Slow down hair loss by eating broccoli, cauliflower

WE all know that vegetables are good for us, giving us nutrients to build a better body, but two veggies, broccoli and cauliflower, do so much more than nourish the body — they contain sulforaphane, an organic compound known to slow down hair loss.

A 2021 Korean study, Sulforaphane, L-Menthol, and Dexpanthenol as a novel active cosmetic ingredient composition for relieving hair loss symptoms, published in the journal Cosmetics, found that sulforaphane increases the expression of an enzyme in the liver which inhibits hair loss.

Clinical trials were conducted for 18 weeks and participants showed visible improvement in hair growth, suggesting that sulforaphane may be an active ingredient that significantly alleviates hair loss symptoms, especially in cases of androgen alopecia — a common form of hair loss in men and women.

“We demonstrated that sulforaphane has the potential to become a highly effective, functional hair cosmetic to relieve hair loss with androgen alopecia,” authors Youngkum Park et al wrote.

“We expect that sulforaphane will emerge as an alternative pharmacological treatment for androgen alopecia. In the end, we determined that potential functional cosmetics containing sulforaphane, l-menthol and dexpanthenol as active ingredients promote the relief of hair loss symptoms, based on a clinical application test for hair loss.”

Aesthetician Nicola Meredith said that amazingly, sulforaphane not only helps with hair loss but also with preventing and treating various cancers such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, skin, urinary, bladder and oral cancers.

“Note that, according to science, sulforaphane is also present in Brussels sprouts, kale and cabbage, so you have other alternatives too,” she said. “It is highly effective in blocking carcinogens so really and truly, you should be rushing to include these vegetables in your diet everyday.”

She said according to ScienceDirect, sulforaphane also has antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

“These are all good reasons to make these vegetables a part of your diet, not just because they help with your weight loss and fitness goals but because they add immense benefits to your overall health and well-being,” Meredith added.

“If you didn’t like them before, this is a reason to rethink — especially if you’re experiencing issues with hair loss, thinning or lack of growth.”