The Shocking Reason Why Gen Z Is Already Going Gray

Gen Z can't catch a break.

Last year, the internet was hammering them about why they appear to be aging like milk (an important lesson in holding off on getting Botox and fillers too young), and this year, the latest TikTok phenomenon features Zoomers (those born between 1997 and 2012) sharing that they are prematurely going gray.

If you type in anything related to Gen Z having gray hair in the TikTok search bar, tons of videos show people in their late teens and early twenties sharing that they are starting to see gray hairs sprout from their scalps.

And while, for some, seeing those silver strands at a young age is owed to genetics, experts are sounding the alarm about some other, more serious, reasons this may be happening.

What Causes Gray Hair?

Aging is inevitable, and gray hair is a crown of glory that signifies wisdom and experience. And while there is no shame in rocking a salt-and-pepper look as many celebrities have proudly done in recent years – there is an acceptable time in your life for them to appear on your head.

According to a 2021 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, hair aging is typically affected by several factors, including “hair cycle-dependent variations, sex and racial differences, hormones, genetics, and age-related changes.”

Although the exact reasoning for this remains unresolved, scientists hypothesize that our hair grays as we age due to a decrease in the amount of melanin that is transferred to keratinocytes, which are the skin cells that make up the epidermis, the outermost layer of our skin.

Because melanin is a pigment that gives our eyes, skin, and hair their color, a decrease in melanin-producing melanocytes (or cells) leads to “a decrease in the pigmentation of the hair shaft.”

“It is thought that, as we age, these melanocyte stem cells lose the ability to self-maintain and proliferate to replace old melanocytes. Thus, there are no melanocytes to synthesize melanin, leading to graying hair,” reads the study.

While many factors contribute to when graying occurs, the average age it appears for caucasian people is in their mid-thirties, in the late thirties for asians and in the mid-forties for black people. If hair greying occurs before 20 in caucasians, 25 in asians, and 30 in black people, it is considered premature.

So, Why is Gen Z Going Gray?

A few months ago, integrative holistic health coach Catarina Orr-Lee went viral on TikTok after expressing that young people are starting to gray prematurely due to a lack of minerals.

“So, if you look into what gray hair actually is, it’s developed from the lack of minerals in the hair,” she explains. “Specifically, iron and, I think it’s manganese, they make the dark-coloured hair. So wouldn’t it be interesting to say that gray hair is actually specifically mineral deficiencies?”

Continuing, Orr-Lee breaks down why our cells require iron and manganese to create energy, noting that when our hair lacks those two minerals, they have a higher composition of zinc and calcium, which creates gray hair.

She also points out that the sudden appearance of gray hair on the scalp could also be the result of a traumatic incident or shock to the system, but believes that seeing those silver strands appear prematurely signifies a “slowing down happening, and a displacement of [certain] minerals” that is occurring from unaddressed chronic stress and fatigue.

And while we shouldn’t believe everything we hear on TikTok, Orr-Lee’s claims are far from pseudo-science. In fact, a lot of the science discussed in her video was inspired by biochemist Dr Paul Eck, who dedicated over three decades of his life to analyzing hair samples and studying Mineral-Nutritional Balancing.

“Grey hair is a warning sign because hair in general reflects the minerals that are in your body. It’s the minerals in your body that give your hair its color. For example, hair (especially black hair) gets its color from the minerals manganese and iron,” explained Eck in an interview.

“Manganese and iron are two minerals your cells need to produce energy. When people become exhausted, it means they are usually low on manganese and iron. When these two minerals become depleted in the body, they also become depleted in the hair. Then the hair loses its color,” he continued, adding that hair turns white when the body becomes exhausted, and calcium and zinc are deposited into the hair.

The Silver Lining

Thankfully, premature graying can be reversed! 

Speaking with Newsweek, Orr-Lee explains that the best way to know if premature graying is due to mineral deficiencies is to complete a hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA), which measures the levels of minerals and heavy metals in a person's hair.

"Most people hear 'focus on replenishing with minerals,' and they think they need to buy supplements off the shelf, which isn't the best source of minerals. Most supplements contain synthetic forms or poorly absorbed forms, and food is the best source of minerals because it is better absorbed in its natural form," she stated, adding that random supplementation could offset other minerals.

Instead, Orr-Lee suggests focussing on building up cellular nourishment by eating seasonal, whole, minimally processed foods, cooking foods in digestible forms, choosing nutrient-dense options or shopping at farmer’s markets and regenerative farms. Other ways to do this include staying hydrated, adding sea salt to your meals, staying active, and managing stress.

Perhaps you're Gen Z, and you’ve noticed those stubborn grays start to appear on your head prematurely. While there isn’t anything you can do about genetics, getting to the root of the issue by understanding what nutrients your body needs and getting ahold of the stress in your life could be a way to slow it down!