With all the daily stressors in life, hair loss is becoming increasingly common among women of all ages. While hair loss can be a difficult thing to go through, you do have options to minimize and even reverse the effects of this stressful condition. As with all health disorders, curing hair loss is impossible without a proper diagnosis. In this article, I am going to talk about vitamins that are essential to healthy hair growth.
Do remember that not all types of hair loss can be cured by simply adjusting your vitamin intake! It’s a good place to start, though.
Vitamins That May Prevent Hair Loss
Vitamins are essential in the fight against hair loss. Just like the rest of your body, your hair needs vitamins and nutrients to survive and stay healthy. Plus, while most vitamins don’t have a direct effect on how fast our hair grows, they can influence other functions in the body which in turn promote healthy hair growth. Some vitamins that help with female hair loss are:
Vitamin A: Our skin produces an oily substance called Sebum, which helps to keep it from drying out and acts as a natural moisturizer. Now, dry skin sometimes leads to problems with dry scalp, which can inhibit healthy hair growth. The good thing is that a vitamin A deficiency is easy to cure. Fish, carrots, milk and other protein rich foods are all great sources of beta carotene, which can be transformed into vitamin A by the body on demand.
When it comes to vitamin A supplements, you have to be very careful! Since vitamin A accumulates in the body, taking too much ready-made vitamin A (such as that found in most multivitamins) can lead to poisoning. This, in turn, leads to further hair loss and thinning. So don’t make the mistake of eating tons of different vitamins just because you think they are good for you! Natural foods sources rich in beta carotene are the best way to ensure that your body never lacks vitamin A (and you can never overdose this way).
B-Complex vitamins: There are tons of B vitamins including niacin, biotin, B3 and more, and they are all essential to keeping your hair healthy. Some of the benefits of B vitamins include keeping your hair from falling out, moisturizing your hair and much more. Read my article on vitamin B complex to learn more about this. There is no doubt in my mind that vitamin B is one of the most important nutrients for healthy hair.
Vitamin C: This vitamin functions as a shield and a building block for your hair. Due to its antioxidants, it helps protect against devastating conditions such as stress and fatigue. Since stress is one of leading causes of hair loss in women, it’s important that you have enough vitamin C in your diet to help keep your hair healthy.
Plus, vitamin C is essential to collagen production, which is a special protein that makes up connective tissue in most body organs including hair. Common sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and even cranberries. Most scientists agree that vitamin C works best when it comes from natural food sources instead of supplements.
Vitamin D: While most studies show that vitamin D is not linked to better hair growth, some people report having amazing results when taking vitamin D supplements. The reason for this might be other underlying conditions that could be inhibiting hair growth or the fact that vitamin D acts as a steroid which helps the body absorb calcium and some other minerals. Most people take vitamin D together with calcium, normally during cold and cloudy winter months, since it can help minimize seasonal mood swings.
Vitamin E: Proven to improve blood circulation throughout the entire body, which means that more minerals and other nutrients reach the scalp and hair. Now, since vitamin E is stored in the body and can be toxic in large doses, you should avoid taking too many vitamin E supplements. Some great, natural sources include mangos and kiwis.
Remember that vitamins cannot prevent hair loss directly. In some cases, however, they are extremely helpful in fighting various underlying conditions that can cause hair loss. Since most women experience hair loss due to stress (either mental or physical), it makes sense to use vitamins that can help with that. This includes vitamins B, C and, in some cases, vitamin D.
And lastly, remember that hair regrowth can take time, while hair loss normally happens very fast and unexpectedly. Do not expect to see results instantly or it will just cause you more stress which can further contribute to your condition!
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