Pumpkin seeds can increase hair growth says Korean University!
For most of us the only time we set eyes on a pumpkin is when it is used as decoration at Halloween. Few of us actually eat it regularly in the UK but in the US it is well known to be jam packed with nutritious vitamins and is especially useful for dieters as there is only a tiny amount of calories in each one! Well, now it apparently has an even more interesting benefit – according to scientists in Korea it can actually reverse male balding.
This does sound a little like one of those hyped up overblown new fad diet claims. As we are talking about pumpkins here it does make you wonder whether the promoters are talking more about witchcraft spells rather than scientific analysis.
Reports based on scientific tests
But it was reported in the Raw Food News that researchers working at the Pusan National University in Korea have confirmed that their experiments show that pumpkin seed oil increases hair growth among bald men. 76 men with moderate male pattern baldness were tested. None of them had previously used drugs or supplements of any kind to help with balding issues. Half of the men in the trial were given 400 mg of pumpkin seed oil every day and half were given a placebo.
The trial lasted 6 months and the results showed that 44% of the men taking the pumpkin seeds had slightly or moderately improved hair growth. 51% of the same group showed no change at all and only one man showed a slight amount of hair loss. In the placebo group 28% of the men experienced hair loss, 64% remain unchanged and only 7% experienced a slight or moderate amount of hair growth.
Pumpkins are packed with nutrition
The fact that pumpkins have vitamins which are known to enhance hair growth (Vitamin B, Vitamin D) backs up the tests. Researchers have also taken time to consider side effects. After recent reports of bad sexually orientated side effects from well –known drugs used especially for hair loss, this seems to have been a good back up measure.
According to test results no side effects were reported except for one man who apparently stated that he experienced mild stomach ache.
As good as these results seem the overall tests seem quite small to draw real conclusions. We are not told about other variables that needed to be taken into consideration such as other foods they may have been eating, daily lifestyles and possible hereditary issues. Also, even though pumpkin seeds have been on the menu for centuries, it seems a little early to rule out side- effects altogether. After all you would need to be ingesting it on a daily basis – and look how long it took for the issues with finistaride to rear its ugly head?
It all looks very hopeful though. More tests please – and then more pumpkin pie!
For more information about Skalp Micro Pigmentation for hair loss please click here
