Hesperidin for Hair: What the Research Shows

Hesperidin is a citrus flavonoid, and the hair interest in it is about scalp blood supply. Skin blood vessels feed the follicle, and in one lab study hesperidin was the only flavonoid tested that increased activation of VEGFR-2, a receptor involved in blood vessel growth. That is cell research, and we found no hair trial on hesperidin.

Here's what the lab study shows, why bioavailability matters, and how to think about hesperidin for hair.

I LOVE MY HAIR NOW

FullyVital hair serum and hair vitamins made tremendous improvements in my hair. I truly love my hair now.

Dorit S.,

Shop Hair Products 

Key Takeaways

• In cultured human microvascular endothelial cells, hesperidin increased VEGFR-2 phosphorylation, a proangiogenic signal. The other flavonoids tested did not.
• Hesperidin is found mainly in citrus fruits and has limited bioavailability because of low solubility.
• In a human crossover trial, a modified form (hesperetin-7-glucoside) in orange juice gave 2-fold higher blood levels than natural hesperidin juice.
• We found no study of hesperidin for hair growth in people.

What Is Hesperidin?

Hesperidin and its aglycone hesperetin are polyphenols found predominantly in citrus fruits. Hesperidin is the main polyphenol consumed from citrus fruits and juices.

Why Hesperidin Comes Up For Hair

Hair follicles depend on the blood vessels around them. Hesperidin's interest for hair is that it acted on blood vessel cells in the lab. Whether eating or applying it changes hair hasn't been tested.

Our Best Sellers

Hair Growth Serum

$44.25

Shop Serum

Anti-Gray Serum

$44.25

Shop Serum

How To Get Hesperidin

• Food. Citrus fruits and juices are the main dietary source.
• Form matters. Studies show hesperidin is poorly absorbed, and modified forms are absorbed better.
• Be realistic. There's no hair-specific dose or product trial.

Our Best Sellers

Hair Vitamins

$44.25

Shop Vitamins

Anti-Gray Vitamins

$44.25

Shop Vitamins

What The Research Shows

Blood Vessel Cells In The Lab

Skin vascularisation supplies the blood needed for hair growth, and follicle-derived VEGF promotes the blood vessels around follicles. Researchers tested hesperidin, visnadin and baicalin on cultured human microvascular endothelial cells and compared them with minoxidil. Only hesperidin increased VEGFR-2 phosphorylation (Bassino et al., 2016). This was a cell study, not a trial of hair.

Absorption In People

Hesperidin is thought to have limited bioavailability because of the rutinoside attached to it. In 16 healthy volunteers, orange juice treated to yield hesperetin-7-glucoside gave a 2-fold higher total plasma hesperetin and a 4-fold higher peak level than juice with natural hesperidin (Nielsen et al., 2006).

Why Solubility Is A Limit

Hesperidin and hesperetin are found predominantly in citrus fruits, and their low solubility limits bioavailability. Researchers are looking for ways to improve it (Wdowiak et al., 2022).

Quercetin is a related plant flavonoid; see quercetin and hair.

See also: Rutin for Hair: What the Research Shows · Ferulic Acid for Hair and Scalp: What the Research Shows

Frequently Asked Questions

Does hesperidin help hair growth?

We found no study in people. In the lab, it increased a blood-vessel growth signal in human endothelial cells.

What foods contain hesperidin?

Citrus fruits and juices.

Is hesperidin safe?

We didn't find safety data in these studies. Talk to your doctor before taking it as a supplement, especially if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, have a condition or take medication.

References

1. Bassino E, Antoniotti S, Gasparri F, et al. Effects of flavonoid derivatives on human microvascular endothelial cells. Nat Prod Res. 2016. PubMed
2. Nielsen IL, Chee WS, Poulsen L, et al. Bioavailability is improved by enzymatic modification of the citrus flavonoid hesperidin in humans: a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial. J Nutr. 2006. PubMed
3. Wdowiak K, Walkowiak J, Pietrzak R, et al. Bioavailability of Hesperidin and Its Aglycone Hesperetin-Compounds Found in Citrus Fruits as a Parameter Conditioning the Pro-Health Potential (Neuroprotective and Antidiabetic Activity)-Mini-Review. Nutrients. 2022. PubMed