Are there vitamins for healthy hair?
Yes, there definately are vitamins for healthy hair. While vitamins are not the be all end all of healthy hair growth, it doesn’t hurt to take a few or eat healthier foods to help your hair grow stronger.
It could take up to three to six months for you to see results because your hair only grows half an inch every month, so be patient. In the meantime, here are 10 essential vitamins that will help your hair grow healthier and stronger. Always remember to talk to your Doctor about nutritional supplementation.
Vitamin C and hair health
Most people are aware that vitamin C helps boost their immune systems and protects them from colds and the flu during the fall, but what most people don’t realize is that vitamin C is one of the main ingredients necessary to strength hair and help it grow. This most partly due to the vitamin C helping the body produce collagen, which is a vital protein that’s needed for skin, hair, and nails.
In addition, vitamin C is considered an antioxidant, which means it helps your body destroy free radicals that could be damaging your hair. If you notice your hair is breaking a lot or falling out a lot, then you might need more vitamin C.
You could take a vitamin C supplement, but the best way to get your vitamins is through what you eat. Try eating more leafy green vegetables and orange and red vegetables and fruits.
B Vitamins for hair health
These vitamins are often referred to as vitamin B complex vitamins, but all eight of them play a huge role in keeping your body healthy. They affect your metabolism, energy, muscles, nerves, nails, skin, and hair. In its entirety, b-complex promotes cell growth and division, which is imperative for growing healthy hair.
To make sure your body is not deficient in B vitamins, it’s important you replenish your daily supply. B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning your body is not able to store them. Instead, your body flushes out the excess vitamins through urination.
Some warning signs of a deficiency include bruising easily, feeling tired, or your hair not growing as fast as usual. You can find b-vitamins in eggs, meats, grains, nuts, and vegetables.
Biotin for hair health
If you’d like longer, healthier hair, then you’re going to need biotin. Biotin is one of the B-vitamins, but it has such a key role in hair growth that you should be aware of it separately from its siblings. This vitamin helps your body produce glucose and break down amino acids in proteins. Due to hair consisting of keratin, a form of protein, this supports having healthy hair.
Most people usually get enough biotin from the foods they eat, but it’s a water soluble vitamin. This means your body flushes it out and does not retain it, so you should take a supplement if you feel you might be deficient in it. You should do some of your own research or consult a doctor before beginning your own regimen, as the effects of large doses are still largely unknown.
Good sources of biotin in your diet are avocados, mushrooms, salmon, eggs, and peanut butter.
Niacin for hair health
Niacin is another vitamin that’s in the B-vitamin family, but it deserves its own spot. This vitamin helps feed your scalp, promoting healthy hair. If you don’t have enough niacin in your body, your hair will become brittle, dull, and even fall out.
Having a deficiency in this vitamin actually has a name – pellagra. Signs of this include diarrhea, mental confusion, scaly skin sores, and nausea.
Foods that are rich in niacin are chicken breast, turkey, mushrooms, tuna, and avocado.
Vitamin E for hair health
Vitamin E is one of the most overlooked vitamins out there, but it’s an antioxidant that nourishes and shapes your tissue, which is necessary for growing healthy hair. Along with consuming foods rich in this vitamin, such as seeds, almonds, avocado, and broccoli, you might want to try using it topically, too.
When you apply the vitamin E to your scalp, you reduce inflammation, increase blood flow, and boost the oxygen supply going to your damaged hair follicles.
Vitamin A for hair health
This vitamin is another one that’s necessary to grow cells properly. In addition, it helps produce the sebum, or oils, on your scalp. This prevents your hair from drying out and breaking off. Foods that have a lot of vitamin A include melons, carrots, and dark leafy greens. Some signs of a deficiency can be vision and skin complications.
It’s important to note that too much vitamin A is also counterproductive to hair growth, so don’t take too much in a supplement form.
Vitamin D for hair health
About eighty-five percent of Americans are not getting enough of vitamin D, which promotes healthy hair growth. One way you can boost your levels of vitamin D is to spend more time outside in the sunshine (with SPF of course).
You don’t have to spend too much time in the sun in order to keep your body producing its own vitamin D, just about twenty minutes a day. While this isn’t hard during the warmer months, you might not be able to accomplish this during the winter time. That’s where supplements and dietary additions help out. Salmon, tuna, mushrooms, eggs, and milk all have vitamin D.
Minerals for hair health
Iron for hair health
While iron is not a vitamin, it’s an important mineral that your body has to have in order to function correctly. One way iron benefits your body is through promoting healthy, strong hair growth. Without iron, your hair may become thin, dull, and dry. If you lack in iron, you can find out by getting a simple blood test.
Foods rich in iron are oysters, red meat, and spinach.
Magnesium for hair health
Magnesium is another mineral your body has to have in order to function correctly. Consuming a diet full of nuts, salmon, and seeds are one way you can make sure you’re getting enough magnesium in your diet. Unfortunately, about eighty percent of Americans are deficient in magnesium. A lack of magnesium is linked to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, and fatigue.
Macronutrients for hair health
Protein for hair health
Protein is a macro nutrient essential for growing healthy hair. Your hair is made up of almost all protein. If you don’t eat enough, your body is not going to be able to feed your follicles, which makes your hair brittle and dry.
You can get more protein from eating quinoa, broccoli, spinach, and meats.
It’s best to get your vitamins, minerals and macros through diet however, it can also be hard to eat perfectly to get the right balance of vitamins and minerals. The vitamins here will all help you get shiny, strong, and most importantly, healthy hair – enjoy.