Nutrition
and hair color
It is very rare to find nutritional factors as a cause of hair
color changes. Any hair color changes due to nutritional deficiencies
are typically only seen in people who have genetic defects, in diseases
that block metabolism, or in severely malnourished individuals of
the developing world.
Prolonged protein deficiency in the diet results in Kwashiorkor.
This disease involves multiple symptoms including the reduction
of pigment production and incorporation into hair fiber. Normally
dark brown hair becomes a rusty red. Light colored hair becomes
blonde. The flag sign sometimes seen in kwashiorkor involves alternating
light and dark bands of color along individual hair fibers. The
flag sign is associated with intermittent protein malnutrition.
Presumably normal hair color is produced when protein intake is
adequate and reduced hair color occurs during times when there is
a lack of protein intake.
There may be a loss of hair (as well as skin and eye) color in
individuals who have phenylketonuria. Lack of pigment in the hair
is a minor concern with this condition as phenylketonuria typically
involves significant mental retardation. This genetic disorder is
caused by a deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase in the liver
and this results in an inability to metabolize phenylalanine to
tyrosine. Tyrosine is fundamentally required for pigment formation.
Treatment involves taking tyrosine supplements and this can return
hair color to normal in a short space of time.
Menkes' kinky hair syndrome is a genetic disorder in which individuals
are not able to properly absorb copper in the gut. Affected individuals
have a variety of symptoms affecting the skin, hair, and central
nervous system. The hair becomes progressively short, brittle, and
kinked as the affected person gets older. Along with these changes
in hair quality, the color gradually becomes lighter. Copper is
a key component of the enzyme tyrosinase which is fundamentally
required for processing tyrosine in pigment production so it is
not surprising that copper deficiency leads to reduced hair pigmentation.
Some affected individuals respond to subcutaneous administration
of copper-histidinate with improvement in all symptoms including
hair quality and color.
Celiac disease and other gut disorders that limit absorption may
modify hair color and accelerate gray hair development in some.
Severe vitamin B12 deficiency has been reported by some as a potential
promoter of gray hair. Overall, it is extremely unusual to see hair
color changes as a result of dietary deficiencies.
Nutrition
and hair color references
- Albers
SE, Brozena SJ, Fenske NA. A case of kwashiorkor. Cutis. 1993
Jun;51(6):445-6.
- Sato S,
Jitsukawa K, Sato H, Yoshino M, Seta S, Ito S, Hayashi Y, Anzai
T. Segmented heterochromia in black scalp hair associated with
iron-deficiency anemia. Canities segmentata sideropaenica. Arch
Dermatol. 1989 Apr;125(4):531-5.
- Nagasaki Y, Matsubara Y, Takano H, Fujii
K, Senoo M, Akanuma J, Takahashi K, Kure S, Hara M, Kanegae Y,
Saito I, Narisawa K. Reversal of hypopigmentation in phenylketonuria
mice by adenovirus-mediated gene transfer. Pediatr Res. 1999 Apr;45(4
Pt 1):465-73.
- Katsuoka H, Watanabe C, Mimori Y, Nakamura
S. [A case of vitamin B12 deficiency with broad neurologic disorders
and canities] No To Shinkei. 1997 Mar;49(3):283-6.
- Tomita Y, Kondo Y, Ito S, Hara M, Yoshimura
T, Igarashi H, Tagami H. Menkes' disease: report of a case and
determination of eumelanin and pheomelanin in hypopigmented hair.
Dermatology. 1992;185(1):66-8.
- Juangbhanit C, Nitidanhaprabhas P, Sirimachan
S, Areekul S, Tanphaichitr VS. Vitamin B12 deficiency: report
of a childhood case. J Med Assoc Thai. 1991 Jun;74(6):348-54.
- Birnbaum PS, Baden HP. Heritable disorders
of hair. Dermatol Clin. 1987 Jan;5(1):137-53.
- Noppakun N, Swasdikul D. Reversible hyperpigmentation
of skin and nails with white hair due to vitamin B12 deficiency.
Arch Dermatol. 1986 Aug;122(8):896-9.
- Shulman RJ, DeStefano-Laine L, Petitt R,
Rahman S, Reed T. Protein deficiency in premature infants receiving
parenteral nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. 1986 Nov;44(5):610-3.
- Findlay GH. An optical study of human hair
colour in normal and abnormal conditions. Br J Dermatol. 1982
Nov;107(5):517-27.
- Jonas AJ, Schneider JA. Cystinosis in a
black child. J Pediatr. 1982 Jun;100(6):934-5.
- MacNamara H, Paver K, Chapman RE. The flag
sign in the hair of an alcoholic. Australas J Dermatol. 1981 Aug;22(2):68-70.
- Bradfield RB, SooHoo T, Baertl JM. Effect
of hypochromotrichia on hair copper and zinc during kwashiorkor.
Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 Jun;33(6):1315-7.
- Hill LS. Reversal of premature hair greying
in adult coeliac disease. Br Med J. 1980 Jul 12;281(6233):115.
- Pearson CA. Letter: Hair-colour changes
in kwashiorkor. Lancet. 1974 Jul 6;2(7871):47-8.
- Bradfield RB, Jelliffe DB. Letter: Hair-colour
changes in kwashiorkor. Lancet. 1974 Mar 16;1(7855):461-2.
- Jelliffe DB, Bradfield RB. Letter: Hypochromotrichia
in malnutrition. Lancet. 1974 Jul 27;2(7874):224.
- Abbie AA. Scalp hair colour in Australian
aborigines. Hum Biol Oceania. 1973 Aug;2(2):105-14.
- Danks DM, Campbell PE, Stevens BJ, Mayne
V, Cartwright E. Menkes's kinky hair syndrome. An inherited defect
in copper absorption with widespread effects. Pediatrics. 1972
Aug;50(2):188-201.
|
