You either love it or you hate but there’s always something about tea that has people attempting to down at least a cup a day. With so many apparent health benefits permeating within this little pot it was only a matter of time before someone discovered the advantages could radiate through our scalps. The latest claim is that drinking several cups of tea or taking it in capsule form on a daily basis will reduce the risk of hair loss. It was originally believed that the catechins found in tea had 5-alpha-reductase inhibiting properties which means DHT (dihydrotestosterone – the substance that causes hair loss in men and women) could be repressed and hair loss could be avoided. However, more recent studies suggest that it is the anti-inflammatory properties in tea that are linked to hair growth, but the bottom line question remains – does tea prevent hair loss?
In a study of mice stricken with hair loss, research showed that hair loss was halted in all mice which received tea in their drinking water and even triggered new hair growth in some of the mice. As for the mice who were not invited to the tea party, their hair loss continued. “There is abundant evidence that polyphenolic sub-stances are considered as anti-inflammatory and have stress inhibitory characteristics, and there is evidence that stress inhibits hair growth,” the study said. It is true that stress contributes to hair loss.
There are plenty of other health benefits circulating in a pot of tea. Many studies strongly suggests that a regular cup of tea is a practical way of preventing cancer, inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and other illnesses, so there’s no real reason not to drink a cup or two a day. But if you’re really keen on preventing hair loss there are only a few treatments for hair loss that are proven to halt the process and generate re-growth and adding tea into the process can help greatly!
