TOP 5 VITAMINS FOR HAIR GROWTH

Top 5 Vitamins for Hair Growth

Haircare is a significant concern for most people today. We are exposed to a lot of factors that contribute to the deteriorated quality and density of hair. Do you ever plan to work on your hair but end up confused with where to begin? 

The answer is in your diet: vitamins for hair growth. Vitamins are essential for your hair. They ensure nourishment and promote normal cell growth. The deficiency of these vitamins for hair growth is associated with the deteriorated quality and density of hair. 

Hair is a filament that is made of a protein called keratin. The hair grows from a hair follicle responsible for supplying the essential nutrients and promoting growth. There is a dense network of blood vessels near the hair follicles that provides the hair with nutrients. Vitamins are the micronutrients that play a crucial role in nourishing the follicles. Want to know which are the best vitamins for hair growth? Read on to find out!

Here are the vitamins that play the most crucial role in ensuring good hair health:

Vitamin A

Also known as retinol, vitamin A is an essential nutrient for our hair. It is required for cell growth and plays a vital role in hair growth as well. Vitamin A also stimulates the production of a compound called sebum which acts as a moisturizer for skin and sebum. Sebum helps in moisturizing as well as keeping your hair healthy. A diet deficient in vitamin A can cause a deteriorated quality and density of hair, but its overdose can also cause hair loss. 

The recommended daily intake of vitamin A is 600 µg.

Rich sources of vitamin A are carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, spinach, and other leafy greens. They contain beta-carotene, which is further converted into vitamin A. Animal sources such as milk, yogurts, and eggs are also good sources. Certain animal products such as cod liver oil and fish oils are also rich sources of vitamin A. 

Apart from food sources, vitamin A can also be administered in the form of supplements - tablets and capsules.

Vitamin E

You must have heard of vitamin E-infused oils or other hair care products. Many people swear by vitamin E for hair. It is a known fact that vitamin E is crucial for healthy hair. The reason being, it is an antioxidant nutrient. The primary function of antioxidant nutrients is to prevent oxidative or free radical damage. 

Oxidative stress can affect the hair follicles and break them down, causing hair loss and scanty hair. It can also cause hair to lose its natural shine. Vitamin E helps in restoring the shine and thereby the quality of hair. It is a fat-soluble nutrient that supports hair growth and improves the quality of hair. It looks after the scalp and keeps it healthy. 

Recommended daily intake of Vitamin E is 600 µg.

Certain foods such as leafy greens, nuts and seeds, vegetable oil, and certain food products such as breakfast cereals and nut butter are fortified with this nutrient.

You can also incorporate vitamin E in your hair care routine through hair care products such as hair oils, shampoos, and oral supplements. 

Vitamin B

B vitamins include a lot of different vitamins that are termed as B complex vitamins. B vitamins are crucial for the regulation and functioning of the nervous system. These vitamins play an essential role in hair health as they are vital for hair growth. 

The other B vitamins create red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the hair follicles and the scalp. The dense network of blood vessels helps in supplying all the essential nutrients to the hair. B vitamins help in improving this network of blood vessels. The deficiency of B vitamins is not common; they can be obtained from foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin. Like other B vitamins, it is crucial for hair growth as they contribute to the production of red blood cells. Vitamin B12 helps connect the network of blood vessels near the hair follicles to the bulb of the hair. This facilitates nourishment to hair filament. This helps provide better nutrition and improvement in hair health in terms of quality and hair growth. A deficiency of this nutrient may cause a hindrance in the growth process of hair. 

The daily recommended intake of vitamin B12 for adults is 1.8 mcg per day.

Animal sources such as eggs, chicken, and fish are rich sources of this vitamin. Milk and other dairy products such as yogurt are also good sources. This vitamin is not present in plant-based sources. Certain food products are fortified with this vitamin, which can be included in the diet to avoid deficiency.

Apart from animal sources, these can be obtained from fortified food products and oral supplements. 

Vitamin B7

Biotin or vitamin B7 is also known as vitamin H. One of the B complex vitamins - biotin, is widely known for its role in hair health. Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin, which is also known as vitamin H for its role in hair health. It is crucial for the metabolism, regulation, and functioning of the nervous system.  

Biotin is crucial as it improves the production of keratin in the body. Biotin helps in increasing the follicle growth rate as well. This stimulates hair growth and improves density. It is used in many hair loss treatments, and many products are also fortified with this nutrient. The deficiency of biotin is associated with increased hair fall. 

The recommended daily allowance of vitamin B7 is 30 mcg for adults.

Foods such as nuts like walnuts, almonds, peanuts, and animal-based foods such as milk, eggs, meat, and seafood are rich sources of this nutrient. 

Biotin can be obtained from the food sources mentioned above, and certain hair care products such as shampoos and hair oils are fortified with it. They are also available in oral supplements in the form of powders or tablets. 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant nutrient that protects your body from oxidative or free radical damage. It is a water-soluble vitamin that is also crucial for hair health. Oxidative damage can affect the hair follicles and can be a hindrance to hair growth. It can also cause aging, affecting the quality of hair. Vitamin C is also crucial as it boosts the production of a protein called collagen. Collagen is an integral part of the hair structure along with keratin. Vitamin C also helps in the absorption of iron which is also a crucial nutrient for hair. Collagen is required for healthy hair growth and better quality of hair.

The recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C is 75 mg for adults.  

Foods such as citrus fruits including oranges, sweet lime, lemon, fruits like guava, berries such as strawberries, and vegetables like bell peppers are good sources of vitamin C. 

Apart from the food sources, vitamin C can be obtained from fortified food products and oral supplements in the form of tablets and capsules.

Vitamin D

What most of us don’t know is that vitamin D is also a vital nutrient for hair. It is a fat-soluble vitamin, and the primary function of this nutrient is to aid the absorption of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus. The central role of this nutrient is to stimulate cell growth and create new hair follicles and improve the density of hair. Vitamin D is also linked to an autoimmune condition called alopecia, where an individual loses hair in patches. A deficiency of vitamin D has also been linked to an increased rate of hair fall. 

The recommended intake of Vitamin D for adults is 600 IU. 

The primary source of vitamin D is the sun, but supplements are the best option in case of deficiency. 

Vitamin D can be obtained from the sun, but certain food products are fortified with it. It can also be obtained from oral supplements in the form of tablets.