Natural Apple Extract Promotes Hair Growth and Enhances Keratin Expression

by | Feb 11, 2019 | 2018, Alternative Therapies, Hair and Nails, Polyphenols

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Dietary supplementation with 1000 mg of a natural apple extract with added biotin, zinc and selenium (AMSbzs) promoted hair growth by increasing hair density, weight, and keratin content and improved skin quality within a relatively short period of time in the 125 participating subjects.

The past several decades have seen an increase in the number of pharmaceutical products designed to treat alopecia, the most common form of hair loss in men and women 1. The development of FDA-approved drugs for pattern baldness include Minoxidil 2 and finasteride 3, both of which have been linked to unfavorable side effects 4. The search for safer, more natural alternatives has led to growing interest in oligomeric procyanidins (polyphenols abundant in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes), which demonstrate the ability to promote hair epithelial cell growth to a degree comparable to minoxidil 5. Studies show that procyanidin B2 in particular may be one of the safest and most effective natural biological agents for inducing hair growing activity 6. Through examination of the polyphenolic content of different apple varieties, researchers have identified the apples of Southern Italy (Annurca) to have the highest content of procyanidin B2 7. In a follow-up 2018 study 8, investigators explored the in vitro activity of Annurca polyphenolic extract on the cellular expression of keratin (fibrous protein forming structural constituent of hair) in a human experimental model of adult skin, as well as its effects on hair growth, hair density, and keratin content in healthy subjects.

A total of 250 patients (aged 30 to 83 years, 116 men and 134 women) with signs of pattern baldness were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants underwent four weeks of placebo treatment (consisting of maltodexterin capsules), followed by eight weeks of treatment with either Annurca polyphenolic extract plus maltodextrin (consisting of 1000 mg Annurca polyphenolic extract and 400 mg maltodextrin, AMS) or Annurca polyphenolic extract fortified with other minerals (consisting of 1000 mg Annurca polyphenolic extract, maltodextrins, biotin, selenomethionine, and zinc acetate, AMSbzs), then four weeks of follow-up. Clinic visits, hair sampling, and blood sampling (for hepatic and renal toxicity) took place at Weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16. Researchers measured hair count per area (cm2) of bald head skin, as well as weight of hair, and keratin content of samples. For in vitro experiments, normal human keratinocyte cells (HaCaT cells) were incubated in the presence or absence of standard growth medium with concentrations of Annurca polyphenolic extract ranging from 0.009 to 2.3 mg/mL for 48 hours. Following incubation, total cellular levels of keratins were evaluated by Western blot analysis.

According to findings, within one month, AMSbzs was able to increase hair length by 125.2% (95% Confidence Interval: -2.54, p = 0.0095), hair weight by 42.1% (95% CI: -3.41, p = 0.0019), and keratin content by 40.1% (95% CI: -1.22, p = 0.0042). In vitro analyses indicated that at the 48-hour mark, Annurca polyphenolic extract (at 0.46 mg/mL) resulted in increased keratin expression, with the cellular content of cytokeratins (keratin proteins) increasing by about three-fold, relative to untreated control cells.

Evidence from the study, therefore, supports the efficacy of Annurca polyphenolic extract as a nutraceutical for hair growth. Annurca was associated with improved hair growth, density, and keratin content, and showed, based on a human model of skin, the capacity to increase keratin levels in skin cells. Researchers conclude that dietary supplementation with natural apple extract may promote hair growth and improve skin quality, notably in a relatively short period of time. Primary limitations of the study include the use of an exclusively Caucasian cohort and a short-term treatment period. Further studies are warranted looking at the longer-term effects of Annurca extract on hair growth. It would also be valuable to replicate findings in a population with more advanced pattern baldness and to examine further the action of procyanidin-induced hair growth at the cellular level.

Source: Tenore GC, Caruso D, Buonomo G, et al. Annurca apple nutraceutical formulation enhances keratin expression in a human model of skin and promotes hair growth and tropism in a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Medicinal Food. 2018; 21(1): 90-103. DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2017.0016

© Gian Carlo Tenore et al., 2018; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Posted February 11, 2019.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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