What Vitamins Does Your Hair Need?

With today's unhealthy diet and fancy lifestyles, a lot of people fail to realize that good nutrition is vital to one’s health. It is also important to have a healthy hair growth. Just as our body needs vitamins to maintain proper body functioning, the hair also contains vitamins that are mainly responsible for hair growth and health.

Your hair consists of proteins. When you try to have a hair relax, use heat to dry, or perm or color, you are trying to strip off the nutrition on your hair. Your hair needs not only protein but it also needs heavy amino acids and vitamins to form hair. Thus, it is necessary that the right vitamins should be given to your hair. Lack of vitamins slows down the growth of hair, making your hair look dull and easily broken and may cause thinning hair.

It takes about a month or so for the hair to absorb the hair vitamins and get into the system. You should start seeing your hair grow at a rate of 1 inch per month. As you take vitamins it is important that you have checked with your doctor before starting into a program as this may have adverse effects on your health. Vitamins have also been reported to help with dandruff and scalp issues.

Some of the healthy hair vitamins are as follows:

1. Vitamin A – This vitamin is an antioxidant that helps produce healthy sebum in the scalp. Food sources: Fish liver oil, meat, milk, cheese, eggs, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, apricots and peaches. Daily dosage should be 5,000 IU. More than 25,000 IU is toxic and can cause hair loss and other serious health problems.

2. Vitamin C – It is an antioxidant that helps maintain skin & hair health. Food sources: Citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, pineapple, tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes and dark green vegetables. Daily Dose: 60 mg.

3. Vitamin E – This vitamin is an antioxidant that enhances scalp circulation. Food sources: Cold-pressed vegetable oils, wheat germ oil, soybeans, raw seeds and nuts, dried beans, and leafy green vegetables. Daily dose: Up to 400 IU. Intake of this vitamin can raise blood pressure and reduce blood clotting. Those under high blood pressure medication would need clearance from their doctors.

4. Biotin – This vitamin produces keratin that prevents hair loss and hair graying. may prevent graying and hair loss. Food sources: Brewer's yeast, whole grains, egg yolks, liver, rice and milk. Daily dose: 150-300 mcg.

5. Inositol – This vitamin keeps hair follicles healthy at the cellular level. Food sources: Whole grains, brewer's yeast, liver and citrus fruits. Daily Dose: Up to 600 mg.

6. Niacin (Vitamin B3) – This vitamin allows scalp blood circulation. Food sources: Brewer's yeast, wheat germ, fish, chicken, turkey and meat. Daily dose: 15 mg.

7. Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) - This prevents graying and hair loss. Food sources: Whole grain cereals, brewer's yeast, organ meats and egg yolks. Daily dose: 4-7 mg.

8. Vitamin B6 – It prevents hair loss and helps create melanin that gives hair its color. Food sources: Brewer's yeast, liver, whole grain cereals, vegetables, organ meats and egg yolk. Daily dose: 1.6 mg. High dosage of this vitamin can cause numbness in hands and feet.

9. Vitamin B12 - It prevents hair loss. Food sources: Chicken, fish, eggs and milk. Daily dose: 2 mg.

We strongly suggest that you look into hair growth supplements like hair vitamins are the strongest sources that allow hair growth and strengthen your existing hair even without experiencing hair problems. Take a good hair vitamin and start making those locks looks shiny and healthy. Vitamins can also help to prevent premature gray hair and other premature aging problems associated with the hair.

For those that have other concerns such as alopacia areata, falling hair or burns on the scalp we strongly suggest that you take a look at those sections for specific products that can help you.

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