5 Vitamins for Healthier Hair
Will taking vitamins for healthier hair can help your hair grow, prevent hair loss, or get you thick and shiny hair? If you are looking for “miracle in a bottle” then we might disappoint you with the answer. I strongly believe that your hair health is a combination of all your life factors like your diet, stress management, environment, genetics, hormones, and even your styling choices.
I also believe that well balance diet is the key to your overall health and not just hair. Once you take good care of your internal health, the outside will show positive results. That will include healthy skin, hair, and nails. Do I recommend taking supplements? Not over a healthy diet – which is still the best way to get vitamins in your body. Your doctor can do a blood test and let you know what vitamins you are deficient in.
Did you know that vitamins and supplements are NOT FDA approved? Like I mentioned before I think the best way to get vitamins is through well balance diet. I put together a list of 5 vitamins for your healthier hair that I believe is necessary for your hair’s heath. I have researched so you don’t have to, also adding the foods where you can get those vitamins from.
1. Omega-3
Omega-3 is a fat that can be consumed from many sources such as salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, avocados, nuts, and seeds. Although “fat” has been avoided in diet culture, know that Omega-3 is one of the good fats. Fatty acids are very important for our body and because we cannot make our own, we need to consume it. Lots of times when people go on low-fat diets, they do not realize that they will start losing hair in couple months. It is essential to incorporate Omega 3 rich foods into your diet, not just for your hair but also for your body’s overall health.
2. Protein
Similarly to low-fat diets, protein low diets will cost hair loss. Also, the hair can become drier and weak. There are plenty of great options for consuming protein such as fish, chicken, steak, eggs, or vegetarian options such as edamame, legumes, seeds, oats, and nuts.
3. Vitamin A
Have you ever told your kids if you eat carrots their eyes will sparkle? When it comes to Vitamin A rich foods, think of orange- and yellow-colored vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes. Also, a high concentration of Vitamin A is in fish oils, milk, eggs, and leafy greens. It is very beneficial to consume Vitamin A because it helps skin glands to make an oil called sebum. Sebum helps to moisturize your scalp which improves the dryness of your hair.
4. Vitamin B
Vitamin B has lots of benefits for your hair and skin. There are many variations of Vitamin B that target certain hair cares. For instance, Vitamin B5 helps fight against hair loss while stimulating hair growth. Vitamin B8, also known as Biotin, improves hair health and growth, while also contributing to skin and nail strength. The benefits of Vitamin B go on and on. It’s not hard to find Vitamin B in healthy foods like salmon, legumes, eggs, milk, leafy greens, citrus fruits.
5. Iron
Lastly, iron plays important part of our hair health. Iron deficiency may cause hair loss, especially in females. This vitamin helps with circulation and carries oxygen to your hair roots. The healthier your roots, the faster your hair grows. Iron is easily accessible and could be taken as a supplement or found in foods like beans, lentils, beef, clams, pumpkin seeds, or sesame seeds.
Final Thoughts
If you take anything from this article, understand a healthy diet over supplements any day. If you choose to take supplements, just have your doctor pick it out because if you have too many vitamins you don’t need, you might end up fighting break outs on your face. The other big factor of healthy hair I see in my own client is stress (surprise!). When you are stressed, your body goes in a protection mode, which means the first thing your body will do is redirect your nutrient to internal organs (and not your hair!). That yoga class sounds pretty good about now, doesn’t it? For more tips click here!
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