Hair loss or alopecia is one of young people's main concerns these days. Losing hair growth and experiencing hair loss can be very challenging - it can cause significant emotional distress. People also tend to use several hacks to retain hair growth – while some may work, most fail. However, did you ever think that maybe the cure to baldness is hiding in your spice rack? A study conducted by researchers at Yokohama National University has suggested that a compound found in cinnamon – cinnamic acid – can have promising results to promote hair growth.

Cinnamic acid's impact on hair growth

However, simply eating cinnamon may not help in regenerating hair growth. The study suggested that a lot more scope of research is there in this space. The study added that oxytocin can stimulate hair growth by targeting a receptor called OXTR in hair follicles. However, oxytocin is a large molecule and cannot penetrate the skin – making it a poor choice for hair loss treatments. This is where cinnamic acid is a complete win for hair growth – it can mimic oxytocin’s hair-growth effects and can increase OXTR expression.

In a statement, Junji Fukuda, the study’s corresponding author and a professor with the university’s Faculty of Engineering added that this study can help in developing hair growth treatments that usually target oxytocin.

How much cinnamic acid can trigger OXTR expression?

To determine the effects of cinnamic acid on hair growth, the researchers treated human scalp with various doses of cinnamic acid. It was observed that at doses up to 500 μg/mL, cinnamic acid triggered OXTR expression and other key genes related to hair growth. However, high doses can damage the cells.

The researchers added that while more research is required in this space, it is known that cinnamon contains important compounds that can help in improving hair growth. Hence, the next time we catch a whiff of cinnamon in our drink or food, we should appreciate it. With a little bit of work, we can also include it in our hair case routine.

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