The Fascinating Reason Why Stress Turns Hair Gray Faster, According to Science
In a new mouse study published in the journalscientists from Harvard linked the sympathetic nervous system—the one that’s behind your “fight or flight” response—to developing gray hair. When you’re stressed out, your system releases the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which primes your body for action.
The researchers discovered that norepinephrine damages melanocyte stem cells, which help regenerate color within your hair follicles. As a result, if you’re often stressed, you can prematurely develop gray hair. During the study, researchers put mice through three different types of stress. All mice had some changes in their hair color, but only the ones who lost all of their melanocyte stem cells after intense stress developed white hair. Stress isn’t the only factor:Barack Obama, who arguably had the most stressful job in the country, in 2007. 2011, and 2016.
Of course, this study was conducted on mice, not humans, but the idea works in theory for people, too, says, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. “Popular belief has always been that physical and emotional stress causes one’s hair to turn gray. We’ve known for a while that melanocytes in the hair follicles are a lot more sensitive than the same cells that reside in the skin,” Dr. Goldenberg says. “Therefore stress, whether oxidative, hormonal, or inflammatory, can cause destruction of these cells.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Scientists discover 'why stress turns hair white'Acute stress damages stem cells that control hair and skin colour, a study suggests.
Read more »
Scientists Confirm That Stress Can Indeed Turn Hair GreyIt’s a study in mice, but for the first time, researchers have pinpointed the biological pathway that links stress to grey hair
Read more »
Scientists Confirm That Stress Can Indeed Turn Hair GreyIt’s a study in mice, but for the first time, researchers have pinpointed the biological pathway that links stress to grey hair
Read more »
Andrea McLean shares photo of herself without hair extensions: /Andrea McLean has shared a photo of herself after having her hair extensions removed
Read more »