According to a new study published in the Endocrine Reviews journal of the Endocrine Society, hormones can be used to treat and prevent signs of aging such as wrinkles and gray hair. So far, only a limited number of hormones, mainly topical retinoids (retinol and tretinoin) and estrogen, which is normally used to treat the side effects of menopause, have been used in clinical practice as anti-aging agents for the skin.
Hormones Against Wrinkles and Gray Hair
This study examines a new class of hormones and their anti-aging properties. “Our work highlights important hormones that control the pathways of skin aging, such as connective tissue breakdown (leading to wrinkling ), stem cell survival and pigment loss (leading to hair graying),” said lead author Dr. Markus Böhm from the University of Münster in Münster, Germany. Some of the hormones studied by the researchers have anti-ageing properties and could be used in the future as a means of preventing skin ageing. The skin is the largest organ and is subject to both intrinsic (chronological) and extrinsic ageing caused by environmental factors such as sun exposure. The skin is not only a target for various hormones that control the pathways of skin aging, but is itself certainly the largest and richest site for hormone production besides the classic endocrine glands.
To better understand the link between hormones and skin aging, the researchers examined the crucial hormones that control skin aging, including insulin-like growth factor 1, growth hormone, estrogens, retinoids and melatonin. Melatonin is particularly interesting as a potential anti-ageing agent because it is a small molecule, inexpensive, well tolerated and a direct and indirect antioxidant as well as a regulator of mitochondrial metabolism. Some of the hormones studied also have surprising and unexpected biological effects on skin function and hair ageing, as evidenced by various genetic deficiencies.
They also investigated the emerging role of additional endocrine players, including α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (responsible for skin pigmentation), members of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, oxytocin, endocannabinoids (found in CBD products) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor modulators, and found that they have very promising effects, e.g. on UV-induced hair aging. For example, on UV-induced genotoxic stress, which is critically involved in the development of photoaging and pigment synthesis in skin and hair. Further research on these hormones could provide opportunities for the development of new therapeutics for the treatment and prevention of skin ageing.
How Luteolin Helps Prevent Gray Hair
Could antioxidants also help against gray hair? Recent research from Nagoya University in Japan, led by Masashi Kato and Takumi Kagawa, suggests that a particular antioxidant could suppress the graying process. The researchers identified luteolin, an antioxidant found in vegetables such as celery, broccoli, carrots, onions and peppers, as a potential anti-graying agent. Their findings pave the way for potential applications in human hair care.
The researchers’ study focused on three antioxidants – luteolin, hesperetin and diosmetin – to examine their anti-graying hair effects in mice bred to turn gray like humans. The difference was startling: the mice that received luteolin retained their black fur, while the fur of their cagemates turned gray, regardless of whether the luteolin was administered externally or internally.
This result was surprising. The researchers had expected that antioxidants might also have an effect against graying, but only luteolin, not hesperetin or diosmetin, showed a significant effect. This finding suggests that luteolin may have a unique medicinal effect that prevents graying. The effect of luteolin against graying is closely related to its influence on endothelins – proteins that play a crucial role in cellular communication. In the study, luteolin treatments preserved the expression of endothelin and its receptor. This preservation supports healthy signaling pathways and prevents the decline in melanocyte activity that typically accompanies graying. “Interestingly, luteolin had limited effects on hair cycles, suggesting that its primary effect is on pigmentation rather than hair growth or loss,” said Professor Kato. This targeted effect makes luteolin a particularly interesting candidate for combating age-related graying.
Broader Application Possibilities in Ageing Research
The similarities between the processes of hair graying in the model mice and in humans offer promising prospects for transferring these findings to humans. Luteolin is already available as a dietary supplement for topical and oral use, and is therefore a suitable candidate for further development as a gray hair treatment. With more research, this antioxidant could become an important ingredient in hair care products and help people maintain their natural hair color as they age. Building on these promising results, Dr. Kagawa envisions broader applications for luteolin in aging research. For example, it would be interesting to investigate whether the anti-ageing effect of luteolin can also be applied to other age-related changes, including hair loss.