In fairy tales, white hair is sometimes seen as a source of wisdom, but in real life it should be more of a concern. Researchers from the European Society of Cardiology have studied the link between white hair and heart or coronary disease (affecting the arteries). Age is a known risk factor for these diseases, and often the cause of hair whitening, but this phenomenon alone also has its influence on heart health.
Atherosclerosis (deposit of fat in the arteries) and hair thinning actually share the same mechanisms: a degraded DNA repair process, oxidative stress, inflammation, hormonal changes or even the aging of cells. The researchers therefore wanted to know if white hair could be a sign of risk for heart disease.
Monitor your arteries when white hair appears
For their study presented at the Europrevent 2017 Congress, the scientists invited 545 adult men. They classified them into five groups according to the percentage of colored or white hair, from completely colored hair (grade 1) to completely white hair (grade 5). Participants then had a CT scan to assess the presence or absence of coronary heart disease. The study took into account other factors that can affect the onset of these diseases: hypertension, diabetes, smoking, cholesterol problems, or even family history. The scientists were thus able to isolate the exact incidence of white hair: from the third grade (as many white hairs as still colored hair), the risk is increased.
Based on this data, scientists believe that people with graying hair should have regular heart exams, even if they don’t experience symptoms.
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