The superfood that scientists think will make your hair thicker

The thing about hair is that most of us want more of it. Whether genetics cursed you with a less-than-overflowing mane, stress has got your tresses thinning at an alarming rate, or you just got a bad haircut, the quest for longer, stronger, Rapunzel-like locks is a popular one (second only to finding the perfect blemish banisher). And while the truth of the matter is that nothing is going to give you mega volume and shine overnight, we may have found something that will come close.

Meet GROH, an all-natural system created by lab researcher-turned-alternative medicine guru Dr. Marvin Hausman that promises to help replenish your hair. The GROH system consists of supplements ($39) and a conditioning treatment ($59) that help boost your hair health and growth from the inside out. (It’s sold through the brand’s 500-plus partner salons.)

The magic ingredient? Mushroom. Or to be more exact, ergothioneine, which is an ultra-powerful antioxidant that naturally occurs in the adaptogenic fungus and has the power to deliver serious doses of nutrients straight to depleted cells that cause thinning hair, Dr. Hausman explains.

Intrigued, we talked to the GROH’s founder—whom the Internet affectionately calls The Mushroom Doctor—about the science behind thicker, fuller, bring-on-bouncy-ponytail hair. Here’s what he taught us:

Beauty really does come from the inside.
“When I was in medical school, before CAT scans and MRIs, we learned to look at skin, hair, and nails for symptoms of numerous diseases. When our bodies are nutrient deficient, it reflects there. If we can address the underlying deficiencies with a blend of rich antioxidants and bio-nutrients, we can support a healthy immune system and boost cell turnover.”

Like with just about everything else in life, superfoods are the key.
“The world’s first doctor, Hippocrates, said, ‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food.’ I started to research alternative approaches to fighting disease and illness, which led me to what are known as superfoods, and [from there began] to identify vital nutrients for the body. I discovered ergothioneine [found in mushrooms], one of the most powerful antioxidants known to date. It promotes cellular repair and empowers cells to function properly. Bottom line, it prevents cells from dying.”

You may not be able to pronounce ergothioneine, but you want it in your life.
“Ergothioneine [pronounced: er-gō-THY-ō-nē-ēn]—or ergo—provides the nutrient fuel that cells need to mitigate stress, whether from environmental or hormonal causes. [You want this because stress] leads to damaging oxidation and inflammation within cells, which in turn causes them to underperform. Underperforming cells are the cause of aging and death, [and when they’re located] in the hair follicle are what lead to hair loss and thinning.”

It may be the best accidental discovery since Post-its were invented.
“As a medical research company, the discovery of this beauty aspect was totally unexpected for us. We were conducting an autoimmune study using a treatment that contained ergo, and participants reported that they felt their hair might be growing faster. These findings led us to do a three-month clinical study combining the supplements and scalp treatment and the results were amazing!” [Think 84 percent increase in volume and 88 percent decrease in hair loss amazing, among the many findings.] —Victoria Lewis

And check out these 10 other ways to get thicker, fuller, Kardashian-er hair you’ve been dreaming of...

(Photos: Fade Qu / GROH)