What Vitamins Does Hair Need?

Proper nutrition is essential to keep hair healthy. Lack of nutrition will cause dryness, split ends, breakage and hair loss. Hair depends on several vitamins to repair, strengthen and regrow it. In fact, the condition of your hair can reveal the overall condition of the body. If your body has the nutrition it needs the hair will show it.

Vitamins A, C, E

• Vitamin A produces healthy sebum in the scalp that keeps the hair and scalp moisturized. Without a sufficient amount of vitamin A the hair becomes dry. Foods rich in vitamin A include red meat, liver, milk, cheese, eggs, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe and dried apricots.

  Vitamin C maintains the capillaries that circulate blood. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, strawberries, cantaloupe, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli and pineapple.

  Vitamin E also benefits the hair by improving circulation to the scalp. Foods rich in vitamin E include soybeans, raw seeds and nuts, dried beans, leafy greens, wheat germ oil and whole grains.

Vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12

• Although all vitamins A, C and E are essential to maintain healthy hair, B vitamins and Biotin are especially important to hair health and growth.

  Vitamin B3, which is also called Niacin, is involved in blood circulation to the scalp. Foods high in B3 include wheat germ, fish, chicken, turkey, red meat, peanuts, yeast and fortified hot and cold cereals.

  Vitamin B5, which is also called Pantothenic acid, helps prevent hair loss and graying of the hair. Foods high in B5 include whole grain cereals, egg yolks, chicken, beef, oats, liver, yeast, kidney and broccoli.

  Vitamin B6, which is also called Pyridoxine, assists B5 in preventing hair loss while also producing the melanin that maintains the hair color. Foods high in B6 include yeast, liver, whole grain cereals, potatoes, bananas, beans, seeds, nuts, red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, spinach and fortified cereals.

  Vitamin B12 helps prevent hair loss and create red blood cells. Foods with B12 include fish, red meat, chicken, milk, cheese, eggs and some breakfast cereals.

Biotin

• Biotin is needed for healthy hair, skin and nails. It stimulates hair growth and protects the hair from becoming dry. Good sources of biotin include brown rice, green peas, lentils, oats, soybeans, sunflower seeds, walnuts, yeast and oysters.

Other Tips

• Besides vitamins, hair needs minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, inositol, magnesium, potassium, selenium, silica and sulfur. Hair also requires the amino acids found in proteins.

  The recommended daily allowance (RDA) vitamins is determined by gender and age (see Resources).