Overall health can impact the health of your hair. Maintaining a diet rich in the vitamins and minerals the body needs is an important part of taking care of not just the body… but also your hair. Circumstances may contribute to certain deficiencies in these vitamins and minerals, which will have an adverse effect on general hair health.
Fortunately, there are several different supplementation options available that are generally accessible. Let’s go over a few of them to better learn which vitamins and minerals are useful in treating hair loss. Of course, speak with your doctor before starting any sort of new supplement routine.
What Supplements Are Good For Skin, Scalp, & Hair Health?
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Coming from oily, fatty foods like tuna, salmon, or other fatty fish, the body generally receives the Omega-3 Fatty Acids it needs through a balanced diet. Not everyone likes the taste of fish though, so supplements for it exist.
The studies are mixed on whether there is any benefit to taking them, but advocates cite many benefits including reduced risk of: cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, stroke, and high blood pressure. There are a small number of studies that show fish oil may provide essential proteins and nutrients for healthy hair and skin.
• Vitamin D
There is some evidence that suggests a lack of vitamin D is linked to hair loss and other hair-related problems. As vitamin D is known to stimulate follicle growth, it is suspected that a deficiency may affect hair.
A lack of vitamin D is also common in patients suffering from the autoimmune condition alopecia areata – a symptom of which is hair loss.
• Keratin
Your body needs proteins in order to have healthy hair. Keratin is one such protein. But, instead of requiring it from your diet, your body produces it naturally. There are keratin hair treatments that can cause hair loss, but this is because of other steps in the treatment process… like the use of formaldehyde and high temperature flat irons.
• Collagen Supplements
Collagen is another protein your body creates naturally but is also artificially created for use in various hair products. In your body, it makes various tissues like your skin and muscles stronger and more durable.
There is some evidence that collagen may help slow down hair loss by being healthy for your skin. It’s non-toxic but (while there aren’t any severe side effects of taking too much collagen) there is a possibility of the rare autoimmune condition known as scleroderma if your body produces too much collagen.
• Biotin
Also known as B-complex vitamin B7, biotin helps the body break food down into energy. Most people get plenty of this vitamin through their diet as it exists in meat, eggs, fish, seeds, and some vegetables and nuts. Biotin helps metabolize fatty acids and carbohydrates.
While there is no evidence that biotin is directly linked to promoting hair growth, people with a biotin deficiency often have symptoms that include thinning hair and brittle nails. So, while not having enough can be harmful to your hair, consuming an excess isn’t likely to do anything positive for you.
• Vitamin B
Other B vitamins like B6, B12, and folic acid are also important for healthy hair growth. B12 helps produce oxygen-rich blood cells to promote healthy hair follicles. B vitamins play an important role in making energy from the foods you eat and in forming red blood cells.
• Zinc
Zinc supplements have been shown to ease the suffering of Telogen Effluvium patients, which (among other things) presents as a deficiency in the mineral. The second most common form of hair loss, Telogen effluvium is when the normal growth cycle for a person’s hair is disrupted and the natural phase of hair falling out (called Telogen) is extended – causing an excess of hair loss.
Call the Hair Restoration Experts at RHRLI
If you are experiencing hair loss, RHRLI has the expertise to diagnose the cause and determine the best hair restoration solution for your specific form of hair loss. To get started on your hair restoration journey, contact us today to set up an appointment.