While grey hair is often seen as a sign of aging, many people actively try to prevent it. From using hair dyes and highlights to shielding hair from the sun, various methods and products are employed to counteract the natural greying process.

However, researchers have found that a certain antioxidant found in vegetables may help “suppress” the onset of grey hair. A team of scientists from Nagoya University in Japan, led by Masashi Kato and Takumi Kagawa, have pinpointed luteolin—an antioxidant present in vegetables like celery, broccoli, carrots, onions, and peppers—as a promising agent in combating greying hair.

These vegetables are typically available at affordable prices, with a bag of carrots at Tesco currently costing just 69p. Similar deals can be found at most UK supermarkets and grocers. The researchers examined three antioxidants—luteolin, hesperetin, and diosmetin—to evaluate their impact on preventing greying in mice that were genetically predisposed to develop grey fur akin to human greying.

The study revealed that the mice treated with luteolin retained their black fur, while their counterparts without luteolin treatment turned grey. This effect was observed whether luteolin was applied directly to the skin or ingested, according to reports from the Mirror.

The research, conducted in late 2024, continues to be relevant today, offering hope to those seeking to maintain their natural hair color as they age. Professor Kato remarked, “This result was surprising. While we anticipated that antioxidants might have anti-greying properties, only luteolin—unlike hesperetin or diosmetin—showed significant effects. This suggests that luteolin may uniquely prevent greying.”

Luteolin’s effectiveness in combating greying is closely linked to its role in influencing endothelins—proteins essential for cellular communication. The study found that treatments with luteolin helped preserve the expression of endothelins and their receptors.

This preservation supports critical signalling pathways, preventing the decline in melanocyte function that typically occurs with greying hair. Prof Kato observed: “Interestingly, luteolin had limited effects on hair cycles, indicating that its primary impact is on pigmentation rather than hair growth or shedding.

“This targeted action makes luteolin a particularly intriguing candidate for addressing age-related hair greying.”

The scientists stress that the similarities between how hair greys in the laboratory mice and in humans offer encouraging prospects for translating these findings for human application. In addition to vegetables, luteolin is now available as a supplement for both topical application and oral use, making it a viable candidate for further development as an anti-greying solution.

As research progresses, this antioxidant could become a key ingredient in hair care products aimed at delaying the appearance of those silver locks as we grow older.

The results could also open up broader applications for luteolin in the field of ageing research. Dr Kagawa noted: “It would be interesting to investigate whether luteolin’s anti-aging effects could also be applicable to other age-related changes, including balding.”