Name Ingredients:
Horsetail is a perennial herb in the Equisetaceae family of plants that have been used as a traditional medicine for bladder and kidney conditions as well as to promote wound healing. Horsetail has a high silica content and contains selenium and cysteine which have been touted to promote healthier hair.
Key insights:
- The in vitro evidence suggests that horsetail extracts may reduce levels of reactive oxygen species, which can negatively affect hair growth, however, this has not been completed in hair follicles or shown in humans. Furthermore, horsetail extracts have been found to inhibit 5α-reductase and reduce levels of the inflammatory marker interleukin-6 (IL-6), which indicates a potential beneficial effect on hair growth.
- There is little to no evidence to suggest that silica is beneficial to hair growth, however in rats it is concentrated in the hair and skin. This suggests that silica deficiency may result in negative effects on the structure of hair shafts.
- The clinical evidence suggests that selenium (an element found in horsetail) can prevent hair loss in patients undergoing chemotherapy for ovarian cancer, however, selenium was included amongst other vitamins and minerals so it cannot be stated for certain that selenium was the protective element.
- Our experience tracking members: horsetail extract by itself is not enough to improve hair loss outcomes.
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