Factors Associated with Premature Hair Graying in a Young Indian Population.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Case-control study
PubMed 27127369 · doi:10.4103/0974-7753.179384
What was done
A case-control study was conducted at a trichology clinic in Bengaluru, India, between October 2013 and April 2014 to evaluate factors associated with premature hair graying (PHG) in patients aged under 25 years. The study compared 37 cases of PHG with 37 age- and gender-matched controls (the abstract also mentions 100 subjects investigated overall). Laboratory assessments included hemoglobin, serum ferritin, zinc, copper, calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and HDL cholesterol. Proportions and means were compared using Chi-square and Student's t-tests.
What was found
Patients with PHG had statistically significantly lower serum ferritin levels (P < 0.001), lower serum vitamin B12 levels (P < 0.001), and lower HDL cholesterol levels (P < 0.001) compared to controls. Significant proportions of PHG patients also reported a sedentary lifestyle and irregular eating habits. Specific numeric values, means, and effect sizes were not provided in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study highlights potential nutritional and metabolic correlates—specifically deficiencies in ferritin, vitamin B12, and lower HDL cholesterol—in young Indian individuals presenting with premature hair graying.
Limits
The sample size was very small (37 matched pairs) and limited to a single trichology clinic, restricting generalizability. The case-control design cannot demonstrate causality. Exact numerical measurements and adjustments for potential confounding variables were omitted from the abstract.
Cited by
- partial Deficiencies in iron, vitamin D, folate, vitamin B12, and selenium are linked to premature hair graying or whitening in childhood or early adulthood, and supplementation can improve it.