(Hair) Nutrition is essential for maintaining health. What is this ingredient approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety?

According to the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, the number of hair loss patients increased by approximately 14% over the past five years, from approximately 220,000 in 2018 to approximately 250,000 in 2023. The number of patients with hair loss is on the rise, and the average age of patients is decreasing. While hair loss is not a life-threatening condition, it can have a significant impact on both physical and psychological well-being. This explains why more and more people are seeking out shampoos, scalp care products, and health functional foods that promote healthy hair to prevent hair loss.

If your hair is falling out heavily or losing elasticity, causing it to break limply, you should focus on "nutrition." Hair, like skin, ages, so it's crucial to replenish its essential nutrients. Nutrients that affect hair include protein, minerals like calcium and magnesium, and vitamins.

Hair is composed of approximately 80% of a protein called keratin, making protein essential for hair growth. Calcium plays a crucial role in the formation of bones, teeth, and hair, and a deficiency can lead to thinning hair and hair loss. Magnesium aids the absorption of nutrients necessary for hair and scalp and improves blood circulation. Vitamin C helps repair damaged hair follicles, and vitamin B promotes hair metabolism.

Ingredients known to support hair health have recently gained popularity. Representative examples include brewer's yeast and biotin. Brewer's yeast is high in protein and vitamin B. Biotin is involved in the synthesis of carbohydrates and fatty acids and amino acid metabolism, which has a positive effect on hair health. However, since brewer's yeast is a common food and biotin is a common vitamin in the non-high concentration range, it is best to think of it as a supplement and consume it.

So, are there any ingredients that have been recognized for their hair health benefits? There is Keranet™, a millet extract complex that was first recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for its hair health functionality. Millet and Wheat Extract Complex is a 100% plant-derived natural ingredient, highly concentrated with only the essential components of millet and wheat. Millet is rich in minerals like calcium, potassium, and magnesium, as well as B vitamins. It also contains myliacin, which helps improve keratinocyte metabolism and proliferation, which contributes to hair growth. Wheat contains glucosyl ceramide, which is used in the synthesis of ceramides, a component of scalp cell membranes and hair.

The millet extract complex has been published in SCI-level journals and has human application test results. A study of 91 healthy adults, aged 19 to 60, with mild to moderate hair damage showed significant improvements in eight indicators, including hair elasticity, hair diameter (thickness), shine, and subject satisfaction (hair shine, elasticity, thickness, texture, and volume).

In the Health Chosun What Is This hair health section, we will learn about various information from understanding the hair growth cycle to the nutrients and lifestyle habits necessary for hair health with pharmacist Yonghan Choi of Hanam Star Pharmacy.