- Physicians and hair experts seem to agree about vitamin B's many benefits to hair. Biotin, which is a B vitamin, is especially beneficial to hair growth and health. According to Dr. George Obikoya, the whole range of B vitamins, including inositol, folate, biotin and vitamin B6, will help you maintain a full head of hair. He additionally notes that minerals containing silica, zinc, magnesium and sulfur are also essential if your goal is to maintain a lustrous head of hair. Vitamin B5 helps delay the onset of gray hair.
- Hair and its roots and follicles need oxygen in order to flourish. Vitamin E helps increase oxygen in our body, which improves the circulation to our scalp. It is also an antioxidant and fights off free radicals while simultaneously nourishing the cells.
- According to allhairlosstreatments.com, the antioxidant vitamin C helps prevent hair loss.
- Vitamin A is required for hair growth and health, though if you have too much of it in your system it could have the opposite effect, as vitamin A does not readily break down in the body as other vitamins do. It is best to ask your physician how much vitamin A is right for you.
- Iodine and iron deficiencies can result in hair loss, so make sure you're getting adequate amounts of these in your diet, either through foods or a daily supplement.
- Beta-carotene is also critical if you want your hair to stay thick and keep growing. It converts to vitamin A as needed and promotes hair, skin and nail health, according to vitamins-nutrition.org.
- As you get older, your body and its various systems don't work as efficiently as they once did, according to vitamins-nutrition.org. Accordingly, an older person's hair follicles get less blood sent to them than they did when he was younger. While you cannot alter the blood supply to the follicles you can nourish your hair with vitamin supplements.
