9 Essential Vitamin Boosters for Ultimate Hair Growth
9 Essential Vitamin Boosters for Ultimate Hair Growth
Do you keep marking your territory everywhere you go with multiple strands of your hair falling on the ground? Unless you want to rule the entire world, this is something you really don’t like, do you?
We are constantly worried about our hair. Be it the unwanted hair on your body which you keep away using products like eflora cream available online, or regularly going for waxing which is a hectic task in itself; or the hair on your head which is so precious to you that you keep looking for ways to make it look beautiful. Healthy and lustrous hair is everyone’s dream. The appearance of hair affects your self-perception and self-confidence. We know how much you want that hashtag hair-goals in your comments section. And the road to this goal is not always easy.
Although there are numerous hair growth serums available in your nearby salons, all of us want to know exactly what makes our hair grow faster, without spending hefty amounts of money every now and then. If you are a person who is looking for the same answer, you are in the right place! Here, we will talk about the 9 best vitamins that boost your hair growth.
Just like our body, our hair needs a variety of nutrients to stay healthy. In fact, nutritional deficiencies are linked to hair loss apart from the usual factors like age, genetics and hormones. We often overlook the importance of vitamins for hair health, don’t we? But did you know, along with strengthening our immune system, and giving us a healthier skin, vitamins keep our hair away from the common hair problems we always keep fussing about?
So let us look at these 9 vitamins which act as boosters for hair growth.
1. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential for the growth of all the cells in our body, including hair which is the fastest growing tissue of the human body. This naturally makes it the most important vitamin for hair growth.
Vitamin A also produces an oily substance called sebum, which moisturizes the scalp and keeps it from drying out.
Wait! It does not mean that you start taking up huge amounts of Vitamin A to get rapid results. You may end up with opposite effects altogether. An overdose of this vitamin is said to result in hair loss. So yes, balance is the key to this vitamin!
Apart from the supplements available online, a rabbit’s favourite food- carrot, is an excellent source of Vitamin A. Other food sources for this vitamin are egg yolk, sweet potatoes, mangoes, pumpkin, spinach and kale.
2. B-Vitamins
One of the most important B-Vitamin for hair growth is Biotin. It provides your hair with the three most important benefits:
- A rapid increase in the rate of hair growth
- Thicker hair
- Strengthening of hair follicles
Daily intake of biotin is necessary for healthy hair. Wondering how? It helps produce glucose and also breaks down proteins into amino acids which provide support to the hair. Food items rich in Biotin include mushrooms, avocados, eggs, peanut butter, bananas, walnuts, cauliflower, and lentils.
Apart from biotin, there are other B-Vitamins vital for hair growth as they promote cell growth and division, provide extra support to healthy hair and help in maintaining their lustrous volume. They contribute to the creation of red blood cells which carry oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles, which forms an important process for hair growth.
Food sources which contain B-Vitamins such as B6 and B12 are sunflower seeds, pistachios, almonds, milk, whole grains, and dark green leafy vegetables.
3. Vitamin C
You must not think of Vitamin C as a vitamin essential for hair growth. But did you know that this vitamin plays a major role in keeping your hair thick, strong, and healthy?
Yes. Vitamin C creates a protein called collagen which is responsible for hair growth and thickness. It also acts as an antioxidant and prevents the hair follicles from the damage of oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
Citrus fruits such as lemon, oranges, tomatoes, sweet lime, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, and kiwi are rich in Vitamin C.
4. Vitamin D
Although Vitamin D’s actual role in hair growth is still unclear, low levels of it are known to cause alopecia (a technical term for hair loss).
So it is better to go hang out in the sun for some time than suffer from hair loss due to the deficiency of a vitamin which is naturally available to us in huge amounts.
Some dietary sources of Vitamin D include fatty fish, cod liver oil, some mushrooms and fortified foods.
This vitamin is also available online in the form of supplements.
5. Vitamin E
Just like Vitamin C, Vitamin E is also an antioxidant that can prevent oxidative stress. This vitamin is so important for hair growth, that it is widely used in homemade topical formulas to encourage the rapid growth of thick, strong and healthy hair.
In order to give your hairline a boost with Vitamin E, you can add foods to your diet rich in this vitamin such as spinach, broccoli, avocados, almonds, peanuts and hazelnuts.
You can also take it as a supplement. Vitamin E capsules are very affordable and are widely available.
6. Iron
Iron is like the vehicle that helps the red blood cells carry oxygen to the cells. This is what makes it an important mineral for many bodily functions, including hair growth. We also know that iron deficiency causes anaemia, which is a major cause of hair loss. Also, studies show that this condition is especially common in women.
Therefore, if you want to have healthy hair, ensure that you are taking enough iron in your body. Some food items that are rich in iron are clams, oysters, eggs, red meat, spinach and lentils.
7. Zinc
Zinc plays an important role in the growth of hair tissues and also helps in repairing them. Zinc also keeps the oil glands around the follicles in perfect condition and helps in their proper functioning.
Zinc deficiency is known to cause hair loss.
Although studies show that zinc supplements help reduce the hair loss caused by zinc deficiency, it is also seen that an overdose can ultimately be the cause of hair loss.
This is why you should consider fulfilling your zinc requirements through eating food rich in zinc such as oysters, beef, spinach, lentils and pumpkin seeds.
8. Protein
As we know, hair is entirely made up of a protein called keratin. So it is understood that eating enough protein also helps your hair grow thick and beautiful. However, protein deficiency is rarely an issue, protein deficiency can cause hair loss. Thus it is better to not be fussy when eating eggs, oats, almonds or any other food item rich in protein if you want your hair to look pretty.
9. Fish Oil
Oils that are rich in various fatty acid species have been used on a large scale to evaluate the effects they have on skin and hair health. Omega-3 fats are known to nourish hair, help in hair thickening and reduce the inflammation which leads to hair loss. This is the reason fish oil benefits hair and is a vitamin which boosts hair growth.
Omega-3 foods like salmon, tuna, mackerel, whitefish, sardines, egg yolks, walnuts, and hemp seeds reduce inflammation and balance the hormones. You can also take one or two capsules or one tablespoon of a fish oil supplement if you don’t eat food rich in omega-3.
Conclusion
Now that you know the top 9 vitamins which boost your hair growth and help them stay and look healthy and strong, you can be sure to look out for that ‘hashtag hair-goals’.
So basically, having healthy hair is not as difficult as you think it is if you know the vitamins which your body needs to be taking in daily…
Author: The author is Mr Vinod Patel who is a Fashion, Health and Lifestyle blogger.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article belong to the author and Slimnhappy is not responsible for the same.
