When it comes to preventing hair loss, many people would agree that if a solution or treatment or product works, who cares what it’s made out of?
Fortunately though, this article isn’t talking about a supplement that is actually made of a horse’s tail.
Horsetail grass, a member of the Equisetem genus, is a long, hollow-stemmed, green plant that has been used for thousands of years as an herbal remedy for different things. The ancient Greeks purportedly used Horsetail grass.
Nowadays Horsetail grass is used as a supplement for hair health and hair loss.
Horsetail as a treatment for osteoporosis
The secret behind the success of Horsetail grass is down to its high content of a mineral called silica. Silicate minerals like silica and silicon make up more of the earth’s crust than any other element but oxygen.
However in our bodies, silicon plays a large role in the regulation and production of a group of proteins called collagen – the building blocks of our skin tissues. Silica has been shown in studies to improve things like collagen production and the production of a compound called elastin that gives our skin elasticity.
Silicon has also been demonstrated to aid in the prevention of things like Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis.
A research paper centered on a group of 22 patients found that the 11 who took Ortho-silicic acid (silicon) stabilized with hydrolyzed collagen before breakfast for a period of weeks achieved better skin texture, firmness, and hydration compared to the 11 who took placebo.
Osteoporosis
One of the leading causes of age-related decline in mobility in the world, osteoporosis is characterized as skeletal degeneration leading to a state of being called morbidity. In this study, researchers discovered that when given to osteopathic women, silicon increased femoral bone density in a clinical trial.
Horsetail as a treatment for hair health
Hair, bones, skin and nails often revolve around the same nutrients in order to remain healthy. They of course all need protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, etc. But there are a few more selective nutrients that these parts of the body need in order to flourish.
The reason for this is that your hair, bones, skin, and nails are all comprised of x-part collagen and y–part keratin. These proteins tend to create harder biological tissues like hair, fur, hide, claws, horns, nails, feathers, and scales.
They’re also good for your skin, hair, nails and bones, so taking a keratin and collagen supplement is a great way to fortify these harder parts of your body. These collagen supplements are often sold in tasteless powders, but you can also get them in capsules, or by drinking bone broth.
Horsetail, being rich in silica is the PERFECT complement to a collagen supplement for the following reasons.
- Silicon and silica stimulate the body’s natural collagen-production systems.
- Silicon and silica are extremely biologically-unavailable in many food sources.
- This means that while a piece of food may contain measurable amounts of silica, that silica is not chemically-formulated in a way that allows our bodies to absorb it.
- Horsetail grass contains a biologically available source of silica and silicon, meaning that it actually gets absorbed into your body.
- Horsetail grass supplements are very inexpensive.
- Also containing hyaluronic acid, horsetail grass can help your joints, skin, bones, hair, and nails retain moisture better as well.
Leanne Richardson
Leanne Richardson loves writing about hair because she believes that a head full of great-looking hair is a thing of joy and beauty. Her expert and practical advice come from her wide exposure to the field of hair care from an early age.
