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What Is a Good Vitamin Supplement to Take for Promoting Hair Growth?

No one wants to lose their hair. For better or worse, there is a social stigma attached to a balding person. And while for some people, going bald is a genetic inevitability, there are measures you can take to maintain healthy locks and stave off hair loss.

  1. Vitamins

    • According to Dr. John Anne, a herbal specialist, vitamin E is one of the most helpful vitamins for hair loss. It keeps the scalp healthy by encouraging blood circulation. Dr. Anne also mentions vitamin C and B as useful supplements to promote healthy hair.

    Dangers

    • According to an article published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Dermatology by Dr. D. H. Rushton, excessive vitamin supplementation can actually increase the likelihood of hair loss. He cites a well-researched link between over supplementation of vitamin A and hair loss. A study of individuals taking 600 IUs of vitamin E per day, which is about 30 times the recommended dose, showed adverse effects on hair growth. While this is a high level dose, vitamin E is one of the most non-toxic vitamins available and is often taken at even higher doses due to the belief that it decreases free radicals in the body.

    Misconceptions

    • There are many who claim that a deficiency of zinc in the diet can lead to hair loss. In clinical trials, Dr. Rushdon could not identify any concrete casual connection between a zinc deficient diet and hair loss.

      He goes on to state that, for the most part, very little is known about the effects of diet on hair loss. Vitamins such as E, A and B can promote healthy hair growth, but they should not be viewed as a cure for baldness or excessive hair loss.

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