People’s hair colors frequently change as they grow older. However, gray hair can begin to appear at almost any age. Even teenagers and people in their twenties may see a few white hairs. The skin of the human body is covered with millions of tiny sacs known as hair follicles. In addition to making hair, the follicles also make color cells that have melanin in them. Over time, hair turns white because the cells that make pigment in hair follicles slowly die off. Premature graying might result from any vitamin B-6, B-12, biotin, vitamin D, or vitamin E deficiency. A 2015 article in the journal Development mentions research on vitamin D-3, vitamin B-12, and copper deficiencies and their links to graying hair. It shows how a lack of certain nutrients in the diet affects pigmentation and suggests that adding vitamins can improve color. In 2016, the International Journal of Trichology published a study that looked into why young Indians under the age of 25 start to go gray early. It was found that people whose hair turned gray too soon usually had low levels of vitamin B12, HDL-C, and serum ferritin, which helps the body keep iron. According to a 2013 paper in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology, there is a significant hereditary component to a person’s propensity to prematurely gray their hair. Race and ethnicity also have an impact. The same 2013 study found that white people can start prematurely graying as early as age 20, Asian populations can start at age 25, and African-American populations can start at age 30.
