Tulsi (Holy Basil) for Hair: What the Research Shows

Tulsi, also called holy basil, is a herb with a long traditional history, and it is often linked to hair through stress. We found no study of tulsi on hair. The human research is on stress, mood and other outcomes, so any link to hair is an inference, not a finding.

Here's what the human studies show.

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Key Takeaways

• We found no human study of tulsi for hair growth or hair loss.
• A systematic review of 24 human studies reported favourable outcomes for metabolic, cardiovascular, immune and neurocognitive measures, with no significant adverse events reported.
• In a placebo-controlled trial of 100 adults under stress, a holy basil extract was linked to lower perceived stress scores and lower hair cortisol after 8 weeks.
• A systematic review found that, for most plants tested, the effect on the stress hormone system in humans is unclear.

What Is Tulsi?

Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum, also called Ocimum sanctum) is a basil native to the Indian subcontinent, long used in Ayurveda.

Does Tulsi Help Hair?

Not shown. The stress findings are interesting, but stress and hair are a separate question, and no hair outcome was tested in these trials.

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Using Tulsi Sensibly

• Don't expect hair results. Take it, if at all, for the reasons studied.
• Check with your doctor before adding a supplement, particularly if you take medicines.
• See a doctor for ongoing shedding. The cause may not be stress.

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What The Research Shows

Human Studies Overall

A systematic review of human research on tulsi identified 24 studies reporting therapeutic effects on metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, immunity and neurocognition. All reported favourable clinical outcomes, and none reported significant adverse events. The authors said further studies are required to clarify dosage, dose form and the populations most likely to benefit (Jamshidi and Cohen, 2017). Hair was not among the outcomes.

A Stress Trial

In an 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 100 adults aged 18 to 65 who were experiencing stress took 125 mg of a holy basil extract twice daily or placebo. Compared with placebo, the extract was linked to greater improvements in perceived stress and sleep scores, and lower hair cortisol at week 8. It was well tolerated, and the authors called for further research on the sleep findings (Lopresti et al., 2022). Hair here was used only to measure cortisol, not hair growth.

How Clear Is The Stress Effect?

A systematic review of 52 human trials of single plants and their effect on stress-axis hormones included holy basil. Because of large differences between studies, the effect of plant products on this system in humans was unclear, and the most consistent finding was for ashwagandha (Lopresti et al., 2022).

Ashwagandha is another herb studied mainly for stress; see ashwagandha for hair.

Rhodiola is another herb we have reviewed; see Rhodiola extract and hair.

See also: Pine Bark Extract for Hair: What the Research Shows

Frequently Asked Questions

Does tulsi help hair growth?

We found no study showing that.

Can tulsi reduce stress?

One placebo-controlled trial found lower stress scores, but a wider review found the evidence unclear for most plants.

Is tulsi safe?

A systematic review found no significant adverse events reported in 24 human studies. Talk to your doctor first.

References

1. Jamshidi N, Cohen MM. The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Tulsi in Humans: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2017. PubMed
2. Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Metse AP, et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of an Ocimum tenuiflorum (Holy Basil) extract (Holixer(TM)) on stress, mood, and sleep in adults experiencing stress. Front Nutr. 2022. PubMed
3. Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Drummond PD. Modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by plants and phytonutrients: a systematic review of human trials. Nutr Neurosci. 2022. PubMed