Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

A tocotrienol-tocopherol complex has been shown to be effective at reversing hair loss in a study conducted by researchers at the University of Science in Malaysia. The findings of the study were published in the December, 2010 edition of the journal Tropical Life Sciences Research.

Tocotrienols and tocopherols are components of the vitamin E family found in plant oils and cereal grains such as oats, barley and rye. They’re believed to work together to protect cell membranes and DNA from the damaging effects of free radicals.

38 male and female participants who suffered from hair loss were recruited for the study. Half of the participants were given 50 mg of a tocotrienol-tocopherol complex and the other half were given a placebo supplement. All the participants took the supplements twice day for 8 months.

Hair count and hair weight were measured after 4 months of supplementation and again after 8 months of supplementation.

After 8 months of supplementation, 95% of the participants who received the tocotrienol-tocopherol complex experienced hair growth. 40% had more than 50% hair growth, 5% had 35% hair growth and 45% saw 25% hair growth.

Only one participant in the placebo group saw more than 20% hair growth. 45% had only slight increases in hair growth and the remaining 45% saw a decrease in the number of hairs.

No significant difference in hair weight was seen between the two groups.

Overall, supplementation of the tocotrienol-tocopherol complex resulted in a 34.5% increase in hair growth. The researchers believe these results are due to the potent antioxidant activity of the complex, which combats lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress to the scalp, both of which can contribute to hair loss.

This study follows a previous study in 2009 that showed a 42% improvement in hair growth. Click here to read our article about the earlier study “A Vitamin That Fights Baldness? “.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

A new study suggests that daily supplements of a patented tocotrienol complex (vitamin E) may increase hair growth in people with male pattern baldness.

Researchers from the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Science Malaysia conducted the study. It has yet to be submitted for publication in a peer-review journal because of patent protection.

The placebo controlled trial involved 28 volunteers aged 18-59 with male pattern baldness.

Male pattern baldness affects around 40 million men in America, making it the most common type of hair loss for men.

Male pattern baldness usually starts with a receding hairline and hair thinning on the crown, and is caused by hormones and genetic predisposition. There is a 4 in 7 chance of inheriting the baldness gene.

For the study, participants were randomly assigned to receive a patented oral vitamin E complex or a placebo for eight months.

At the end of the study, the researchers took hair counts which involved counting the number of hairs in a pre-selected 2x2cm area.

For the vitamin E group, the researchers found an average 42% increase in hair growth, and 8 of the volunteers (57% of the group) saw over 50% increase in hair growth. There was no statistical change in the number of hairs for the placebo group.

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and provides a number of health benefits due to its ability to neutralize free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.

Some of these benefits include reduced risk of coronary heart disease and certain cancers, wound healing properties, and better circulatory health. Eating more foods high in vitamin E such as avocado, nuts, and egg yolk is a good way increase vitamin E intake.