People get too caught up with all the skincare products for the face that they sometimes forget that their hair needs just as much TLC, too. This article shares the best vitamins for hair and a few tips on how to keep your hair growing healthy and strong.
Get To Know Your Hair
Hair protects your scalp and keeps you warm by regulating temperature. You may notice that it grows on almost all parts of the body to provide protection.
Hair is made up of three parts:
- Hair shaft. This is the visible part of the hair, which extends from the skin’s surface.
- Root. It is the soft and thickened bulb where the hair attaches itself. It holds each strand in position at the base.
- Follicle. This sac-like pit that is embedded in the skin to allow hair growth to take place.
The papilla is located at the bottom of the follicle and is where hair growth occurs. It contains an artery that feeds the hair root. To harden the structure, these cells grow and produce keratin.
There are also three different layers of the hair which are as follows:
- Medulla (the soft center)
- Cortex (the main part that surrounds the medulla)
- Cuticle (the hard outer layer that is responsible for protecting the shaft)
How Does Your Hair Grow?
The hair continuously grows as new cells also form at the base of the root. These cells tend to divide and multiply to form a tissue rod in the skin. Over time, it pulls off from the source of nourishment and begins to produce a known hard protein called keratin. As a result of the process of keratinization, the hair cells eventually die out. It is these dead cells and keratin that make up the hair shaft.
Some experts believe that the appearance and condition of one’s hair is an essential indicator of age and the overall health of the body. If an individual becomes ill or malnourished, then the hair may stop growing for a while. Severe conditions, like cancer, often result in hair loss. Hence, it is important to have vitamins for hair for it to grow healthy and long.
What Are the Best Vitamins for Hair Health?
Adding vitamins for hair, from vitamins A to C, can help maintain your hair health.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble group of retinoids that includes retinol, retinal, and retinyl esters. It performs numerous functions in the body, such as the following:
- Vision
- Immune function
- Cellular growth and differentiation (which also involves hair and scalp health)
The production of sebum, which keeps the hair moisturized, also needs the aid of vitamin A. However, overconsumption of vitamin A may lead to hair loss. In the same way, a lack of this vitamin can cause scaly, dry skin and hair loss. This is why it is important to maintain homeostasis for healthy hair.
B Vitamins
The vitamin B complex contains eight water-soluble vitamin substances that aid in cell metabolism:
- Thiamine (vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
- Niacin (vitamin B3)
- Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)
- Vitamin B6
- Biotin (vitamin B7)
- Folate
- Vitamin B12
Vitamin B6, folic acid, and Vitamin B12 are some vitamins for hair that influence hair growth. These vitamins are necessary for the proper production and the development of red blood cells, which transport oxygen to tissues such as the hair.
Vitamin B6 is present in the following food:
- Fish
- Liver
- Pork
- Eggs
- Wheat germ
- Beans and peas (both cooked and dried)
- Soybeans
- Oats
- Peanuts
- Green leafy vegetables
- Bananas
- Avocados
- Cauliflower
Meanwhile, you can obtain Vitamin B12 only in animal products. Whereas, other foods containing folic acid include:
- Green leafy vegetables
- Brewer’s yeast
- Broccoli
- Fortified cereals
- Citrus fruits
- Whole grains
- Tomatoes
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, getting enough biotin through food or supplements can help with nail care, as well as hair growth and thickness.
Vitamin C
Many people know vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, as a powerful antioxidant. It works by preventing the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins and the damage from free radicals. It also functions as a reducing mediator for collagen fiber synthesis by hydroxylating lysine and proline. Because of its chelating and reducing effects, vitamin C is essential for iron mobilization and intestinal absorption. As a result, vitamin C intake is essential for patients with iron deficiency-related hair loss.
Aside from vitamins for hair, there are also other nutrients that influence the growth and development of hair:
- Zinc
- Iron
- Calcium
- Copper
- Selenium
- Silicon
- Magnesium
- Protein
If you're curious...
H
ere is a summary of the recommended dosage of some of the vitamins and minerals: - Vitamin A – 900 mcg for males and 700 mcg for females.
- Thiamin for males is 1.2mg and females is 1.1mg.
- Riboflavin for males is 1.3mg, females is 1.1mg.
- Niacin for males is 16mg and females is 14mg.
- Pantothenic Acid for adults is 5mg.
- Pyridoxine for adults up to 50 yrs old is 1.3 mg and 51 and older adults is 1.7 mg for males and 1.5 mg for females.
- Biotin for adults is 30mcg.
- For Cobalamin it’s 2.4 mcg for adults.
- For vitamin C the recommended dose for adult males is 90 mg and females is 75 mg, an additional 35 mg is recommended for smokers.
- For Vitamin D it’s 600 iu until age 70, above that it’s 800iu.
- Recommended dosage for iron is 9mg for adult male. higher dosage is recommended for females due to their monthly period which is 18mg.
Other Tips To Keep Your Hair Healthy
You may also incorporate these easy dermatology tips to keep your hair healthy and long:
- If you have oily hair, consider washing your hair more often.
- After each shampoo, apply conditioner and concentrate it on the hair’s tips.
- Select hair products, specifically shampoo and conditioner, that are designed specifically for your hair type.
Every so often, you may find people, or even yourself, changing hairstyles. Some would like to have their hair short while others prefer it long. There are those who also consider dying their hair to a color of their preference. Whatever the case is, it is of much importance that you take care of your hair.
One way of doing so is by incorporating more vitamins for hair into your diet. Keep the aforementioned vitamins and supplements in mind to enjoy shiny, healthy hair.
Learn more about Hair and Scalp Care here.
