Stress can turn hair grey, study reveals

The researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City published their findings in the journal eLife last week.

Reportedly, the researchers analyzed individual hairs from 14 volunteers.

For the quantitative study, the results were compared with each volunteer's stress diary, in which individuals were asked to review their calendars and rate each week's level of stress.

The officials familiar with the investigation noticed that some grey hairs naturally regain their original colour, which had never been quantitatively documented.

Moreover, most people start noticing their first gray hairs in their 30s or late 20s and the team said this period is when the process is the most reversible.

Study also revealed that those who are older and already have a full head of grey hair are likely be out of luck no matter how much psychological stress they reduce in their lives.

Researchers also looked at the expression levels of thousands of proteins in the hairs and how those values changed as the hair grew out. They discovered when hair colour changed one direction or the other, there was an observable change in about 300 proteins.

The team said their mathematical model suggests stress-induced changes in mitochondria, which act like tiny antennas inside the cell that respond to different signals including stress, helps to explain why grey hairs change.

The article has been taken from a health website CTV.