10 Best Vitamins for Hair Growth & Thickness
Aug 10, 2016
Ever tried to gauge the amount of happiness you derive from having your hair look great? Or your hair doesn’t fall at all? It's tremendous. This can only happen when your hair is getting optimum food in combination with a healthy vitamin diet. Vitamins are the best source to balance the lack of sufficient nutrition in your bodies, fix the hormonal imbalances, and lessen the extrinsic impacts that altogether makes your hair look dull, frizzy, and cause them the fall. What Vitamins help you to grow your hair lustrous, healthy, and happy is the topic to go on with today. Let’s get into the list of top 10 Vitamins to make your hair long and strong. As with all vitamins, you should look for naturally sourced ingredients and do not take more vitamins than the recommended daily doses for the benefit you’re looking to derive. Additionally, if you have any dietary restrictions, like halal, kosher or vegan, take special care when selecting the product you buy as many vitamins contain pork and animal-based ingredients. Halal Vitamins, Kosher Vitamins, Natural Vitamins and Vegan Vitamins are all now available to ensure you can take your required supplements without worrying about your diet restrictions.
1. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. It can be stored in the body by taking meals rich in Vitamin A or by additional supplements. Vitamin A is very beneficial, as it performs significant body functions. For hair, it is particularly helpful because it is an antioxidant that keeps radical elements from damaging your hair. Vitamin A locks the moisture in the scalp by consistently producing necessary oil. The oil produced helps to get rid of dryness. It also helps in fighting external bacteria that is likely to cause your hair some damage. Vitamin A, though, is useful for hair but at the same time, the intake needs to be managed very carefully. Excess may anytime reverse its benefits and can cause hair loss. Following are some foods that are rich in Vitamin A and can naturally help you to fuel up your body with the required dose:- Carrots
- Apricots
- Pumpkins
- Mangoes
- Red pepper
- Potatoes
- Leafy Green Veggies
2. Vitamin B3 or Niacin
Niacin is a water-soluble nutrient and a B-complex which plays a significant part in hair growth. Niacin, though is very effective on hair, but is not much known or celebrated like its other B-complex fellows. Niacin basically transforms carbohydrates and fats into energy to serve a number of body functions. It does the same for hair. It helps to transport blood and oxygen to the scalp and hair follicles. The transportation is followed by capillaries expansion, which makes room for blood and oxygen to reach the right place. As long as the hair receive sufficient amounts of vitamin B3, they grow faster and better. Niacin deficiency can lead to hair thinning and profuse fall. A recommended dosage of vitamin B3 is 35 milligrams daily. Following are some foods which can help you garner enough vitamin B3 for your day.- Fish
- Lean Red Meat
- Shrimps
- Beans
- Almonds
- Carrots
- Cereal
3. Vitamin B5
Vitamin B5, also known as Pantothenic Acid has long been used in several hair care products. It retains water content in skin and locks moisture. This is why it is touted as an effective moisturizer and softener for hair and skin. Vitamin B5 is particularly very helpful to stop hair greying due to aging. It is also known as an ‘anti-stress vitamin’. It helps a lot to cut down stress hormones and, therefore, destroying a potent factor that causes hair to fall. It is recommended that an adult should consume 5 mg of Vitamin B5 daily. Here is a shortlist of Vitamin B5 food sources.- Beef
- Salmon
- Wheat
- Corn
- Meat
- Duck
- Turkey
4. Vitamin B7 or Biotin
Biotin is a B-Complex, water-soluble vitamin crucial for hair growth. It is used to thicken hair strands, provide volume to hair, and promote overall hair health. It produces Keratin — a protein which improves dryness and smoothes hair surface. Biotin improves scalp health and saves it from irritation caused due to sun exposure. It is helpful in minimizing aging effects too. It also keeps hair from greying earlier. Biotin can be obtained from a number of nutritious food or from supplements. It is a good deal to already start consuming Biotin rich food to improve hair quality and to ensure protection — rather than to turn to it when hair experience bad conditions which become complex to resolve. Here is a list of food you should incorporate in your diet.- Egg Yolk
- Peanuts and Almonds
- Organ Meat
- Cauliflower
- Oats
- Green Peas
- Banana
- Mushrooms
- Avocados
5. Vitamin B8
Vitamin B8 is also called Inositol. It is a B-complex, water-soluble vitamin which helps in the healthy functioning of body cells. It helps transport nutrients into and from body cells. Vitamin B8 also promotes healthy hair growth in combination with other B-complex vitamins. It gives strength and health to hair strands. 500 mg of Inositol is an optimal intake — recommended by health experts. Following are the food sources you should go for.- Cereals
- Rice
- Green Leafy Vegetables
- Nuts
- Soy
- Whole Grains
- Citrus Fruits
6. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is yet another from the family of B-vitamins. It is a water-soluble vitamin also known as Cobalamin. One thing special about this vitamin is that unlike other water-soluble vitamins, it can be stored for years in your body — more accurately in your liver — from where it performs functions such as the formation of red blood cells. Red blood cells developed by vitamin B12 plays a key role in the promotion of hair growth. They serve by carrying oxygen and blood into the hair strands — helping them to grow. Vitamin B12 also nourishes hair follicles and saves from premature hair loss. The corrected levels of this vitamin very quickly repair damaged hair. It is important that all the vitamins from the B-family are taken proportionately. A deficiency of any one of them may cause others to perform poorly. For hair as well, conjoined B-complex works the best. 2.4 mg of vitamin B12 is required every day. The food sources of vitamin B12 are as follows.- Eggs
- Meat
- Milk
- Shellfish
- Beef liver
- Poultry
- Soy Milk
7. Vitamin C
Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid is an incredibly efficient nutrient which helps to improve hair conditions and trigger rapid growth. It also builds collagen which is crucial to maintain hair harmony with the scalp. Vitamin C also absorbs iron which keeps the hair locks strong, so they don’t fall off. Vitamin C deficiency can very quickly lead to split ends and dry hair. Unhealthy looking hair also are quicker to drain. It is important that a safe Vitamin C intake regimen is maintained to keep hair from drying, thinning and falling off. The optimal consumption of Vitamin C for women is 75 milligrams and for men is 90 milligram a day. Following are the food sources to gain Vitamin C from.- Papayas
- Kiwi
- Oranges
- Guava
- Redpepper
- Green Pepper
- Brussel Sprouts
8. Vitamin D
Vitamin D has a direct link with hair on your head. If there is no Vitamin D in your diet, don’t fret over not having enough hair. Vitamin D is the most powerful nutrient which helps in hair development. It thickens hair strands and gives hair more volume by increasing the number of follicles. A recent study at Stem Cells Translational Medicine shows that Vitamin D helps in the formulation of new hair follicles. Not only does it create new follicles but also renews the old ones. (Hair follicles are the pores where hair erupts from). At a minimum, 600 IU of Vitamin D every day is required to suffice hair requirements. Following sources other than sunlight — which is an essential source — can help you obtain good amounts of Vitamin D.- Fishes
- Mushrooms
- Egg Yolk
- Liver
- Grains
- Fortified Milk
- Oranges
9. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin — another significant catalyst in hair growth. It works for hair in two ways. First, it promotes blood circulation in the body which enables the right amount of blood reaches the hair. Besides blood, it also transports oxygen in hair. This stimulates the process of hair growth. Second, Vitamin E has antioxidant properties. They perform repairs to hair follicles and rectifies tissue corrosion. These functions provide sustenance to hair. Vitamin E is also useful to retain moisture on the scalp. More often than not, dryness is the only reason for hair to drop. Vitamin E nourishes the scalp and allows healthy hair keeping. A frequent vitamin E hair massage to nourish the scalp is recommended. Although Vitamin E deficiencies are rare because it is found abundantly in basic meals. But for the sake of knowing, following are the food sources of Vitamin E.- Plant Oils
- Sunflower Seeds
- Almonds and nuts
- Broccoli
- Pumpkins
- Fishes
- Mamey Sapote
- Avocados
10. Zinc
Zinc acts as a panacea for hair follicles. It builds, secures, and defends hair follicles under all circumstances better than anything else. It strengthens and improves hair thickness. Zinc is linked with DNA and RNA production. It builds up and divides proportionately hair follicles’ cells for healthy hair growth. Zinc combats four different types of hair loss diseases namely alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, and male and female patterns of hair loss. Zinc is also effective for the scalp. It helps minimize — and in some instances — eradicate dandruff completely. Among so many overwhelming benefits of zinc, it is also touted to revive greyed hair back to their original color. This can happen to you as well — by using zinc supplements on a regular basis. The food in which zinc is found abundantly are:- Seafood
- Beef and Lamb
- Spinach
- Nuts
- Cocoa and Chocolate
- Chicken
- Beans
- Mushrooms