, UVB-activated compound called PC-KUS (a modified pseudocatalase). What’s more, the study also shows that the same treatment works for the skin condition, vitiligo. …
To achieve this breakthrough, Schallreuter and colleagues analyzed an international group of 2,411 patients with vitiligo. Of that group, 57 or 2.4 percent were diagnosed with strictly segmental vitiligo (SSV), and 76 or 3.2 percent were diagnosed with mixed vitiligo, which is SSV plus non-segmental vitiligo (NSV). They found that for the first time, patients who have SSV within a certain nerval distribution involving skin and eyelashes show the same oxidative stress as observed in the much more frequent general NSV, which is associated with decreased antioxidant capacities including catalase, thioredoxin reductase, and the repair mechanisms methionine sulfoxide reductases. These findings are based on basic science and clinical observations, which led to successful patient outcomes regarding repigmentation of skin and eyelashes.
“For generations, numerous remedies have been concocted to hide gray hair,” said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal, “but now, for the first time, an actual treatment that gets to the root of the problem has been developed. While this is exciting news, what’s even more exciting is that this also works for vitiligo. This condition, while technically cosmetic, can have serious socio-emotional effects of people. Developing an effective treatment for this condition has the potential to radically improve many people’s lives.”
This report follows up on a 2009 study, which describes the cause of gray hair. See http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-02/foas-nla022309.php for the press release for that study, and http://www.fasebj.org/content/23/7/2065.full to access the full report.
via Eureka Alert
Some believe that grey hair is caused by a mineral imbalance. Are minerals responsible for hair color? Well… possibly. Hair color is the pigmentation of hair follicles due to two types of melanin: eumelanin and pheomelanin. Melanin is polymers of ozidized tyrosine an amino acid. Amino acids are organic molecules containing carbon. Minerals are inorganic molecules without carbon atoms. Hair pigment itself is not made of minerals, but hair does contain minerals. Minerals in water stick to hair. Copper sticking to hair does change hair color a bit:
“Copper: This mineral bonds strongly to the hair and originates either from underground water, particles from copper water pipes, or most commonly, copper sulfates added to pool and drinking water to control algae growth. Oxidized copper discolors light hair, producing a green tint, and causes dark hair to tint darker. It can weigh hair down, and also cause problems in perms, colors, and relaxers.” – link
Most importantly, however, copper is used in the process of melanin production: Tyrosinase, a Copper containing enzyme, converts Tyrosine to melanin, which is the pigment that gives hair and skin its color.
Tyrosine, also known as 4-hydroxyphenylalanine or L-Tyrosine, is a nonessential amino acid that the body synthesizes from another amino acid called phenylalanine. It is named from the Greek tyros, which translates to mean “cheese,” because it is found in casein protein in cheese and other dairy products. Other natural food sources include fish, avacados, bananas, lima beans, almonds, peanuts, and sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
This amino acid plays a significant role in metabolism. For one thing, it interacts with proteins that undergo signal transduction to initiate various cellular processes. Tyrosine receptor kinases serve as pathways to transport phosphate compounds in a process known as phosphorylation that yields phosphotyrosine. These activities involve virtually every protein in the body and are responsible for regulating the manufacture of several enzymes. In addition, tyrosine is a precursor to several other substances, including neurotransmitting brain chemicals, the hormones produced by the thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands, and the skin pigment melanin.
Specifically, tyrosine is necessary for the body to synthesize serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters are involved with signaling between nerve cells and synapses in the brain. These agents also affect mood and libido, which is why these substances are sometimes called the “feel good hormones.” In fact, several studies indicate that supplementation of this amino acid may help to relieve chronic stress, anxiety, and mild depression.
A true deficiency of tyrosine is rare, but abnormal utilization does occur in certain syndromes. For instance, oculocutaneous albinism is characterized by an inability to synthesize melanin from from the amino acid.
Will a lack of copper give you grey hair? One site recommends: “Start eating more blackberries, and see if your roots start growing in with color instead of in shades of grey.” – link
The PC-KUS may give you much better results without the risk of liver damage from too much copper.
Pseudocatalase cream was identified and created by Dr. Karin U Schallreuter in Germany. There are many success stories (published by Dr. Schallreuter) of individuals who have traveled to Greifswald Germany and have been treated by Dr. Schallreuter in her clinic. Here in the USA, a team at Northwestern University (Chicago) reverse engineered drug created by Dr. Schallreuter and it is now available here in the USA from some compounding pharmacies. There is one on line at www.pseudocatalase.com and you may find others in your city or town. Generally PC-KUS (PseudoCatalase ‘Karin U Schallteuter) is prescribed and applied to the skin and is immediately treated with UVB Narrowband UVB311) light. – link
Until it is available, here are some other ways to supposedly reverse grey hair: eat copper-rich foods like liver, or 1-3 oz of Brazil nuts per day.
Oxidative stress is not psychological stress. Is there any biological basis for the common view that mental stress causes grey hair?