Vitamins for hair growth

July 29, 2021 Written by GP Team

Vitamins play an essential role in the growth and development of our hair. There are numerous vitamins that are good for maintaining our hair growth and hair quality. Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Biotin, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Niacin are some vitamins that are very beneficial in maintaining healthy and beautiful hair. These vitamins stimulate hair growth, make them strong, improve their texture, and make them beautiful and healthy. We will know more about the uses, effects, benefits, and sources of these vitamins in this article.

Benefits of Vitamins for Hair growth

Vitamin C – This vitamin is very essential in stimulating hair growth and providing strength to the hair. Hair loss is reduced by this vitamin as it provides strength to the hair. Vitamin C increases the production of collagen in our body that is beneficial for our hair, skin, and nails. Vitamin C is also a good antioxidant and fights against the free radicals in our body that harm our skin and hair. The best sources of Vitamin C are citrus fruits. Vitamin C can be easily consumed through diet.
B Vitamins – There are 8 types of vitamin B namely Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12. All of them are essential for maintaining our hair health. Vitamin B promotes cell division and cell growth resulting in good hair growth. Vitamin B12 is the most effective type of Vitamin B for hair growth. Vitamin B complex (All types of Vitamin B) is water-soluble and need to be consumed in our daily diet to avoid their deficiency.
Biotin – Biotin is a B vitamin and is very effective in improving hair growth and hair quality. Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin. It makes the hair healthier and stronger. Biotin increases the elasticity of hair and prevents them from breaking. It also plays an important role in keratin production. Keratin is a major protein present in hair. Biotin also prevents the hair from greying at an early age. It can also be consumed through diet. Brown rice and green peas are important sources of Biotin.
Vitamin A – Vitamin A stimulates the production of a healthy fluid called Sebum. This fluid is produced by our scalp in order to prevent our hair from drying and then breaking eventually. Vitamin A also fights with the free radicals present in our body that slow down our hair growth. Some rich sources of Vitamin A are Spinach, carrots, peaches, etc.
Vitamin D – Vitamin D is essential for the fast growth of follicles. It is essential for the hair growth process. Vitamin D can be synthesized by our body with the help of sunlight. Only 15-20 minutes of daily sun exposure can help in maintaining good vitamin D levels in our body. However, it becomes hard to get enough sunlight during the winters. Various foods and supplements should be consumed in the winter to fulfil the vitamin D requirement of the body.
Vitamin E – Vitamin E is an essential vitamin for our hair and skin. It is a good anti-oxidant and effectively fights harmful free radicals that damage our hair and skin. Vitamin E heals the scalp inflammation, repairs damaged cells, improves blood flow, and as a result, vitamin E leads to fast and healthy hair growth. Vitamin E can be consumed through diet by eating almonds, seeds, broccoli, avocado etc. Vitamin E can also be applied topically to the hair in the form of oil to improve hair growth.
Niacin – Niacin is very important for our hair. It belongs to the vitamin B family but it deserves its own recognition. Niacin is extremely important to maintain our hair as it nourishes the scalp and promotes better hair growth. A deficiency of niacin leads to hair loss and hair damage. The hair quality decreases and our hair look dull and lifeless due to its deficiency. Foods that are rich in niacin are turkey, mushroom, avocado, chicken breast, etc.

Foods rich in hair growth vitamins

We are blessed with various natural food items that provide us with many essential vitamins for the better growth of our body. The various food items and their constituent vitamins are stated below –

Vitamin C rich foods

Citrus fruits – Citrus fruits are a very common source of vitamin C. Citrus fruits like lemon, oranges, grapes etc. contain large amount of Vitamin C. they are a tasty and easy to eat food to fulfil the vitamin C requirements of the body.
Bell Peppers – Bell peppers are rich in vitamin C and anti-oxidants. Simply add some bell peppers to the Italian pasta or other dishes that you cook at home.
Broccoli – Broccoli is often referred to as the ‘store house’ of benefits. It is very rich in vitamin C and can be consumed as a salad or as cooked food.
Papaya – Papayas are a good source of vitamin C. Simply having half a cup of papaya a day can fulfill the requirement of vitamin C for the day.
Strawberries – Strawberries contain vitamin C in good amounts. They can be consumed with some cream to add taste to them.

Vitamin B rich foods

Beef Liver – Beef liver is very rich in vitamin B12. Consuming one ounce of beef liver can fulfil our daily requirement of vitamin B12. The quality of beef liver should be very good so that you can derive the best benefits from it. Pasture-raised cows give a high quality of beef liver to meet our requirements.
Feta cheese – Feta cheese is a very good source of vitamin B family, especially vitamin B12. It is made up of either sheep milk or a mixture of goat milk and sheep milk. It can be consumed by adding it to various dishes.
Eggs – Eggs are a very good source of vitamin B12 and other Vitamin B complex vitamins. Consuming 1-2 eggs daily can help in fulfilling the vitamin B requirement of the body.

Biotin Rich Foods

Eggs – Biotin is present as a component in the egg yolk. Egg yolk should be properly cooked before consumption. Egg is one of the most biotin rich foods.
Almonds – Almonds are a very rich source of Biotin. They can be consumed raw or they can be salted or roasted before consumption. A handful of almonds can meet the daily requirement of biotin in our body.
Cauliflower – Cauliflower is a very rich source of biotin if it is consumed raw.
Mushrooms – Mushrooms contain biotin that protects them from parasites and predators while they grow. They can be eaten raw or cooked before eating. Eating them raw will provide you with high amount of biotin.

Vitamin A-rich foods

Peas – Peas are a good source of vitamin A. they can either be consumed raw or after cooking. Raw peas are more beneficial in providing adequate amount of vitamin A to us.
Tomatoes – Tomato is a good source of vitamin A and can be consumed on a daily basis. Tomatoes can be consumed as a salad and can also be added to various vegetables that we cook.
Spinach – Just one cup of spinach can fulfil the daily requirement of vitamin A. Spinach is consumed as a salad or cooked before consumption.
Carrots – Carrots are a rich source of Vitamin A. They are very good for the health of our eyes too. Carrots can be eaten as a salad or they can be cooked with potatoes and peas and consumed as a dish.

Vitamin D rich foods

Mushrooms – Mushrooms are a rich source of vitamin D. consuming them 3-4 times a week will shoot up the amount of vitamin D in your body. They can be eaten as a salad, fried, roasted or baked for consumption.
Ricotta cheese – Ricotta cheese is a good source of vitamin D. cheese is loved by many people worldwide, so it is a good alternative to elevate the levels of vitamin D in the body. Cheese can be consumed by adding it to various dishes to make them even tastier.
Fish – All fish are rich in vitamin D. Fish having high oil content is richer in vitamin D. Salmon is an example of oily fish that is very rich in vitamin D.

Vitamin E rich foods

Spinach – Spinach is a very healthy source for providing vitamin E to the human body. Spinach can be eaten as a salad or cooked before eating. It is rich in various other nutrients too.
Peanuts – Peanuts are very rich in vitamin E and provide various health benefits. Just a handful of peanuts can provide you with high amounts of vitamin E.
Avocado – Avocado is a rich and tasty source of vitamin E. it meets the 20% requirement of the daily vitamin E requirement of the body. It can be consumed directly as a fruit, added to your salad or added to a toast for consumption.
Almonds – Almonds are a very rich source of vitamin E. Just a hand full of almonds can provide you with high amounts of vitamin E and a lot of energy. They can either be consumed raw or can be roasted and salted for consumption.

Niacin rich foods

Chicken – Chicken is a rich source of niacin. Consuming chicken in one meal daily can meet half the requirement of niacin for the day.
Mushrooms – Mushrooms are very healthy food. They are rich in various vitamins and minerals. They are a rich source of Niacin. Consume them as a salad or cook them to make them a tasty snack or even a main course dish.
Broccoli – Broccoli is a very beneficial food and provides us with various vitamins and nutrients. It contains a good amount of Niacin. Broccoli can be consumed as a salad or cooked before eating.
Coffee – Coffee contains enough niacin to meet the daily requirement of this vitamin. Just a single cup of black coffee can provide a good amount of niacin. Although, too much coffee is harmful to us as it contains caffeine.

Myths and Facts

Myth	Fact
Vitamin D can only be received through sunlight.	Sunlight helps in the synthesis of vitamin D by our body. But, there are foods that are rich in vitamin D and can meet our daily vitamin D requirements.
Vitamin E is only beneficial for our skin.	Vitamin E is also essential for our hair growth. This vitamin nourishes the hair to improve their quality and increase their growth rate.
Vitamin A is only beneficial for the eyes.	Vitamin A is beneficial for our eyes but it also plays an important role in maintaining our hair and stimulating their growth.

Frequently asked questions

Que – Can only supplements meet the vitamin requirement of our body?

Ans – Supplements are manmade substitutes for foods that contain a good amount of vitamins. Supplements should only be taken when there is a lack of availability of foods rich in a certain vitamin. Many times to manage a health condition doctors and health experts do prescribe vitamin supplements. But, normally one should consume natural food items only for the vitamin needs of the body.

Que – Are vitamins really beneficial for hair growth?

Ans – Some people have a misconception that only proteins are required for better hair growth and hair health. Vitamins play a major role in maintaining the quality of our hair. The deficiency of vitamins like Niacin can cause hair damage and hair fall.

Que – Can vitamin overdose cause problems?

Ans – A vitamin overdose can cause various problems depending on the vitamin that is consumed in high amounts. Some problems are nerve toxicity, nausea, liver toxicity, jaundice, etc.

Que – Is hair growth only dependent on a diet?

Ans – Hair growth is dependent on the diet to some extent but it also requires maintenance topically. Various oils rich in vitamins like vitamin E should be applied to the hair and scalp to improve blood circulation, improve follicle growth, improve hair quality, and increase the rate of hair growth.