Biomarker of Oxidative Stress in Premature Hair Graying at Young Age

The study aimed to evaluate oxidative stress markers in individuals with premature hair graying (PHG) and their association with the severity of graying. It involved 40 male participants under 25 years old, comparing those with PHG to healthy controls. The researchers measured serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that individuals with PHG had higher serum MDA levels, although not significantly so (p > 0.05), and significantly lower levels of antioxidant enzymes SOD, catalase, and GPx (p < 0.001, p = 0.017, and p < 0.001, respectively) compared to controls. There was no significant correlation between oxidative stress and the severity of graying (p > 0.05), but a significant association was found between the onset and severity of graying (p < 0.001). The study concluded that individuals with PHG have an imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants, suggesting that antioxidant supplementation might be beneficial for PHG.