Promotion of Hair Growth by Lactobacillus and Fermented Traditional Korean Berry in C57BL/6 Mice

The study investigated the effects of Lactobacillus (LAB) and fermented traditional Korean berry (FB) on hair growth in six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice. The mice were treated orally with LAB and FB for 22 days, resulting in a significant increase in hair re-growth rate compared to the control group. Histological analysis showed an increase in the number of hair follicles and subcutaneous fat layer thickness in the FB group. Additionally, mRNA expression levels of hair growth-related growth factors such as VEGF and IGF-1 were significantly increased in both the colon and skin. The treatment also altered the composition of the gut microbiome and short-chain fatty acids. The findings suggest that LAB and FB supplementation may promote hair growth by regulating growth factors and altering gut microbiota compositions.