The 7 Best Vitamins For Hair Loss

You want your hair to look great – that’s a given. Since it’s one of the first things almost all people notice first about a person, making sure your hair looks amazing is one way to improve your overall image. But if you just look at commercials, you’d think the only things your hair needs are conditioners, shampoos, and styling products. While they certainly can’t hurt, it turns out that there’s more to hair health than what you put on it: it also matters what you feed it. That’s something that comes up when talking about the question of hair loss. Not alopecia arreata, an autoimmune disease which causes the body to attack its own hair follicles; and not androgenic alopecia (male-pattern baldness); but another type of hair loss that can be caused by a lack of adequate nutrients. It sounds crazy, but it’s a serious question many have raised: can vitamins and minerals really help prevent hair loss?

First, let’s consider what happens when hair grows. Each hair follicle contains something called a “bulb,” which contains hair cells that divide and create the hair shaft – the thing we commonly refer to as a hair. The hair shaft contains cells that include keratin, a protein that forms a hard chain that’s perfect for filling out and strengthening the hair strand. This process of growth happens in three phases: a 3 to 5 year-long growth period called the anagen phase, a short weeks-long resting catagen phase, and the telogen phase, where hair falls out and the whole process starts over again.

This process, like every other process in the human body, requires nutrients in order to be completed successfully and optimally. Nutrients are required for the body’s systems to properly function, and without them, things can go seriously wrong. That’s why malnourishment has been observed to not only cause fatigue, emotional problems, and skin issues, but also weak hair and hair loss.

What are the vitamins the body needs for proper hair growth and health? Here’s our list:

1. Biotin. This popular vitamin is also called vitamin B7, a vitamin that as early as the 1930s was seen to have an effect on hair loss if the body was deficient in it. To make sure you get enough, include lentils, avocados, fish, and whole grains.

2. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid). Another water-soluble vitamin that helps our bodies break down and make sure of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, which can be used in the formation of hair strands. Found in lots of different foods, but particularly egg yolks, mushrooms, and whole grains.

3. Vitamin E. This vitamin is thought to have antioxidant properties, keeping cells from oxidative damage and stress, which means your hair cells will be in the right shape to multiple and produce hairs as they’re supposed to. You’ll find this in different oils (grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, olive oil), and nuts.

4. Vitamin D. We all know vitamin D is important, as it’s one of the major nutrients found in milk. It not only helps the body to use calcium to help build up and strengthen the bones, but is associated with hair loss in those who have a vitamin D deficiency. You’ll get this from dairy products and fish, mainly.

5. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Not only does vitamin C help keep cells healthy by preventing oxidative damage, but helps the body to absorb iron, an important mineral involved in the hair process. Get this from fruits and vegetables like oranges, berries, sprouts, and broccoli.

6. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). This vitamin cannot be synthesized in the body, so you need to get it from outside sources. It’s important for helping the body metabolise fats, proteins, and carbs, which are essential to skin and hair follicle health. It’s found in vegetables, soy beans, whole grains, fish, and chicken.

7. Vitamin B3 (niacin). An important vitamin in the regulation of cholesterol levels, it also has a big effect on skin health, which is intimately connected with the health of your hair. Get this from rice, milk, corn, and meat.

As with all nutrients, it’s not only important to make sure that you get enough, but to make sure you don’t get too much. Always consult a medical professional before going on any sort of supplement regimen.

Well, as you can see, there are plenty of little parts that add up to make your hair grow, and you can ensure that you avoid hair loss, brittleness, and breakage by keeping up with all the nutrients you need for your hair’s health.