Lisa Olivo, Associate Editor09.08.14
Inspired by the results of a 2009 study published in The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Cathy Beggan, president and founder of Rise-N-Shine, LLC, Sparta, NJ, developed a natural weapon to fight the growth of gray hair.
In the study, researchers in the U.K. discovered that over time hydrogen peroxide accumulates in hair follicles, which is a result of a decrease in the enzyme catalase. Catalase is naturally produced in the body and blocks hydrogen peroxide from building up in hair. However, the production of this enzyme diminishes with age, and hydrogen peroxide in the hair follicle can essentially bleach hair to various shades of white or gray.
Ms. Beggan recognized an opportunity for targeted and natural supplementation of catalase. "As I thought about the research findings, I asked myself, ‘If catalase could be put into a pill and taken as a daily supplement, would it stop the graying process?’”
Putting Research Into Action
The entrepreneur, who’s past experience was in the energy supplement market, reached out to a contract manufacturer which helped her produce a dietary supplement for the prevention of gray hair and overall hair health. The capsule included 5,000 international units of catalase (recently increased to 7,500), plus other ingredients believed to promote healthy hair, including B vitamins, minerals and herbal extracts. The resulting formula was Go Away Gray—an anti-graying dietary supplement.
Explaining the product’s method of action, Ms. Beggan said, "Go Away Gray's mission is to simply put the catalase enzyme back in your system, and over time it will reverse the graying process and bring your natural hair color back.” However, she noted that, "It won't change any gray hair that you already have, but it will change the new growth at the root. It's not a quick fix and it doesn't happen overnight. Taking the recommended dosage of two pills daily takes on average about 3 months until you really start to notice the results."
Consumer Response
According to Ms. Beggan, since the addition of Go Away Gray to the company's line of natural supplements in 2009, company sales have soared.
More surprising was the response from a specific group of consumers: men.
The company noted that more men purchase Go Away Gray, with the ratio being 60/40, which includes women who are purchasing for men.
"As a rule, men don't color their hair and they don't want to be caught in a salon," Ms. Beggan said. "Additionally, there aren't a lot of men's hair colors to choose from at the supermarket and pharmacy. A supplement that restores natural color without dyes or gel is pretty much a no-brainer for guys wanting to get rid of their gray."
Ms. Beggan also noted that Go Away Gray will be the focus of an upcoming clinical trial with the hope that additional science backing the product will lead to broader acceptance in the global marketplace.
"Go Away Gray customers know first-hand that the product works," Ms. Beggan said. "We're confident that the results of the clinical trial will show the rest of the world that it works as well."
In the study, researchers in the U.K. discovered that over time hydrogen peroxide accumulates in hair follicles, which is a result of a decrease in the enzyme catalase. Catalase is naturally produced in the body and blocks hydrogen peroxide from building up in hair. However, the production of this enzyme diminishes with age, and hydrogen peroxide in the hair follicle can essentially bleach hair to various shades of white or gray.
Ms. Beggan recognized an opportunity for targeted and natural supplementation of catalase. "As I thought about the research findings, I asked myself, ‘If catalase could be put into a pill and taken as a daily supplement, would it stop the graying process?’”
Putting Research Into Action
The entrepreneur, who’s past experience was in the energy supplement market, reached out to a contract manufacturer which helped her produce a dietary supplement for the prevention of gray hair and overall hair health. The capsule included 5,000 international units of catalase (recently increased to 7,500), plus other ingredients believed to promote healthy hair, including B vitamins, minerals and herbal extracts. The resulting formula was Go Away Gray—an anti-graying dietary supplement.
Explaining the product’s method of action, Ms. Beggan said, "Go Away Gray's mission is to simply put the catalase enzyme back in your system, and over time it will reverse the graying process and bring your natural hair color back.” However, she noted that, "It won't change any gray hair that you already have, but it will change the new growth at the root. It's not a quick fix and it doesn't happen overnight. Taking the recommended dosage of two pills daily takes on average about 3 months until you really start to notice the results."
Consumer Response
According to Ms. Beggan, since the addition of Go Away Gray to the company's line of natural supplements in 2009, company sales have soared.
More surprising was the response from a specific group of consumers: men.
The company noted that more men purchase Go Away Gray, with the ratio being 60/40, which includes women who are purchasing for men.
"As a rule, men don't color their hair and they don't want to be caught in a salon," Ms. Beggan said. "Additionally, there aren't a lot of men's hair colors to choose from at the supermarket and pharmacy. A supplement that restores natural color without dyes or gel is pretty much a no-brainer for guys wanting to get rid of their gray."
Ms. Beggan also noted that Go Away Gray will be the focus of an upcoming clinical trial with the hope that additional science backing the product will lead to broader acceptance in the global marketplace.
"Go Away Gray customers know first-hand that the product works," Ms. Beggan said. "We're confident that the results of the clinical trial will show the rest of the world that it works as well."
