Fo-ti, an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine, is gaining worldwide recognition as a dietary supplement that is said to improve longevity and help delay the harmful effects of aging. So what is fo-ti, and what can it do for your hair — and specifically for gray hair?
Read on to find out what VEGAMOUR learned from the experts about what fo-ti can do for grey hair and health. Plus, find out what products you should be using to support gray hair and revive your hair's natural vibrance.
What Is Fo-Ti?
In traditional Chinese medicine, fo-ti has been used for centuries as a treatment to keep dark hair from graying and to help maintain natural hair color.
Fo-ti, or fo-ti root, comes from the plant Polygonum multiflorum (or tuber fleeceflower), which is a perennial herb native to China. In Chinese medicine, fo-ti—known in China as he shou wu—is touted as a "hair-blackening" treatment for people with gray hair, known for its ability to diminish gray hair and restore natural hair color. In recent years, fo-ti has become a popular ingredient in dietary supplements, hair products and hair treatments, including hair serums and creams for use on the scalp.
Fo-ti, like many Chinese herbs, is most potent in its least processed, raw form. There are several ways to take fo-ti to help support graying hair. In traditional preparations, fo-ti root is boiled in the juice of black beans to create an oral tonic. Today, though, you can easily find fo-ti supplements, fo-ti teas or topical beauty and hair products that include fo-ti.
What Fo-Ti Can Do for Gray Hair
There are a variety of benefits attributed to fo-ti. Since it’s mainly used in anti-aging remedies, many of the known fo-ti benefits focus on how it can improve hair. Fo-ti works to:
- Promote hair growth and slow hair loss, including alopecia
- Restore natural color to gray hair
- Delay loss of natural hair color, thereby slowing the graying process
For more insight on fo-ti and how it works on hair, VEGAMOUR spoke with board-certified registered nurse Beth Hawkes of NurseCode.com.
"Fo-ti is an ancient Chinese remedy that has recently been gaining momentum as a potential treatment for hair graying," Hawkes said. Hawkes explained that fo-ti seems to help hair by significantly inducing synthesis of melanin—thereby increasing melanin production to promote hair pigmentation—as well as improving blood circulation to the scalp to help hair grow.
Fo-ti is also used in traditional Chinese medicine to address a wide variety of health conditions, including:
- Alzheimer's disease
- Constipation
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Fatigue
- High cholesterol
- Parkinson's disease
- Tuberculosis
Is Fo-Ti Safe to Use?
Though it is known for its health benefits, it's best to talk with a healthcare professional before taking any supplement such as fo-ti, especially if you take medications or have a health condition. A doctor can give you advice on what supplements you should take or avoid based on your personal medical history.
Be sure that when you use fo-ti, you always thoroughly read and follow the product directions for intended use.
Fo-Ti: An Herb of Many Names
Fo-ti is known by many other names, the most common ones being fo-ti, fo-ti root, he shou wu, and Chinese knotweed. To be sure you are getting the correct thing, look for these possible names on the product label:
- Chinese knotweed, climbing knotweed or flowery knotweed
- Chinese cornbind
- Tuber fleeceflower
- Fo-ti, fo-ti root, fo-ti tieng or fo-ti tient
- He shou wu or ho shou wu
- Shou wu or shou wu pian
- Zhihe shou wu or zi shou wu
- Shen min
- Multiflori preparata
- Polygonum multiflorum
- Rhizoma polygonati
How to Take Fo-Ti
There are numerous options when choosing a product with fo-ti.
Serums & Supplements With Fo-Ti for Gray Hair
VEGAMOUR has created vegan hair care products for all types of hair, especially fine hair, aging hair and even graying hair. We've combined our hair expertise with effective ingredients like fo-ti to help support aging hair.
Fo-ti is featured in both a supplement capsules and a topical hair serum. VEGAMOUR offers GRO AGELESS Gray Delay Hair Serum, which is applied topically to the scalp with a dropper daily. For best results, massage the serum onto the scalp with dry or towel-dried hair.
If you prefer incorporating a supplement, you can add GRO AGELESS Gray Delay™ Hair Supplement to your daily hair care routine as an oral fo-ti option. The capsules are a super easy way to support your hair from the inside out.
In addition to fo-ti, GRO AGELESS Gray Delay™ Hair Supplement contains a plethora of other plant-based ingredients to make hair more luscious, shiny and healthy, including:
- B vitamins
- Antioxidants
- Selenium
- Calcium
- Copper
- Para-aminobenzoic and folic acids
- Kerenat
- Venetron
The GRO AGELESS Collection is a cruelty-free vegan option that can help support aging hair. For best results, VEGAMOUR recommends taking the capsules and using the hair serum daily.
The Takeaway
Fo-ti has been trusted for years as an anti-aging remedy Stay up to date with the VEGAMOUR blog for the latest ways to support beautiful hair that’s healthy from the inside out.
Photo credit: YakobchukOlena/iStock
