You look in the mirror, spot a few more gray strands, and wonder if anything can slow them down. This article is about nutrients and vitamins for gray hair, and what they can and can’t do.
We cover how hair color works, a checklist of nutrients, foods that contain them, and several vitamin supplements, with the downsides named. Check with your doctor or a nutritionist before starting anything.
Nutrients and Hair Color
Hair color is produced by cells at the base of the hair follicle that inject pigment called melanin into the hair shaft as it grows.
Melanin production relies on several key nutrients being available to the follicle cells.
- Copper and iron are essential for the function of enzymes that create melanin.
- Amino acids like L-tyrosine provide the building blocks for melanin.
- Vitamin B5, B6, and biotin play roles in producing hair proteins and supporting follicle health.
- Antioxidants like vitamin E may help prevent oxidative stress damage to follicles.
Overall, ensuring adequate intake of nutrients involved in melanin synthesis and hair growth can potentially help maintain natural hair pigmentation.
However, and I don’t mean to be a bummer, graying caused by aging or genetics can’t be reversed by nutrients alone.
Checklist: Nutrients That May Slow Gray Hair Progression
Here are some nutrients that might help slow down or prevent the progression of gray hair:
Calcium: Important for nerve, heart, and muscle health; may affect hair pigmentation. Food Sources: Dairy products, dark leafy greens, fortified cereals, fish with edible bones
Copper: Vital for iron metabolism, blood cell formation, and melanin production. Food Sources: Nuts, lentils, beef liver, seafood, white mushrooms
Iron: Essential for hemoglobin production; carries oxygen to hair follicles. Food Sources: Red meats, poultry, lentils, dark leafy greens, iron-fortified cereals
Protein (Keratin): Directly impacts hair structure and health. Food Sources: Meat, eggs, dairy products, legumes, nuts and seeds
Vitamin B-5 (Pantothenic Acid): Helps the body make hair proteins. It has not been shown to prevent graying. Food Sources: Avocado, yogurt, eggs, meats, whole grains
Vitamin B-6: Involved in protein metabolism and red blood cell production. Food Sources: Fish, chickpeas, poultry, fortified cereals, bananas
PABA (Para-Aminobenzoic Acid): Sometimes mentioned for hair color, but there is little good evidence. Skip it unless your doctor suggests it.
Biotin: Helps maintain healthy hair, skin, and nails. Food Sources: Nuts, eggs, onions, oats
Vitamin E: An antioxidant that could help protect skin and hair from damage. Food Sources: Nuts and seeds, spinach, avocado, olive oil
Vitamin D: May play a role in hair production and prevent hair loss. Food Sources: Fortified milk and cereals, fatty fish, egg yolks, UV-exposed mushrooms
L-Tyrosine: An amino acid that is a precursor to melanin. Food Sources: Cheese, soy products, lean meats, fish, pumpkin seeds
Catalase: An enzyme that may help prevent the onset of grey hair by reducing hydrogen peroxide in the body, which can bleach the hair from inside out. Food Sources: Beef liver, potatoes, carrots, leafy greens, and other fruits and vegetables.
Important Notes:
- These nutrients may help delay the onset of gray hair but are not effective against graying that is due to the natural aging process or genetics.
- Always consider getting these nutrients from a balanced diet before thinking about supplements.
- Before starting any supplement, consult with a healthcare provider.
This checklist serves as a guide to help you structure a nutrient-rich diet that may contribute to the health of your hair, potentially slowing the onset of graying.
Remember that external factors like stress, smoking, and hair care practices also contribute to hair health.
Foods Containing High Amounts of Vitamins for Gray Hair
Based on the frequency of mentions in the nutrient checklist, here is an analysis of the most important foods for slowing gray hair:
Most Important:
- Eggs: Contain protein/keratin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, biotin, vitamin D, and L-tyrosine
- Meat (Lean Red Meat, Poultry, Fish): Provide protein/keratin, iron, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin D, zinc, L-tyrosine
- Nuts and Seeds: Good sources of biotin, vitamin E, copper, vitamin B6
- Whole Grains: Contain vitamin B5, vitamin B6, iron, biotin
- Leafy Greens: Provide vitamin B6, calcium, iron, vitamin E
- Yogurt and Milk: Supply protein/keratin, calcium, vitamin B5, vitamin B6
Important:
- Fruits and Vegetables: Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant. Carrots supply vitamin A for skin/hair health.
- Liver: Provides iron, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, copper
- Fortified Cereals: Can be a source of iron, vitamin B6, vitamin D
Eating a balanced diet with these nutrient-rich foods may help slow graying.
Vitamin Supplements for Graying Hair
While no supplement can reverse the clock on graying, some may offer the nutrients necessary to nourish the hair, potentially impacting the rate at which grays appear.
It’s an option worth considering for those looking to maintain their natural hair color and improve their hair’s vitality.
But, chances are, it’s going to take some trial and error.
Comparison of Anti-Gray Hair Vitamin Ingredients
| Nutrient | Best Naturals | Anti-Gray Hair 7050 | sspjoi Hair Supplement | Esmond Natural | Clean Nutraceuticals | Sugarbear Hair Vitamins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protein (Keratin) | ✓ | |||||
| Vitamin B-5 (Pantothenic Acid) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Vitamin B-6 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| PABA (Para-Aminobenzoic Acid) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Biotin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vitamin E | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Vitamin D | ✓ | |||||
| L-Tyrosine | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Calcium | ✓ | |||||
| Copper | ||||||
| Iron |
Lunakai USA Made Hair Vitamins
This one is made for men and packs 19 nutrients into a daily capsule. The list includes saw palmetto, marine collagen, keratin, biotin, D3 and zinc.
If you already buy several of those separately, having them in one bottle means fewer pills to line up each morning.
Zinc and biotin are the two most closely tied to general hair health. Keep in mind that this is a hair support formula. It is not built around graying, and I would not expect it to bring color back.
It has no added sugar, which is a fair point in its favor if you have been looking at gummies.
The serving is three capsules, and the 90-count bottle lasts 30 days. Three every morning is a real commitment, and how easy they are to swallow varies from person to person.
The marine collagen comes from fish, so skip this one if you have a fish allergy. As with any supplement, check with your doctor or pharmacist first if you take medications.
Propidren DHT Blocker Hair Growth
Propidren by HairGenics is a daily capsule that puts several hair-support ingredients in one place, so you are not buying a handful of separate bottles. Saw Palmetto and Biotin are the two main ones, and both are among the better-researched ingredients in this category.
It is made as a DHT blocker. DHT is a hormone linked to hair thinning, and that is the angle this product takes. It is aimed at hair loss more than at graying, so think of it as support for hair health in general. Don’t expect it to change your hair color.
It is made for both men and women, so one product covers a couple or a household.
What to watch for: the ingredients may be grouped under a proprietary blend. That means the amount of each one is not listed separately, so you can’t easily compare it to other supplements dose for dose.
Because it contains Saw Palmetto, which acts on hormones, ask your doctor or pharmacist before starting it. That matters most if you take other medications or have a hormone-related condition.
It is also not a fix for the other nutrients on our checklist, like iron, zinc, copper, and vitamin D. If you are low on one of those, a blood test and a conversation with your doctor will tell you more than any capsule will.
Biotin Gummies Hair Growth Supplement
These Biotin Gummies for Hair, Skin and Nails are a chewable bear-shaped supplement meant to be taken once a day. They go beyond plain biotin, with 5,000mcg of biotin plus saw palmetto, pumpkin seed, collagen, and keratin.
The idea is to cover several possible reasons behind thinning hair, not just one. Biotin is one of the B vitamins linked to hair health, and the other ingredients are there for broader hair and skin support.
A gummy means no water and nothing to swallow whole. That helps if you avoid capsules.
What to watch out for: This is not a gray hair fix. The nutrients most tied to hair color on our checklist are calcium, copper, iron, and L-tyrosine, and nothing here points to those. It is more of a hair thinning and general hair health formula. If thinning is your main worry, I also wrote about how I personally used the Lunakai hair vitamins for men.
Amounts for the ingredients other than biotin are not given, so you will want to read the full Supplement Facts panel before you buy.
Saw palmetto may interact with some blood pressure or hormone-related medications. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting these if you take any.
Best Naturals Anti Gray Hair Formula
This product contains a broad spectrum of vitamins and other natural ingredients that are associated with hair health, including some not listed in the original checklist that could potentially contribute to maintaining natural hair color or promoting hair health.
However, it lacks some key nutrients directly associated with melanin production, like copper and iron. The presence of calcium carbonate is more for product composition rather than a significant dietary source of calcium.
Additional Ingredients:
- Catalase: An enzyme that may help prevent hair greying by breaking down hydrogen peroxide, which can cause hair to grey.
- Horsetail: Contains silica, which can improve hair strength and growth.
- Saw Palmetto: Often used to support hair health.
- Plant Sterols: May help with hair growth but more research is needed.
- Nettle Root Extract: Often used for its potential benefits for hair rejuvenation.
- Chlorophyll: Has antioxidant properties.
- Fo-Ti Powder: Traditional herb sometimes used to prevent graying hair.
- Barley Grass Juice Powder: Rich in nutrients and antioxidants.
Märit Anti-Gray Hair Capsules
This product seems to contain most of the vitamins and herbal ingredients that are thought to be beneficial for hair health and potentially influence the natural hair color maintenance.
However, it lacks copper, iron, vitamin E, and vitamin D, which play roles in melanin production and hair health. Just as with other supplements, the actual effectiveness can vary from person to person.
Additional Ingredients:
- Plant Sterols: May help with hair growth but more research is needed.
- Nettle Root Extract: Often used for its potential benefits for hair rejuvenation.
- Chlorophyll: Has antioxidant properties.
- Fo-Ti Powder: Traditional herb sometimes used to prevent graying hair.
- Barley Grass Juice Powder: Rich in nutrients and antioxidants.
Nature's Bounty Hair, Skin & Nails
Nature’s Bounty Advanced Hair, Skin & Nails is a softgel supplement with biotin, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Biotin is the one most often tied to healthy hair, and this product puts it front and center.
It is worth being clear about what it is and isn’t. This is a general hair, skin and nails formula. It is not made to change or hold your natural hair color, so don’t buy it expecting to slow graying.
What is in it:
- Biotin: A nutrient that helps maintain healthy hair.
- Vitamins A, C and E: Antioxidants. Vitamin E contributes to skin health, and vitamin C is involved in making collagen.
- Hyaluronic acid: Included along with an argan-infused formula.
It is free of sugar, milk, lactose, soy, gluten, wheat, yeast, fish and artificial color or flavor, and it has no sodium. That helps if you avoid any of those.
The box holds 150 softgels, which is 50 servings. Check the label for how many to take each day, and ask your doctor or pharmacist first if you take other medications, since vitamins can interact with some of them.
Compared with the other supplements in this article, it leaves out the plant extracts and does not list copper, which is one of the minerals tied to hair pigment. If graying is your main concern, look at the earlier choices first.
Clean Nutraceuticals Hair Skin Nails
The “Clean Nutraceuticals” supplement focuses on a blend of collagen and other nutrients for hair health. It contains a mix of vitamins, collagen, and plant extracts designed to support hair health.
While it has biotin, keratin, and vitamins C and E from the checklist, it lacks other nutrients such as calcium, copper, iron, L-tyrosine, vitamin B6, zinc, and vitamin D that are sometimes mentioned in talk about graying. None of them has been shown to stop it.
This product takes a broader approach to hair health. That may help your hair in general, but it has not been shown to keep your natural color.
Additional Ingredients:
- Collagen Complex: Provides amino acids that may help build hair proteins and strengthen the skin that contains your hair roots.
- Hyaluronic Acid: Can help to improve skin hydration.
- MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane): May support hair strength and growth.
- Apple Cider Vinegar Powder: Sometimes used for hair health, but evidence is anecdotal.
- Black Pepper Extract: May enhance the absorption of other nutrients.
SugarbearPRO Hair Vitamin Gummy
SugarbearPRO Hair Vitamin Gummies bring together several nutrients tied to hair health, including biotin, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D2 and iodine. Zinc and the B vitamins are the ones most often linked to keeping hair in good shape, and they are the reason this kind of product gets a look in a conversation about graying.
The trade-off is that several nutrients on the pigmentation checklist are not here, such as calcium, copper, iron, and L-tyrosine. If one of those is the gap in your diet, this gummy will not fill it.
Additional Ingredients:
- Iodine: Essential for thyroid health, which can affect hair health.
- Inositol: Often taken to support hair growth and may reduce hair loss.
- MSM: A sulfur compound that shows up in many hair and joint supplements.
- Algal oil omega-3: A plant-based source of omega-3 fats.
- European elderberry: Included along with citrus pectin as part of the SmartRoot Complex.
The gummies are berry flavored, with 1g of sugar and 10 calories each. That is worth a glance if you are watching sugar closely.
They are vegan, gelatin-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, egg-free and wheat-free, and they carry OU Kosher and Halal certification. That makes them an easy fit for many special diets. A bottle count of 35 comes twice in the box, 70 gummies total.
So, Does Taking Vitamins for Gray Hair Do the Trick?
Well, the answer may vary from person to person. Vitamins have not been shown to prevent graying or bring color back. If you are low on a nutrient, fixing that may help your hair in general, but graying that comes from genes or natural aging usually will not change.
If you want to try a supplement anyway, check with your doctor first, and read the label so you know what you are buying.
Additional Resources:
- https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/reverse-gray-hair
- https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/can-any-supplements-reverse-gray-hair/supplements-for-grays/
- https://healthfully.com/can-certain-vitamins-reverse-gray-hair-5049665.html
- https://www.thezoereport.com/beauty/how-to-prevent-gray-hair-by-lowering-oxidative-stress
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320288
- https://www.everydayhealth.com/nutrients/vitamins/fighting-gray-hair-with-vitamins/
- https://www.nbcnews.com/healthmain/gray-hair-cure-scientists-find-root-cause-discoloration-6c9802771
