Glutamic Acid Promotes Hair Growth in Mice

In 2020, a study was conducted using ex vivo, in vivo, and in silico approaches to investigate the role of glutamic acid in skin and hair growth. The researchers found that exogenous glutamic acid promotes hair growth and keratinocyte proliferation. When applied topically, glutamic acid decreased the expression of genes related to apoptosis signaling in the skin and increased viability and proliferation in cultured human keratinocytes. The study also identified the excitotoxic glutamic acid concentration and provided evidence for a novel skin signaling pathway mediated by a neurotransmitter controlling keratinocyte and hair follicle proliferation. This research could potentially lead to a better understanding of how exogenous glutamic acid from food intake or endogenous glutamic acid from neuropsychiatric disorders modulate skin diseases.