Lutein for Hair: What the Research Shows

Lutein is a carotenoid antioxidant best known for eye health. We found no study of lutein on hair growth, thickness or color. What exists is skin research, including a 12-week placebo-controlled trial in which lutein and zeaxanthin improved overall skin tone.

Here's what lutein does, what the skin and food research shows, and why the hair claims you may see are unproven.

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Key Takeaways

• Lutein is believed to work as a filter of high-energy blue light and as an antioxidant.
• In a 12-week, placebo-controlled trial in 46 adults, 10 mg of lutein plus 2 mg of zeaxanthin isomers a day significantly improved overall skin tone.
• Dark green leafy vegetables, pistachio nuts and eggs are important food sources, and cooking and healthy fats help absorption.
• We found no study of lutein for hair.

What Is Lutein?

Lutein is a xanthophyll, a type of carotenoid. It's found in plants and, in the body, in tissues like the eye. Its relevance to hair is indirect: it's an antioxidant, and antioxidants come up in hair conversations. That link hasn't been tested for lutein.

Does Lutein Help Hair?

Honestly, no one knows. Lutein's research is on the eye and the skin. If you're curious about antioxidants and hair color, see our glutathione and gray hair article, which has an evidence base.

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Getting Lutein

• Eat a variety. Dark green leafy vegetables are a main source, along with pistachio nuts and eggs.
• Use healthy fats. Fat in a meal helps your body absorb lutein.
• Supplements are common, but there's no hair-specific dose.

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What The Research Shows

What Lutein Does

In humans, lutein is believed to work in two main ways: as a filter of high-energy blue light and as an antioxidant that scavenges reactive oxygen species. It's deposited in the lens and macula of the eye, and it may also protect skin from UV-induced damage (Alves-Rodrigues & Shao, 2004).

Skin Tone Trial

Fifty healthy adults with mild-to-moderate dry skin were randomized to a daily supplement of 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin isomers or a placebo for 12 weeks (46 finished). Overall skin tone and skin lightness improved significantly in the lutein group versus placebo, and their minimal erythemal dose, a sunburn threshold, increased (Juturu et al., 2016). The study looked at skin, not hair.

Food Sources

A review described diet models that reach 5 mg and 10 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin a day through food alone. The important points: nutrient-rich sources, cooking methods, dietary variety and healthy fats. The foods include dark green leafy vegetables, pistachio nuts and eggs (Eisenhauer et al., 2017).

See also: Vitamin K for Hair: What the Research Shows · Goji Berry Extract for Hair: What the Research Shows

Frequently Asked Questions

Does lutein help hair growth?

We found no study showing that it does.

What foods are high in lutein?

Dark green leafy vegetables, pistachio nuts and eggs.

Is lutein safe?

Check with your doctor before taking supplements if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, have a condition or take medication.

References

1. Alves-Rodrigues A, Shao A. The science behind lutein. Toxicol Lett. 2004. PubMed
2. Juturu V, Bowman JP, Deshpande J. Overall skin tone and skin-lightening-improving effects with oral supplementation of lutein and zeaxanthin isomers: a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2016. PubMed
3. Eisenhauer B, Natoli S, Liew G, et al. Lutein and Zeaxanthin-Food Sources, Bioavailability  and Dietary Variety in Age-Related Macular  Degeneration Protection. Nutrients. 2017. PubMed