Best Six Vitamins For Hair Health and Growth

What Impacts Hair Growth?

Many different factors impact your hair health and growth rate. Medications, stress, hormones, genetics, and nutrition all play a role in your hair health. A healthy, vibrant mane goes way further than the shampoo bottle. 

Which Six Vitamins Benefit Your Hair Most?

Vitamins support everything from healthy bodily functions to healthy skin, nails, and hair. Your hair thrives with adequate nourishment from vitamins and minerals. 

There is a lot of misinformation available, so we are here to set the record straight. Want to know what vitamins are good for your hair? Here we’ve listed some of these vitamins and ways they help support healthy hair.

Biotin

There’s a lot of buzz about biotin and its effect on hair and nails. Biotin is a vitamin that graces the ingredient labels of many shampoos, conditioners, and supplement bottles. But what exactly is biotin, and what does it do?

Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is involved in many metabolic processes that break down fats and turn your food into energy. It also plays an essential role in keratin production. 

Remember, your hair consists of keratin (protein).

Biotin deficiency leads to thinning hair, rash in areas around the face, and brittle nails. Marketing suggests that biotin promotes healthy hair, nails, and skin, and some show that high doses of biotin positively affected the strength of brittle nails and improved a rare hair disorder.

The following foods contain traces of biotin:

• Fish

• Eggs

• Organ meats, such as liver

• Nuts and seeds

• Sweet potatoes

• Spinach

• Broccoli

• Peanuts

Vitamin B5 (Calcium Pantothenate)

Do you know what vitamin B5 does? It breaks down fats and carbohydrates, metabolizing them into energy. It’s also crucial for healthy hair because it strengthens and nourishes the follicle, promotes hair growth, and increases the strand’s water content and hair elasticity. 

Vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 support healthy hair growth and improve the hair’s condition as well.

Vitamin B5 is water-soluble, so daily consumption is necessary. Both plant and animal products contain this vitamin, along with the following foods:

• Meat such as poultry, beef, and organ meats

• Fish 

• Grains

• Dairy

• Legumes and lentils

• Vegetables such as mushrooms and broccoli

• Nuts

Vitamin E

Vitamin E fights free radical damage and is famous for its antioxidant properties. It is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it is stored in body fat until it is needed.

Recently, vitamin E has been exalted as a cure-all to turn dry, frizzy hair into glossy, voluminous locks. In a small study performed in 2010, tocotrienol (a nutrient found in vitamin E) supplementation boosted hair growth in patients with hair loss (alopecia). 

Some studies support the idea that vitamin E improves scalp and hair health, but more studies are needed to support this claim entirely.

These foods are rich in Vitamin E:

• Leafy greens

• Nuts such as almonds and peanuts

• Olive and sunflower oils

• Meats

• Fortified cereals 

• Collard greens

Vitamin A Palmitate

Vitamin A is part of a fat-soluble group of retinoids, and it is necessary for cellular growth, hair growth, vision, and immune function. Vitamin A helps with sebum production within the glands and moisturizes the scalp to keep it healthy. It is also a decades-long skincare solution used by dermatologists to help reduce the signs of wrinkles and fight acne.

Vitamin A exists in the following foods:

• Sweet potatoes

• Carrots

• Pumpkin 

• Mango, kiwi, and strawberries

• Kale 

• Avocados

• Peppers

• Eggs

• Beans

• Cod liver oil

• Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds

• Walnuts

• Oysters

Vitamin A exists in many common foods, and care must be taken not to consume more than the daily allowance. Overconsumption of vitamin A may lead to toxicity and hair loss. 

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin found in the sun’s rays, which is where most of us are likely to get our daily dose. When the sun’s UV rays contact the skin, it triggers vitamin D synthesis.

The lack of vitamin D encourages hair loss and lowers bone density. A study in 2018 showed that patients with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to have alopecia areata (patches of hair loss) than those that weren’t vitamin D deficient. 

Maintaining a daily dosage of vitamin D through omega-three fatty acids or these foods may prohibit hair loss. Vitamin D nutrients are found in:

• Salmon, herring, halibut, and mackerel 

• Animal proteins

• Orange juice

• Sardines

• Beef liver

• Cheese

• Egg yolks

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is known for its aid in boosting immunity functions and staving away the common cold. This superpower vitamin also supports healthy hair growth, reduces hair loss, and supports collagen synthesis, vital for cellular regeneration. Vitamin C helps with dandruff and premature graying of hair, and low vitamin C levels may cause dry hair and split ends.

Vitamin C helps fight free radical damage in the skin and protect the skin from environmental stressors such as pollution and environmental aggressors. This vitamin comes in many different forms and foods other than oranges and other citrus fruits. 

Vitamin C exists in the following foods:

• Guava

• Tomatoes

• Potatoes

• Red and green peppers

• Kiwi 

• Strawberries

• Cantaloupe

Which Minerals Benefit Your Hair?

Iron

• Red meat, pork, and poultry

• Seafood

• Dark leafy greens

• Dried fruits such as raisins and apricots

• Peas (also contains amino acids)

• Fortified cereals, bread, and pasta 

Zinc

• Seafood such as prawns, crabs, and lobster

• Oysters

• Red Meat

• Pumpkin Seeds

• Chickpeas

• Cashews

• Kidney Beans

Do Herbs and Spices Benefit Your Hair?

Vitamins and minerals are beneficial to hair growth, hair health, and preventing hair loss. Research also shows that some herbs may help promote new hair growth and slow hair loss. Here are the herbs to look for:

Turmeric Root

Turmeric’s use as a spice and for its medicinal purposes in India dates back thousands of years. Recently, science started backing the claims that Turmeric contains therapeutic compounds. The compounds that Turmeric contains are bioactive substances called curcumin. 

Curcumin has powerful anti-inflammatory effects, it acts as an antiseptic, and it also absorbs vitamin D and stimulates hair growth. Turmeric and its functioning compound curcumin have many scientifically proven health benefits.

Ashwagandha Root  

Supplementing ashwagandha root into your diet supports strong, healthy hair and reduces hair loss and damage. It is proven to manage cortisol levels and helps decrease redness and swelling. 

Ashwagandha, also known as “Indian Winter Cherry,” contains amino acids and antioxidants that can help prevent breakage. It may even target the symptoms of stress by helping to alleviate anxiety and providing mood-boosting energy. 

Researchers continue to study ashwagandha for its connection with hair health.

Gotu Kola

Gotu Kola is a popular herb native to India and Africa. It helps treat insomnia related to depression, stress, and anxiety and may help reduce stress. Since stress leads to hair thinning and hair loss, Gotu Kola may benefit hair health by preventing hair loss.

Gotu Kola extract revitalizes hair strands and nourishes the scalp when massaged into the scalp. Massaging this extract into your hair increases circulation, thus increasing blood flow to the hair follicles, and this rejuvenation encourages hair growth. Gotu Kola is a powerful herb with many hair and body benefits.

Does Algae Benefit Hair?

It may sound too good to be true, but algae benefits your tresses. Algae is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Here are two to look for:

Spirulina

Spirulina is one of the most recognized supplements for its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Spirulina is nutrient-packed blue-green algae that grow in fresh and saltwater. Because of its super anti-inflammatory properties, spirulina may help support scalp health and may even help reduce dandruff irritation on the scalp.

Chlorella

Chlorella is a blue-green alga packed with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, and its green color comes from the chlorophyll it contains. This superfood includes vitamin B12, which promotes cellular health vital for healthy skin and hair. 

Chlorella promotes cellular detox and may reduce inflammation. Chlorella also helps promote healthy bacteria that fight candida (yeast overgrowth). 

Conclusion

Vitamins, minerals, herbs, and algae have health benefits that support healthy scalp and hair growth. Each contains a variety of benefits to the body and hair, though some of these substances need additional research to be sure.

If you’re looking for hair care products that support scalp and hair health, look no further than Jupiter. We’ve carefully selected vitamins and minerals for our formulas, alongside the star active ingredient Zinc Pyrithione.

With vitamins B3, B5, C, and E and natural ingredients like coconut oil, colloidal oatmeal, and lavender (to name a few) our products promote a healthy and balanced scalp which is key to supporting healthy hair growth

Don’t forget to take our Quiz to find the best products for your hair and scalp.