Many people want thick, healthy hair, especially as they age.
However, its rate of development and state of health are determined by various variables such as age, general state of health, genetics, environmental exposure, medications, and diet.
Although some things, like age and heredity, are beyond your control, the one over which you most likely have the greatest influence is your diet.
Vitamins and minerals in food play an important role in cell renewal and growth of hair follicles.
Hair loss could be a sign of an insufficiently nutritious diet.
Hair thinning has been linked to nutritional deficiencies, including B12, D, biotin, riboflavin, iron and possibly others.
A balanced diet rich in these vitamins and minerals can promote hair development, especially if you are prone to hair loss due to poor diet.
Can a lack of vitamins make your hair brittle? We’ll tell you, but first you need to learn vitamin and hair terminology.
Why are vitamins important for your hair?
Vitamins, minerals, and nutrients all play an important role in the health of your hair, from the creation and growth of the hair follicle to the immune function that defends the follicle.
However, it’s not just about growing or not growing. Vitamin insufficiency may be a “modifiable risk factor” in the development – and prevention – of thinning hair, commonly known as alopecia, or hair loss.
Vitamins help provide hair follicle structures, so their lack can lead to hair loss.
However, when taken in excess, several vitamins can cause hair loss. Anecdotal evidence suggests that selenium and vitamin A are to blame for some forms of hair loss.
Nevertheless, deficiency is perhaps a bigger concern for your hair due to the wide range of diseases it can create. Let’s take a look at what a lack of vitamins can do to your hair, one nutrient at a time.
Essential vitamins, deficiencies and their importance for hair loss
A vitamin deficiency may not cause instant and permanent hair loss, but it will create difficulties with your hair’s growth, durability, and overall health over time.
Several vitamins and minerals are particularly important for hair on the long list of vitamins and minerals necessary for a healthy body:
Vitamin A
We don’t consider vitamin A a hair vitamin because it’s so often found in acne medications and therapies.
Vitamin A has a unique set of properties in terms of hair loss: it is vital both for immunological health, which protects hair follicles, and for the development and cell division processes of hair.
Vitamin A has also been shown in studies to help you maintain hair on your head – vitamin A supplementation has caused a decrease in the number of hairs in the telogen phase (or resting before shedding) due to telogen effluvium.
Vitamin B
Vitamin B, in all its forms (and as water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins), is essential for the development and health of hair. When you hear about vitamins B2, B6, B7, riboflavin, biotinfolate and B12, you hear about various variants of the vitamin B complex, which plays an important role in hair growth, cell development, cell communication, gene regulation, and more.
Your body maintains its biotin levels, but if it’s struggling, supplementation can be a crucial option. Alternatively, all of these forms of vitamin B can be obtained through a balanced diet.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C Insufficiency Has An Unexpected Link To Hair Loss: Although you may think vitamin C’s antioxidant abilities are to blame, it is vitamin C’s crucial function in iron absorption in the intestines that makes the difference. Low levels of iron can stunt hair development and eventually cause hair loss.
Oh, and since vitamin C is also important in the process of reducing oxidative stress, it can be considered one of the most important hair follicle defenders.
Vitamin D
Because vitamin D is important in preventing disorders like telogen effluvium (another type of hair loss) and androgenetic alopecia, a deficiency gives these types of hair loss an edge.
However, your vitamin D levels are vital for another reason: vitamin D insufficiency is directly linked to keratinocytes, a type of cell essential for hair development – if your vitamin D levels are low, hair loss can arise simply from a lack of these cells. Vitamin D tablets may be the answer, but consult a health care expert for more information.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that protects your hair follicles from oxidative stress, which can kill them if left unchecked. However, can a lack of vitamin E cause hair loss? There has been little research.
According to anecdotal evidence, vitamin E deficiency can have a negative influence on patients with alopecia areata. A small study found that people with autoimmune disorders like psoriasis, vitiligo, and alopecia areata had lower levels of vitamin E than those without any of these symptoms.
Selenium
Too much selenium can lead to hair loss if it reaches dangerous levels, but studies of low selenium levels — a more common problem — have shown a link between this nutrient and hair loss.
Zinc
Why is zinc important? Zinc mineral deficiencies often cause hair loss, and this is a very typical deficiency in people who suffer from hair loss in general. However, supplementation is a controversial issue; speak with a healthcare professional about sources of zinc if you find yourself deficient.
7 Recommended Diet to Get Vitamins for Hair Growth
1. Eggs
Eggs provide essential nutrients for healthy hair growth, including the protein and biotin found in abundance in eggs.
Hair follicles are mostly made up of protein, so consuming enough of it is crucial for healthy hair growth. A lack of protein in the diet has been linked to hair loss.
2. Spinach
Folate, iron, and vitamins A and C can all contribute to healthy hair growth, and spinach is an excellent source of all three.
Researchers have shown that vitamin A plays a crucial role in hair growth. However, excessive consumption of vitamin A has been linked to baldness.
Eating foods rich in vitamin A should provide you with the recommended daily allowance.
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Avocados are a great addition to any diet due to their high nutritional value and abundance of heart-healthy fats.
Like vitamin C, vitamin E is an antioxidant that can help prevent free radicals from wreaking havoc on your body.
Studies have shown that people with hair loss may have lower levels of vitamin E, although results are inconsistent.
Studies have shown that people with hair loss can take a vitamin E supplement and have increased hair growth by 34.5% after using it for 8 months.
4. Soybeans
Studies have found that compounds in soy promote hair growth. One such compound is spermidine, which is found in large amounts in soybeans.
5. Meat
Besides being a staple in many people’s diets, meat is also rich in nutrients that promote hair growth.
Due to its high protein content, red meat promotes hair growth by fixing and strengthening damaged hair follicles. The lean protein content of a 3.5 ounce (100 gram) grilled sirloin steak can be as high as 29 grams.
6. Oysters
The zinc content of oysters is quite high. It has been estimated that a woman’s daily zinc requirement can be met by eating only one medium oyster, and a man’s by eating only one medium oyster every other day.
The mineral zinc plays a role in both hair growth and repair.
Previous research found that taking a vitamin E supplement for 8 months resulted in 34.5% better hair growth in people with hair loss.
7. Oysters
Oysters are an excellent source of zinc. One medium oyster can provide up to 96% of a woman’s daily zinc needs and 75% of a man’s daily zinc requirement.
Zinc is a mineral that helps in the development and restoration of hair.
Is it necessary to use hair growth products?
To avoid hair loss later in life, one should start using hair growth treatments as soon as possible.
To prevent the risk of hair loss and other scalp issues, everyone should maintain a proper hair care regimen and use top quality hair growth products.
Best Hair Growth Products To Use
Mars’ picks for the best hair growth products:
Anti-hair loss kit (Hair Growth Oil + Hair Shampoo)
This combo contains hair oil that nourishes and strengthens hair follicles with essential vitamins and hair growth shampoo that strengthens hair follicles and promotes hair growth.
Benefits:
- Hair Growth Oil is a blend of ingredients such as Onion Oil, Bhringraj Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Brahmi Oil and Jojoba Oil. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, making it the best oil for treating dandruff and other scalp-related issues.
- The DHT blocker shampoo contains aloe vera, caffeine, argan oil, biotin and saw palmetto. These ingredients help increase scalp hair growth in people with conditions called androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness. It also protects hair from damage caused by free radicals and ultraviolet light.
Essential Hair Growth Kit
This combo contains a 5% Mino-xidil topical solution that promotes blood circulation to the scalp and fins. tabs that lower DHT levels on the scalp and prevent hair loss.
Benefits:
- Mino-xidil is a drug which helps hair regrowth when applied topically. It acts as a vasodilator, which means it widens blood vessels so that more nutrient-rich blood flows to the hair follicles.
- March End Tabs slows down the process of hair loss and stimulates the growth of thin, bald areas of the head, resulting in a significant improvement in appearance.
Combination hair conditioner for hair regrowth and hair derma roller
This combo contains Hair Vitalizer which is a special blend of ingredients like Redensyl, Saw Palmetto, Procapil & Biotin. The hair conditioner acts as an anti-inflammatory agent that helps reduce dandruff, itchy scalp and other scalp related issues. Hair Derma Roller with 540 cross-lined titanium needles that replenish healthy hair follicles.
Take away
A diet deficient in vitamins B12 and D, biotin, riboflavin, iron and other nutrients has been linked to hair loss in studies. Vitamin insufficiency may be a “modifiable risk factor” in the development of alopecia or hair loss. Several vitamins and minerals are particularly important for hair. Low levels of iron can stunt hair development and eventually cause hair loss. Vitamin D is important in the prevention of disorders such as telogen effluvium and androgenetic alopecia.
FAQs:
1. Does hair loss due to vitamin deficiency regrow?
Vitamin supplements are an effective approach to increasing vitamin levels in your blood. Unfortunately, few meals provide an adequate amount of vitamins. If you take your vitamin supplements regularly, you should notice the benefits of hair regrowth within six to eight weeks.
2. Are biotin and vitamin B12 the same?
Yes, you can combine vitamin B12 with biotin. They complement each other as a B complex because they work together internally. Although they perform various functions in the body, they complement everyone’s responsibilities.
3. Do hair growth products work?
Yes, you can combine vitamin B12 with biotin. They complement each other as a B complex because they work together internally. Although they perform various functions in the body, they complement everyone’s responsibilities.
The references:
- Emily L Guo, Rajani Katta, Diet and Hair Loss: Effects of Nutrient Deficiencies and Supplement Use
- R Ramadan, A Tawdy, R Abdel Hay, L Rashed, D Tawfik, The antioxidant role of paraoxonase 1 and vitamin E in three autoimmune diseases
- Jordan M. Thompson,1 Mehwish A. Mirza,2 Min Kyung Park,3 Abrar A. Qureshi,3,4 and Eunyoung Cho, The role of micronutrients in alopecia areata: a review
- Hind M. Almohanna,1 Azhar A. Ahmed,2 John P. Tsatalis,3 and Antonella Tosti, March 2019, The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review