Amla Powder for hair: discover its incredible benefits and uses

Keeping your hair happy

Most of us put a fair amount of effort into maintaining and enhancing the condition and appearance of our hair. And though this might seem like a modern phenomenon, it’s actually nothing new. People have been using plants to help look after their locks for hundreds of years. What’s really interesting is that we can find many of the same ingredients in today’s haircare products. And one such revered, hair-loving plant is amla.

What is amla?

Before discussing the finer details about how and why to use amla powder for hair, let’s introduce this functional food. Also known as Indian gooseberry, amla is a small tree that’s native to parts of Asia. It produces golf ball-sized edible fruits that are yellowy-green and have a distinctly sour flavour. Amla fruit is a relatively common ingredient in Indian cooking, but more notably, it’s a key component of Ayurveda. This is a traditional medicine system that originated in India. When people use amla to improve their wellbeing, they tend to opt for a powdered version of the fruit. That’s because it’s both more convenient and more delicious!

The reason the fruit is popular in Ayurvedic medicine is that it offers a wealth of wellness benefits. These include supporting cardiovascular health, lowering blood sugar levels, and having a positive influence on the immune system. People also value the ingredient for its ability to improve the condition of your skin. It can even help to reduce the negative effects of stress on the mind and body. Plus, of course, there are a number of benefits of amla powder for hair health. In fact, amla is a traditional ingredient in hair oils, shampoo, and similar products in countries like India and Thailand.

This wealth of health advantages is thanks to the fruit’s highly impressive nutritional profile. It’s time to get into the specifics of how amla helps to keep your hair healthy.

The nutritional benefits of amla powder for hair

One of the most famous benefits of amla is that it’s extremely rich in vitamin C.(1) This nutrient plays a number of vital roles in the body, from supporting wound healing to enhancing skin health. It also enables us to absorb iron more effectively. What’s more, vitamin C contributes towards the positive effects of amla powder for hair health.

One reason for this is that vitamin C is necessary for making collagen. Collagen contains some amino acids required to make keratin, which is the main type of protein found in our hair. This benefit of amla powder for hair may be particularly relevant to age-related hair loss. That’s because collagen production decreases as we get older, weakening the layer of skin containing the roots of our hair. In turn, this can cause a person’s locks to become thinner.

In addition, vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that reduces the damage excess free radicals do to our body’s cells. This includes protecting our hair follicles from such oxidative stress, and reducing the negative effects it has on hair health.(2) Antioxidants also help skin cells – like those on the scalp – to regenerate. This can both minimise dandruff and support the health of your hair.

Another benefit of amla powder for hair health comes from its adaptogenic properties. Adaptogens help us to cope with stress more effectively, both physically and mentally. High levels of stress can have a myriad of harmful impacts on our health – including causing hair loss. As such, anything that boosts our resistance to stress also has the potential to boost the condition of your hair.

More amla powder benefits for hair

So far, we’ve focused on the benefits of amla for hair that come from adding the fruit to your diet. However, that’s not the only way amla could enhance the health of your locks. You can also achieve positive results by applying the ingredient directly to your hair and scalp. While research into this area is still in its infancy, preliminary findings suggest there’s plenty to get excited about.

For example, one study found that putting a serum containing amla onto your hair daily could improve hair growth.(3) The researchers discovered that it helped to reduce hair thinning and hair fall, as well as hair breakage. Meanwhile, the participants noted an improvement in the texture and volume of their hair, with no adverse effects. Similarly, another study revealed that a herbal formula containing amla stimulated hair growth, density, and diameter in people suffering from hair loss.(4) All of which lines up with traditional Ayurvedic beliefs on the benefits of amla powder for hair health.

One explanation for some of these amla benefits for hair is that the fruit may inhibit the action of 5α-reductase.(5) This is an enzyme specifically associated with hair loss, so blocking it could help to promote hair growth. Furthermore, amla can do this without the unpleasant side effects often caused by pharmaceutical medication prescribed for the same purpose.

Finally, the fruit’s anti-inflammatory properties could further contribute to the benefits of amla powder for hair. This is because inflammation can sometimes cause or exacerbate certain types of hair loss, including alopecia. Similarly, the vitamin E in amla might help to support healthy circulation and cell regeneration in the scalp. However, further investigation is necessary to confirm how much these factors affect hair health.