Vitamins For Hair: Which Ones Work?

While they may not play a miraculous role as many would like to believe, multivitamin complexes are sure to help improve the appearance and health of hair, making it stronger, shinier and fuller. Since vitamins are compounds the body cannot synthesize, it is necessary to introduce them through a varied and balanced diet or even by taking supplements. The frenetic rhythms of modern life very often cause nutritional deficiencies, the consequences of which can affect the well-being of the whole organism. 

The results are also highlighted in the aesthetic aspect, with deterioration of the metabolism of skin and hair, which are the main targets of this situation. According to numerous scientific researches, the substances most involved in worsening the appearance of hair are precisely vitamins and macromolecules capable of optimizing all the biological processes of the organism (also considered fundamental for nail growth). Whenever there is any manifestation of suffering of the scalp, which inevitably reflects on the aesthetic appearance of the hair, it is, therefore, necessary to change your lifestyle, pay more attention to nutrition, the intake of vitamins and be careful of stress. 

These molecules are endowed with effective protective properties against the follicles, which help to strengthen their metabolism, encouraging cell multiplication responsible for hair growth. Vitamins, meaning “amines of life” or compounds essential for survival, are micronutrients which, even in small concentrations, can satisfy the organism’s biological needs. There are numerous types of vitamins, indicated with different letters of the alphabet, whose task is fundamental for organic well-being. Depending on the different solubility in water or fats, these substances are divided into water-soluble (B vitamins and vitamin C) and fat-soluble (vitamin A, D, E, and K).

The Fundamental Vitamins

Water-Soluble Vitamins

As their name indicates, they are readily soluble in water. They are essential for the life of the organism. Those belonging to group B (B1, B2, B3, also called PP, B5, B6, B9, better known as folic acid, and B12, in addition to vitamin H), are essential macromolecules for carrying out the main metabolic processes connected to the production of red blood cells. Another function of great importance in facilitating energy production in all cases where the need arises to respond to more extraordinary requests.

In particular, vitamin B5 helps to keep the integumentary system and hair healthy, which, in its absence, appear brittle, dull and with a clear tendency to fall out. Vitamin C is considered one of the most effective antioxidant agents capable of counteracting the formation of free radicals; this molecule also contributes to the well-being of the hair, thus acting at the level of cell turnover in the scalp and promoting its growth.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins 

They include:

1. vitamin A, essential for the health of bones and skin, thanks to its potent antioxidant power against free radicals, slows down the cellular aging process;
2. vitamin D is closely linked to the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus in the processes of ossification;
3. vitamin E controls the exchange of fatty acids;
4. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting reactions.

Vitamin D For Hair: Benefits And Uses

There Vitamin D affects the whole organism and initially on the skin and hair. Specifically, this substance stimulates the proper functioning of the hair follicle and promotes growth and a certain thickness of the shaft. This is why to prevent a premature fall and have thick and healthy hair. It is essential to check the vitamin D levels periodically and, if necessary, supplement them.

Vitamin B12 Hair

Vitamins of group B, specifically vitamin B12, are essential for the hair’s health. These allow the hair to grow healthy and strong, preventing split ends and breakage of the stem. Excessive hair loss is one of the main symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. A simple examination is enough to ascertain the levels and possibly integrate them to allow the hair to grow in strength.

Brittle Hair And Iron

Iron deficiency is one of the leading causes of hair loss or the brittle and dry appearance of the latter. Iron carries oxygen to the hair follicle, which, not receiving enough, tends to lack the nutrients necessary for the stem’s healthy growth. Integrating the missing iron with unique products creates a renewed keratinization process of the branch, which immediately appears stronger and healthier.

The Other “Letters”: Vitamins For The Hair

Vitamins are found naturally in many foods, and the correct diet ensures a balanced intake, which is particularly useful, especially for hair health.

1. Vitamin A: Found in high-fat seafood, egg yolk, liver and green leafy vegetables. It hinders the cellular aging processes.
2. Vitamin B1: present mainly in legumes, it allows a regular development of the hair’s life cycle
3. Vitamin B2 enhances sebum synthesis and is localized in milk, dairy products, and many green vegetables.
4. Vitamin B4 helps to optimize the function of hair follicles and is found in meat, cereals, tomatoes and potatoes.
5. Vitamin B5: particularly abundant in broccoli and mushrooms, promotes hair regrowth.
6. Vitamin B6: found in fish, red meat, whole baked goods, wheat germ and numerous vegetables (such as peas, asparagus, broccoli, carrots and peppers), improves protein intake, helping to fortify hair.
7. Vitamin B8: acting on the lipid metabolism, it regulates the biological cycle of the hair, counteracting the onset of seborrheic dermatitis.
8. Vitamin B9: presides over the synthesis of keratin, an essential protein for the well-being of the hair, since its deficiency causes considerable hair loss.
9. Vitamin E: Rich in antioxidant compounds capable of eliminating the free radicals responsible for hair loss, it is essential for maintaining thick and vital hair.

The ideal foods to improve the well-being of the hair are also those rich in omega-3, essential fatty acids whose role is of fundamental importance in regulating the life cycle of the hair. To have hair in excellent condition, it is advisable to consume plenty of salmon, cod, trout, mackerel and sea bass; preferably whole legumes, particularly rich in zinc and iron; dried fruit containing magnesium and potassium; fruit and vegetables in abundance and flax seeds, beneficial for their high percentage of vitamin E and those of group B.

The hair comprises two parts: the bulb, which represents the invisible portion inserted in the hair follicle and the shaft, which constitutes the visible fraction formed by keratin, a protein on which the hair’s health depends. When the keratinization process is poor or insufficient, the hair appears brittle, shapeless, dull and poorly hydrated. The beneficial activity of vitamins on the scalp acts mainly at the level of keratinocytes, which are the cells capable of producing keratin.

Vitamin Supplements For Hair

Hair Care supplements are compounds that act on the structure of the hair to enhance their well-being; the main components of these preparations are sulfur amino acids (such as cysteine, cystine, methionine, taurine and arginine) responsible for the synthesis of keratin, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins. The synergistic action of all these molecules, together with anti-inflammatory compounds, guarantees the maximum well-being of the hair, also helping to regulate the hormone level that controls its metabolism. The factors responsible for the weakening of the hair are attributable to:

1. an inadequate diet characterized by the lack of some active ingredients
2. a deterioration in general health conditions
3. taking certain types of medications
4. the stress
5. some stages of female life, such as pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause
6. prolongation of therapies
7. changes in hormonal metabolism

Suppose nutrition is insufficient to guarantee the body the right amount of elements beneficial for hair health. In that case, it becomes necessary to resort to multivitamin supplements enriched with minerals. In particular:

1. Vitamin A counteracts the aging of the hair, the production of dandruff, and the scalp’s dryness.
2. Vitamin E improves blood circulation by increasing the oxygenation of cells, stimulating the multiplication of those located at the follicular level, and stimulating hair growth.
3. B vitamins revitalize the scalp by oxygenating the hair bulbs and regenerating the cells involved in hair growth.
4. Vitamin H makes hair solid and stiff, avoiding the harmful thinning phenomena that usually predispose to baldness.
5. Vitamin C, by enhancing the assimilation of iron, improves the oxidative metabolism of the follicle cells, giving health and well-being to the hair.

The most suitable supplements to keep the hair in excellent health are those containing vitamins together with minerals, antioxidant molecules and omega-3 fatty acids. If hair is thinning in some areas of the scalp, resulting from hormonal imbalances, taking products based on soy isoflavones, which enhance the growth of new hair, can be very effective. To ensure satisfactory results, it is necessary to carry out cycles of supplements for at least three consecutive months since the mechanism of action of the vitamins in them requires a specific time to manifest its effects.

Hair Supplements

The advice is to use supplements, albeit entirely natural, sparingly. The ideal would be to consult with your doctor to evaluate the intake of specific vitamins. In this way, it is possible to understand which ones are lacking and therefore to be supplemented and which can be taken through food.

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