Did you take your vitamins today? If not, the health of your hair could be facing the consequences. What we eat not only affects us on the inside but also on the outside. Vitamins are organic compounds that are needed in small quantities to sustain life. They are what make your body and metabolism run at peak performance. Hair growth is not technically a main survival function of the body, so it's up to you to give your body lots of vitamins so that it can keep growing beautiful, healthy hair. 

While getting all of our essential vitamins and minerals from food would be ideal, lets face it, we all have gaps in our nutrition. That’s where vitamin supplements help us out. 

Not sure which vitamins are best for your hair? Advent Hair is here to give you a list of vitamins that promote hair health!

Vitamin A

This vitamin is essential to all cell growth in the body, and hair is the fastest growing tissue of all! It encourages production of natural oils which help to moisturize the scalp and nurture healthy hair growth. Although it’s rare, be careful to not go over your daily dose because too much vitamin A can lead to hair loss.

Healthy hair food sources: Liver, carrots, broccoli, sweet potato, butter, kale, spinach, pumpkin, collard greens, some cheeses, egg, apricot, cantaloupe melon, and milk.

Biotin

Biotin is one of the top hair care nutritional supplements. Studies have shown a link between a lack in biotin and hair loss. Biotin can be used to prevent hair loss, but it mainly helps those who already have a deficiency. It’s available in a wide variety of foods so getting in your daily dose of hair nutrition won’t be so difficult.  

Healthy hair food sources: eggs, almonds, cauliflower, cheese, mushrooms, sweet potato, spinach.

B12

This hair nutrition essential helps create red blood cells, which carry oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles (and everywhere else in the body!). You can get B12 from many naturally available food sources, but all come from animals. It's imperative for vegans and vegetarians to take a daily vitamin supplement to incorporate B12 into their healthy lifestyle. 

Healthy hair food sources: animal liver and kidneys, clams, sardines, beef, fortified cereal, tuna, fortified nutritional yeast, fish, dairy products, eggs.

Vitamin C

Your hair is out in the elements facing heat and cold, humidity and dryness, and all of the toxins flying around in the air. All of these uncontrollable lifestyle factors contribute to hair damage on a cellular level. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect against damage and stress caused by free radicals. Vitamin C also works as a team with proteins to create collagen, another essential hair care nutrient, and is crucial for the absorption of iron in the body.  

Healthy hair food sources: Strawberries, peppers, guavas and citrus fruits.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a vital role in the hair growth cycle by creating new follicles on the scalp to promote healthy hair growth. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to alopecia or hair loss. Most people just aren’t getting enough vitamin D so it’s a good idea to up your daily intake. 

Healthy hair food sources: fatty fish, cod liver oil, some mushrooms, and fortified foods.

Bonus: The sun! Your body produces vitamin D through direct contact with the sun's rays so make some time to sunbathe.

Vitamin E

Just like vitamin C, vitamin E helps prevent oxidative stress from the environment and boosts hair growth. According to a recent study, people with hair loss experienced a 34.5% increase in hair growth after adding a vitamin E nutritional supplement to their diet for 8 months. The placebo group had only a 0.1% increase. Add this powerful vitamin to your healthy hair care diet. 

Healthy hair food sources: sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach and avocados.

Iron

Iron is the nutrient that helps red blood cells carry oxygen to your cells. Iron is incredibly important to have for a healthy body because it aids in numerous functions, including hair growth. Iron deficiency is more common in women and can lead to hair loss. 

Healthy hair food sources: include clams, oysters, eggs, red meat, spinach and lentils.

Protien

Consuming enough of this nutrient is important for hair growth because hair is made almost entirely of protein. Studies have show that protein deficiency may decrease hair growth and even lead to hair loss so make sure to get protein at every meal as a part of a healthy lifestyle. 

Healthy hair food sources: meat, eggs, dairy products, nuts, beans, whey protein supplements.

These vitamins and nutrients will not only help you have healthy hair, but will also help promote a healthy lifestyle overall. Eating well is one of the best things you can do to take care of yourself and your hair. 

Start incorporating these foods into your diet today for hair care inside and out!

Got any other hair care question for us? Feel free to give us a call at our toll-free number.