7 Best Vitamins For Hair Growth

For healthy hair to be long and luscious, your body needs the right amount of essential nutrients to facilitate such growth. Although fruits, vegetables and other healthful foods are our best sources of vitamins, we can supplement our diet with over-the-counter products that can help fill in the nutritional gaps that we experience.

Here’s a look at the best vitamins for hair growth and what that means when it comes time for filling up your shopping cart.

Understanding the science

Even though taking vitamins won’t magically transform weak, damaged hair into long, unbreakable strands of gold, we can still benefit from giving our body the tools it needs to optimize our hair-growing conditions.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is one of the most overlooked vitamins but it’s extremely beneficial and is an integral part of growth, development and cellular health, which means that the right amount of vitamin A can help your scalp become the perfect foundation for housing follicles and promoting production.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and is rich in antioxidants which help condition and moisturize your scalp preventing the hair from drying out. It also fights all kinds of pollutants which harm your hair making it weaker and more susceptible to breakage.

The foods that are rich in vitamin A are:

Of vegetable origin

Of animal origin & fish

Alfalfa, borage leaves, burdock root, cayenne pepper, apricots, apples, grapes, watermelon, melon, peaches, buckthorn, cherries, rose hips, fennel, hops, horsetail, kelp, lemongrass, mullein, nettle, oats, parsley, peppermint, plantain, raspberry leaves, clover, sage, bearberry, violet leaves, green and yellow vegetables (carrots, pumpkin, sweet peppers, spinach, broccoli, green onions and parsley).

Cod liver oil (the best source of vitamin A), liver (especially beef liver), eggs, milk, butter, margarine, sour cream, cottage cheese, egg yolk.

Vitamin B7 (biotin)

Vitamin B7, also known as biotin or vitamin H is a water-soluble B vitamin. This vitamin is crucial in leaving you with a head full of strong hair. Vitamin B7 repairs brittle hair and it aids in the production of fatty acids within the cells.

A deficiency in vitamin B7 can lead to dry skin and hair loss, which is referred to as alopecia in the world of medicine. To keep your roots safely in your scalp so your hair can continue to flourish, your body needs this vitamin as well as B3, B5 and B6, which similarly aid hair growth.

The foods that are rich in vitamin B7 are:

Of vegetable origin	Of animal origin & fish
Avocadoes, bananas, grapefruit, strawberries, watermelon and raspberries, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, green peas, cauliflower, green and leafy vegetables like spinach.	Egg yolks (but not egg whites; these can hamper the body’s ability to absorb biotin), cheese, milk and yogurt, beef, chicken, liver, kidneys as well as salmon, sardines, haddock, and tuna are considered to be among the best sources of biotin.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is the only water-soluble vitamin that is capable of accumulating in the body. It deposits itself in the liver, kidneys, lungs and in the spleen.

As your hair continues to grow vitamin B12 can help limit your hair from shedding and breakage. It helps maintain healthy nerves too which is essential to the prevention of hair loss. Just as vitamin B6 vitamin B12 also aids in the production of new red blood cells.

Here are some foods naturally rich in vitamin B12:

Of vegetable origin	Of animal origin & fish
Seaweed, soy products, yeast, hops extract.	Liver, kidney, beef, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, oysters, herring, mackerel, salmon.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid is an organic acid with structural features similar to such mild acids as acetic acid (found in vinegar) and citric acid.

Vitamin C is extremely hygroscopic due to the presence of multiple hydroxyl groups (oxygen-hydrogen, – OH), this means that it easily attracts water. It acts as a clarifying agent that helps remove mineral buildup on the surface of the hair which gives your hair the ability to accept moisture. This quality makes vitamin C an excellent natural moisturizer.

A lack in vitamin C can result in weak hair that is prone to break which is the polar opposite of what you need when trying to grow out your hair. You also need this vitamin to help build collagen and to prepare iron for absorption; two key components in the life cycle of strong, healthy hair.

The foods that are rich in vitamin C are:

Of vegetable origin	Of animal origin
Kakadu plum (world’s richest vitamin C source), camu camu (world’s second richest vitamin C source), cayenne pepper, dried rose hips, lemons, indian gooseberry, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, papaya, strawberry, oranges.	Airag (fermented mare’s milk – the traditional beverage of Mongolia), goat milk, cow’s milk.

Vitamin D

Your body uses vitamin D to help itself absorb nutrients including those which are required for the production and growth of hair.

Vitamin D controls hair follicle cycling. It is converted to calcidiol in the liver which is then converted to calcitriol in the kidneys. Calcitriol is a form of vitamin D that is biologically active in the system. It regulates the cycle of cells that were active in the formation of hair follicles and which are programmed to die.

Vitamin D also helps reduce stress. Bringing the stress level down is a direct precursor for hair growth stimulation. Suffering from a deficiency in vitamin D can cause hair loss.

Foods that contain a high amount of vitamin D are:

Of vegetable origin	Of animal origin & fish
Alfalfa, horsetail, nettle, parsley, mushrooms and fortified soy products (tofu and soy milk).	Fortified dairy products, egg yolk, butter, cheese, fish oil (especially cod liver oil), salmon, tuna and oysters.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a very popular vitamin used in skin care products but it also is very beneficial for promoting hair growth. It prevents dry damaged hair by locking in moisture which adds shine to the hair. Its antioxidant function keeps the scalp healthy and aids blood flow activity which is a vital part of arming the scalp with the necessary nutrients for speedy-production abilities.

Note: It’s possible to intake a dangerously-excessive amount of vitamin E however, so always be sure to read labels and follow proper medical guidelines.

Foods rich in vitamin E are:

Of vegetable origin	Of animal origin & fish
Vegetable oils: sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil. Apple seeds, tofu, nuts (almonds, peanuts), turnip, green leafy vegetables, avocado, cereals, legumes, oatmeal, spinach, soybeans, wheat and its seedlings.	Egg yolk, butter, liver, milk, beef and fish.

Folic acid

One of the reasons why pregnant women experience hair growth is the hormones; but another reason is the prenatal vitamins that women often take which are very rich in folic acid.

Folic acid is a water soluble B vitamin which promotes hair growth. It turns foods into energy and it aids in the processing of nutrients. Folic acid also prevents premature graying of the hair.

Foods that are rich in folic acid are:

Of vegetable origin	Of animal origin & fish
Dried beans, peas, lentils, whole grains, soya products, almonds, sweet potato, spinach, brussels sprouts, beetroot, cabbage, asparagus, bananas, peaches and oranges.	Liver (the best source), kidneys, chicken giblets, egg yolk.

Finding the right products for you

When looking for specific products that are tailored to hair, keep in mind your personal circumstances and consult a medical professional if you are unsure as to whether or not a given product is safe for you.

If you are pregnant, have certain allergies, take particular prescription medications or have other relevant health conditions, you may need to be especially careful when picking out the ideal vitamin and supplement combination for your body. In general, here are a few of the best and most popular products on the market today. If for whatever reason some of these products aren’t suitable for your particular situation you may also try herbs for hair growth.

Hair, Skin & Nails by Futurebiotics Heralded as a beauty miracle, this high-selling pick comes filled with vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, B7 and B12 as well as some minerals and herbs. The multivitamin is for daily use and it comes in tablet form. Customers are advised to take three a day.

Hair Skin and Nails from Nature’s Bounty This softgel is definitely a biotin-focused pick with 5,000 micrograms per serving, but the product also contains vitamins A, C, D, E, B1, B2 and B6 in addition to some hair-optimizing minerals. Nature’s Bounty offers regular and extra strength versions as well as a chewable gummies option.

Maxi-Hair Plus from Country Life The popular multivitamin comes jam-packed with all the relevant essentials including vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B6, B7 and B12, which is why this cost-effective solution makes an appearance on so many best-hair-vitamins lists.

Hair, Skin & Nails from Spring Valley  Designed as a collagen support, this option features the most important hair vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, B7 and B12 in conjunction with relevant minerals that nurture the structural foundation of your hair, skin as well as nails.

Hair, Skin & Nails from NOW Foods Featuring vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B7 and B12 in addition to A, C and E, this pick from NOW Foods is marketed as a clinically-advanced solution to nurture hair growth and health.

Hair-Skin-Nails by Nature Made Sold as a softgel, this multivitamin comes with an extra-strength dose of biotin coupled with other essential nutrients like vitamin C, zinc and copper. Nature Made is quick to point out that its one-per-day pill only contains ingredients backed by scientific evidence and nothing more.

Developing good habits

If you’re new to regularly taking vitamins, remembering to actually take them can be a challenge in and of itself.

Often we get so excited about our goals of living a healthier lifestyle and getting everything about our bodies that we dash off straight to our local health food store and spend a fortune on all the latest and greatest products. But, by the time we come home and a few days or weeks have passed, many of us have already lost that oomph for keeping up with our long-term goals on a day-to-day basis.

Learn to break the bad cycle by implementing easy ways to remind yourself to follow through and then reward yourself after. Combine what you want to achieve with tasks that you already are doing so that forgetting doesn’t become a problem.

For example, if you always remember to go to the gym in the morning, put your vitamins for hair growth in your gym bag next to your water bottle. Or, if eating dessert is an absolute must in your house, make sure you take your evening-dose of vitamins before that morsel of chocolate.

If you’re prone to forget, don’t hide your vitamins in the medicine cabinet, but place them somewhere you will naturally come across a few times a day. It can be on the nightstand next to your bed or on a bookshelf you don’t go a day without grabbing something off of.

Picking the best vitamins for hair growth isn’t everything yet. You want your hair to grow, yes, but you probably want a holistic sense of self-satisfaction that also includes a healthy body, a rested mind and an enlivened soul.

As you eat right, exercise well and regularly take your hair-growth-tailored vitamins, may you have a happy and healthy journey on the road to having the long, beautiful hair you’ve always dreamed of.