Chemistry For Your Life

Why does hair turn grey when we age?


Listen Later

#187

This episode of 'Chemistry for Your Life' delves into the fascinating world of gray hair, exploring its chemistry and biological processes. Hosts Melissa and Jam share personal anecdotes about encountering gray hair before diving into a detailed explanation of how hair turns gray. They discuss the roles of melanin, melanocytes, and enzymes like tyrosinase in hair pigmentation, and how an imbalance in hydrogen peroxide levels within hair follicles can lead to gray hair. Additionally, the episode touches on the impact of genetics and the possible effects of stress and cigarette smoking on graying. They wrap up with some fun discussions on making pizzas and interacting with their community of listeners.

00:00 Opening Banter: Discovering Gray Hair

00:26 Diving Into the Science of Gray Hair
01:22 Introduction to the Podcast and Hosts
02:49 Exploring the Chemistry of Hair Color
03:26 Understanding Melanin and Hair Pigmentation
07:07 The Process of Hair Coloration
09:59 Unraveling the Mystery of Gray Hair
11:27 A Deep Dive into the Molecular Mechanisms
19:18 Explaining the Gray Hair Phenomenon with an Analogy
26:28 Diving into Project Blueprint: A Self-Experimentation Journey
27:05 The Science of Reversing Gray Hair: An In-Depth Look
32:38 Exploring the Impact of Stress and Smoking on Hair Color
36:02 The Fascinating World of Hair Under a Microscope
39:59 Sharing Personal Stories and Tips for Outdoor Adventures
44:29 A Culinary Adventure: Making the Perfect Pizza
50:51 Supporting Chemistry Education: A Call to Action

References from this episode:

  1. Hair under a microscope pics - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/hair-under-the-microscope-knots-and-splits-can-you-fix-them--99642210476262734/
  2. https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1096/fj.08-125435
  3. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Simplified-pathways-of-tyrosine-derived-melanin-synthesis-showing-enzymatic-steps-subject_fig2_337820571
  4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8610071/
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033715/
  6. https://cen.acs.org/articles/87/i10/Gray-Hair-Blame-Natural-Bleaching.html
  7. https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/melanin/3008682.article
  8. https://youtu.be/oCtdFSAgKCY
  9.  

    We want to give a special thanks to Bri McAllister for illustrating molecules for some episodes! Please go check out Bri’s art, follow and support her at entr0pic.artstation.com and @McAllisterBri on twitter!

     

    Thanks to our monthly supporters

    • Ciara Linville
    • J0HNTR0Y
    • Jeannette Napoleon
    • Cullyn R
    • Erica Bee
    • Elizabeth P
    • Sarah Moar
    • Rachel Reina
    • Letila
    • Katrina Barnum-Huckins
    • Suzanne Phillips
    • Nelly Silva
    • Venus Rebholz
    • Lyn Stubblefield
    • Jacob Taber
    • Brian Kimball
    • Emerson Woodhall
    • Kristina Gotfredsen
    • Timothy Parker
    • Steven Boyles
    • Chris Skupien
    • Chelsea B
    • Bri McAllister
    • Avishai Barnoy
    • Hunter Reardon
    • ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

      Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

      Watch our episodes on YouTube

      Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife


      Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      Chemistry For Your LifeBy Melissa and Jam, Bleav

      • 4.6
      • 4.6
      • 4.6
      • 4.6
      • 4.6

      4.6

      294 ratings


      More shows like Chemistry For Your Life

      View all
      Science Quickly by Scientific American

      Science Quickly

      1,381 Listeners

      The Naked Scientists Podcast by The Naked Scientists

      The Naked Scientists Podcast

      599 Listeners

      Nature Podcast by Springer Nature Limited

      Nature Podcast

      756 Listeners

      SpaceTime with Stuart Gary by Stuart Gary

      SpaceTime with Stuart Gary

      321 Listeners

      The Quanta Podcast by Quanta Magazine

      The Quanta Podcast

      544 Listeners

      Science Vs by Spotify Studios

      Science Vs

      12,130 Listeners

      Discovery by BBC World Service

      Discovery

      965 Listeners

      BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

      BBC Inside Science

      410 Listeners

      Science Magazine Podcast by Science Magazine

      Science Magazine Podcast

      818 Listeners

      Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

      Unexpected Elements

      363 Listeners

      CrowdScience by BBC World Service

      CrowdScience

      471 Listeners

      Ologies with Alie Ward by Alie Ward

      Ologies with Alie Ward

      24,585 Listeners

      The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week by Popular Science

      The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

      2,184 Listeners

      Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe by iHeartPodcasts

      Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

      2,367 Listeners

      The Supermassive Podcast by The Royal Astronomical Society

      The Supermassive Podcast

      323 Listeners