Gray Hair - Mineral Depletion?

[Metasequoia]

There was mention of premature gray hair being related to a zinc deficiency - are there any articles out there that discuss this? What about other dietary reasons for premature gray hair? I've had lots of gray since I was 18, I'm almost 31 & I'm tired of it. If it *is* due to a nutritional deficiency, can it be reversed once it's corrected?

Is there any reference to this in any TF literature?

[saratc]

I haven't heard this, but I've heard that a thyroid imbalance, anemia, and/or B12 deficiency can cause premature gray hair. I'm sure there's a ton of other deficiencies or conditions that can cause gray hair that haven't been founded yet though.

[Flowergirl~]

Are you using colloidal silver by any chance? I've heard that using over extensive periods may cause this.

[spughy]

I apologize if this comes across as insensitive, but I see nothing wrong with grey hair. Grey hair is a symbol of wisdom and I personally think it's quite attractive. I have to object to viewing it as a defect (yes, even at 18 - my sister had grey hairs at 18 after being raised on a TF diet.) I'm 35 and I have lots of grey hair, I'm pretty sure I'm not deficient in anything, and I *like* my hair.

It's a cosmetic issue, and it's only our youth-obsessed culture that has devalued *everything* about growing older that makes people not want grey hair. In many cultures, you weren't treated seriously until you started to go grey. Sometimes I think that's a more sensible way to go.

Embrace your hair. Grey hair is fabulous, I'm sure you're gorgeously grey. Don't buy the youth-is-great message. And I also think that looking for mineral/vitamin/nutrient deficiencies for all your perceived imperfections is probably not as productive as learning to live with them. Some of them. I mean, there's a balance, right? Grey hair isn't really on the same level as IBS or depression or something like that. Argh, this isn't coming out right. I'm not trying to trivialize your concerns, I'm trying to say that not everything has a nutritional "answer" and some things don't need one.

[quietserena]

I agree that gray hair is appropriate but I have also soon people go prematurely gray during times of extreme stress. I don't know if that was due to the stress or to a deficiency but they were certainly deficient nutritionally. Those two can be related though...

Could it be that there are many reasons for going gray? To many to conclusively say?

[mombh]

I noticed when I turned 40 that I was getting "gray areas" and I too thought maybe I was defficient in something......
Then I took a good look at my siblings, the 2 older than me both have quite a bit of grey hair and some thinning in the front , Like I just started having, and I also noticed one of my younger sibs start to thin .....
so I'm also thinking it is both normal, natural, part of "growing up" and also maybe something in the genes.....

[Panserbjorne]

I have read that it is a result of insufficient hydrochloric acid. Ann Wigmore is the biggest resource I know of though Victoria Boutenko talks about it in several books too. Many people have had their original color restored by supplementing.

I don't think that the post was insensitive, but I do think that it is kind of irrelevant. Many people who view food as medicine look at physical symptoms as indications or signs of what their bodies need. I don't think that this is any different than saying if you have cramping muscles you need magnesium, or no sense of smell you need zinc etc. It's just a different way of looking at things.

Mainstream society is pretty sure that depression isn't a result of nutritional deficiency either. Same with diabetes. Many others too as I know you know. I think it's often prudent to at least research possible indications for things before writing them off. Imagine all the things we haven't yet connected! We have fabulous bodies that are great at communicating. They speak even more when we can learn to understand them.

[Panserbjorne]

oh-and insufficient hydrochloric acid will lead to mineral deficiencies.

[tbone]

I developed my first grey hair with my first pregnancy at 25 yrs, and my second grey hair with my second pregnancy 27 years. I did not eat very well with either one, so it very well may have been as a result of a deficiency of some sort.

Firefaery, I don't want to hijack this thread, but could you tell me little more about zinc deficiency and loss of sense of smell? I lost my sense of smell in 2001 after head injury, but it came back with my first pregnancy (not as good as before, but at least I could smell a little).

[Taedareth]

I once read a post on this forum (sorry, no idea how to find that thread) where someone talked about her grandfather doing a course of heavy metal chealation (mercury, I think) and his hair started growing in dark again after many years of being grey. The longer he chelated, the more dark hairs he grew. So maybe loss of pigmentation in the hair can be caused by a variety of things.

What is hydrochloric acid and what foods have it?

[MonkeyPrincess]

I started going grey at 14 years old. I have dyed it until recently - very recently, actually. When I decided to let it grow out and just be me.

However, if it is because of a vitamin deficiency, I'd like to look into that because perhaps that might related to other issues. Something to look into, anyway. but definitely not for vanity reasons. (I could've been interested in that 10 years ago, but I'm good with it now. )

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by Taedareth

What is hydrochloric acid and what foods have it?

Not found in foods. It's found in your stomach and it's part of the gastric secretions. If you have insufficient hydrochloric acid you might experience reflux, but you would most certainly not be able to properly breakdown and assimilate nutrients. Hydrochloric acid is essential in the ionization of minerals. Very commonly iron deficiency anemia is caused by insufficient HCL. Lack of it is a big causative factor in food allergies as without it you cannot properly break down proteins. It is portective as it is responsible for nearly sterilizing food in the stomach. Insufficient secretion can result in bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. Conversely it also promotes the colonization of beneficial bacteria in the large intestines. Clearly it plays a HUGE part in the entire digestive process and is essential in maintaining superior nutrition.

Many digestive difficulties can be traced back to low HCL. Testing is SUPER easy. Drink beet juice on an empty stomach. IF your urine turns pink you need more hydrochloric acid.

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by tbone

Firefaery, I don't want to hijack this thread, but could you tell me little more about zinc deficiency and loss of sense of smell? I lost my sense of smell in 2001 after head injury, but it came back with my first pregnancy (not as good as before, but at least I could smell a little).

http://www.vitamins-supplements.org/...erals/zinc.php

http://www.healthvitaminsguide.com/minerals/zinc.htm

http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/2...gs/653646.html

Here's a few links. In pregnancy were you by chance taking prenatal supplements? It *can* also be vitamin A deficiency, but more often than not it is zinc.

[Metasequoia]

Originally Posted by saratc

I haven't heard this, but I've heard that a thyroid imbalance, anemia, and/or B12 deficiency can cause premature gray hair. I'm sure there's a ton of other deficiencies or conditions that can cause gray hair that haven't been founded yet though.

My iron & B12 are good, had my thyroi tested & everything looked good, BUT, I have some pretty severe adrenal fatigue & I know that the thyroid is almost always affected.

Originally Posted by Flowergirl~

Are you using colloidal silver by any chance? I've heard that using over extensive periods may cause this.

Nope, never used it.

Originally Posted by spughy

I apologize if this comes across as insensitive, but I see nothing wrong with grey hair. Grey hair is a symbol of wisdom and I personally think it's quite attractive. I have to object to viewing it as a defect (yes, even at 18 - my sister had grey hairs at 18 after being raised on a TF diet.) I'm 35 and I have lots of grey hair, I'm pretty sure I'm not deficient in anything, and I *like* my hair.

It's a cosmetic issue, and it's only our youth-obsessed culture that has devalued *everything* about growing older that makes people not want grey hair. In many cultures, you weren't treated seriously until you started to go grey. Sometimes I think that's a more sensible way to go.

Embrace your hair. Grey hair is fabulous, I'm sure you're gorgeously grey. Don't buy the youth-is-great message. And I also think that looking for mineral/vitamin/nutrient deficiencies for all your perceived imperfections is probably not as productive as learning to live with them. Some of them. I mean, there's a balance, right? Grey hair isn't really on the same level as IBS or depression or something like that. Argh, this isn't coming out right. I'm not trying to trivialize your concerns, I'm trying to say that not everything has a nutritional "answer" and some things don't need one.

Originally Posted by quietserena

I agree that gray hair is appropriate but I have also soon people go prematurely gray during times of extreme stress. I don't know if that was due to the stress or to a deficiency but they were certainly deficient nutritionally. Those two can be related though...

Could it be that there are many reasons for going gray? To many to conclusively say?

I agree about the vanity thing, but I also agree with firefaery that it could be the body trying to show a deficiency.

Originally Posted by firefaery

I have read that it is a result of insufficient hydrochloric acid. Ann Wigmore is the biggest resource I know of though Victoria Boutenko talks about it in several books too. Many people have had their original color restored by supplementing.

I don't think that the post was insensitive, but I do think that it is kind of irrelevant. Many people who view food as medicine look at physical symptoms as indications or signs of what their bodies need. I don't think that this is any different than saying if you have cramping muscles you need magnesium, or no sense of smell you need zinc etc. It's just a different way of looking at things.

Mainstream society is pretty sure that depression isn't a result of nutritional deficiency either. Same with diabetes. Many others too as I know you know. I think it's often prudent to at least research possible indications for things before writing them off. Imagine all the things we haven't yet connected! We have fabulous bodies that are great at communicating. They speak even more when we can learn to understand them.

Eeeeenteresting! Danke!

Originally Posted by Taedareth

I once read a post on this forum (sorry, no idea how to find that thread) where someone talked about her grandfather doing a course of heavy metal chealation (mercury, I think) and his hair started growing in dark again after many years of being grey. The longer he chelated, the more dark hairs he grew. So maybe loss of pigmentation in the hair can be caused by a variety of things.

What is hydrochloric acid and what foods have it?

I remember that thread, yes, you're right!

Originally Posted by firefaery

Not found in foods. It's found in your stomach and it's part of the gastric secretions. If you have insufficient hydrochloric acid you might experience reflux, but you would most certainly not be able to properly breakdown and assimilate nutrients. Hydrochloric acid is essential in the ionization of minerals. Very commonly iron deficiency anemia is caused by insufficient HCL. Lack of it is a big causative factor in food allergies as without it you cannot properly break down proteins. It is portective as it is responsible for nearly sterilizing food in the stomach. Insufficient secretion can result in bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. Conversely it also promotes the colonization of beneficial bacteria in the large intestines. Clearly it plays a HUGE part in the entire digestive process and is essential in maintaining superior nutrition.

Many digestive difficulties can be traced back to low HCL. Testing is SUPER easy. Drink beet juice on an empty stomach. IF your urine turns pink you need more hydrochloric acid.

So, if you drink beet juice & your urine is pink, what do you do? How do you supplement?

[Pilgrim]

About 7-8 years ago, a non-TF ND told me that she had a few clients who had grey hair, and after she put them on a particular green supplement, their hair came back in colored. I took that supplement and it didn't happen to me, but since it did happen for her clients, there must be something to the deficiency = gray hair business. Or, it could be that the green supplement was doing the detox/chelation bit.

[Panserbjorne]

you buy some HCL-there's some links IIRC in the HTG cheat sheet. You can get it anywhere, but you want a decent brand. You take some before each meal working up to a fizzing sensation and back down one pill from that. So start with one. Next meal take two. Next three and so and and so forth until you feel it. Then after a month or so you at that same doseage should get some fizzing. Start stepping down. Gradually you work down to none. If, when you take one pill you get that sensation you have adequate levels.

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

About 7-8 years ago, a non-TF ND told me that she had a few clients who had grey hair, and after she put them on a particular green supplement, their hair came back in colored. I took that supplement and it didn't happen to me, but since it did happen for her clients, there must be something to the deficiency = gray hair business. Or, it could be that the green supplement was doing the detox/chelation bit.

Boutenko restored HCL by having people do green smoothie feasts. It mostly has to do with pH I believe, but greens do also chelate.

[*Erin*]

i started to go grey at 17, and now, at 28, am about 50/50 grey. i color it-i let it all grow out a couple times, and each time, i get to feeling so BLAH with it showing. it's not fear of age.it's just not pretty! my greys are wiry and a funky color and i just don't feel pretty salt and pepper haired in my 20's. it makes me look and feel sort of colorless and tired. dull. maybe one day, i can embrace my grey with joy. or not. whatever
i've had all my vitamin & mineral levels tested this pregnancy, and nothing was off, so for me anyways, it's not that. i think it's genetic-my dad was totally grey by 30.

[Metasequoia]

Originally Posted by firefaery

you buy some HCL-there's some links IIRC in the HTG cheat sheet. You can get it anywhere, but you want a decent brand. You take some before each meal working up to a fizzing sensation and back down one pill from that. So start with one. Next meal take two. Next three and so and and so forth until you feel it. Then after a month or so you at that same doseage should get some fizzing. Start stepping down. Gradually you work down to none. If, when you take one pill you get that sensation you have adequate levels.

Thanks! Are the HTG cheat sheats at the top of H&H?

Originally Posted by *Erin*

i started to go grey at 17, and now, at 28, am about 50/50 grey. i color it-i let it all grow out a couple times, and each time, i get to feeling so BLAH with it showing. it's not fear of age.it's just not pretty! my greys are wiry and a funky color and i just don't feel pretty salt and pepper haired in my 20's. it makes me look and feel sort of colorless and tired. dull. maybe one day, i can embrace my grey with joy. or not. whatever
i've had all my vitamin & mineral levels tested this pregnancy, and nothing was off, so for me anyways, it's not that. i think it's genetic-my dad was totally grey by 30.

Maybe it's just us Erins.

[bionicsquirrel]

Very interesting. I say often that I got my first gray hair 3 days postpartum. The last two weeks though, I have just begun to sprout...5 years later.
I know I have adrenal fatigue and a thyroid issue. I never put two and two together.
Tell me more about this HC acid.