Article Summary:
- As the body ages, the gradual depletion of antioxidants and the increased production of free radicals results in oxidative stress, which can cause progressive, widespread damage to cellular structures.
- Studies show that oxidative stress is the main cause of hair loss and graying.
- A glutathione supplement can enhance the production and recycling of glutathione in the body to support hair health.*
Glutathione, a powerful antioxidant found in almost every cell of the body, supports a wide range of health functions.* A tripeptide compound of three amino acids — cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine — glutathione acts primarily as a detoxifying agent, efficiently scavenging different types of free radicals.* Glutathione’s antioxidant properties have prompted researchers to turn increasing levels of attention toward investigating glutathione for its potential role in promoting skin health and supporting optimal hair health.*
Below, we discuss some of glutathione’s benefits for hair growth and explain why you should include a glutathione nutritional supplement in your diet to promote healthy hair growth.*
How Does Glutathione Promote Healthy Hair?
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) — or free radicals — cause damage to key cellular components like DNA, RNA, lipids, proteins, and structural membranes. As a key part of the body’s endogenous defense mechanism, the presence of glutathione neutralizes and reduces these free radicals.*
The production of ROS increases with age, at the same time our internal defense mechanisms weaken, resulting in oxidative stress — an imbalance where ROS outnumber antioxidants in the body. It is widely presumed that progressive damage to cellular structures from oxidative stress is a key factor in the appearance of aging. In hair, this evidence of aging includes:
- Graying. The loss of pigment in hair shafts because of decreased melanocyte function is typically known as “graying,” or “going gray,” although the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms are not yet completely understood. As one of the earliest signs of aging, graying hair is widely attributed to a depletion of enzymes involved in melanogenesis (making color), impaired DNA repair, and weakened antioxidant mechanisms.
- Balding. Although the clinical term for general hair loss is alopecia, the progressive decline in visible scalp hair is commonly known as “balding,” or “going bald.” As a common age-dependent process, hair loss affects at least 50 percent of men by age 50; with its prevalence in women varying widely. Research evidence1 suggests the molecular mechanism behind balding is a gradual replacement in the scalp of large, pigmented hairs (terminal hairs) by barely visible, depigmented hairs.
Circumstantial evidence2 suggests oxidative stress is the key factor behind graying hair and hair loss. Because glutathione’s primary function is down-regulating oxidative stress, supplementing your diet with glutathione-rich food sources is associated with supporting hair health. The following table summarizes how glutathione can play a role in delaying signs of aging in hair.*
How Glutathione Supports Hair Health* | ||
RESULTS | DETAILS | |
Levels linked to hair color | An animal study3 links the degree of hair melanization (pigmentation) to glutathione levels. The enzymes that indirectly affect melanogenesis are glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase. | |
Prevents hydrogen peroxide damage | Research shows4 how white scalp hair shafts accumulate hydrogen peroxide in minuscule concentrations. The oxidative damage to hair follicles by hydrogen peroxide is linked to senile hair graying. Various studies5 have established the role of glutathione peroxidase as a key enzyme in hydrogen peroxide removal. |
As aging depletes the body’s endogenous levels of glutathione, additional oral intake of glutathione in the form of food and nutritional supplements can help maintain glutathione’s optimal production and recycling to support various body functions.*
Achieving Glutathione Benefits for Hair With A Nutritional Supplement
A major challenge with the oral intake of glutathione is its rapid degradation in the stomach, which significantly limits its absorption and bioavailability. Poor absorption in the body means only a small amount of glutathione reaches the cells where it is needed most, thereby limiting its potential therapeutic effects.
SafeCell® — an acetylated form of glutathione developed by Tesseract Medical Research, transcends these common absorption issues. SafeCell’s innovative supplement formulation contains S-Acetyl-glutathione, the most readily absorbed and effective form of oral glutathione available.* Tesseract’s unprecedented CyLoc® – DexKey® nutrient delivery technology provides targeted nano-delivery of S-Acetyl-glutathione molecules at the cellular level, one molecule at a time. This unprecedented bioavailability and absorption of glutathione support the body’s natural detoxification pathways and promote optimal hair health.
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing bioavailability and absorption, and micro-dosing multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Shop products on our website and learn more about how they can help support healthy aging.*
Citations
1Trüeb RM. Experimental Gerontology vol. 37,8-9 (2002): 981-990. doi:10.1016/s0531-5565(02)00093-1
2Harman D. Journal of Gerontology vol. 11,3 (1956): 298-300. doi:10.1093/geronj/11.3.298
3Galván I, et al. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology: PBZ vol. 85,4 (2012): 332-347. doi:10.1086/666606
4Wood JM, et al. FASEB Journal: Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology vol. 23,7 (2009): 2065-2075. doi:10.1096/fj.08-125435
5Ng CF, et al. Free Radical Research vol. 41,11 (2007): 1201-1211. doi:10.1080/10715760701625075