On the average, hair grows about one-half inch a month. If you want to maintain that growth, it's important to take care of yourself and your hair. Stress, medications and certain medical conditions can slow growth, make hair brittle or lead to hair loss. By eating right and adding the necessary vitamins to your diet, you can improve your overall health and your hair, too.
B Vitamins
The Vitamins and Nutrition Center says the B vitamins are very important in maintaining healthy hair, so it can grow long and stay strong. Holistic Online recommends eating plenty of foods rich in vitamin B including beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower, bran, nuts, eggs and nutritional yeast. If you want to take supplements, look for B-6, biotin, inositol and folic acid. Holistic Online says biotin is especially important for healthy hair. The University of Maryland Medical Center says biotin, or Vitamin H, can be found in many cosmetic products for the hair and skin. It's a water-soluble vitamin, so the body doesn't store it. Biotin deficiencies are rare, but hair loss may be a symptom.
Vitamin C
Taking the recommended amount of Vitamin C each day may also help keep your hair healthy. Holistic Online says Vitamin C aids in improving scalp circulation, which can impact hair growth. Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, says vitamin C is necessary for normal growth and development in the body and must be consumed daily because it is not stored in the body. All fruits and vegetables contain some vitamin C, but citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, green peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, leafy greens and cantaloupe are especially good choices.
Vitamin E
Holistic Online says vitamin E can also contribute to healthy hair. It says this vitamin is believed to help hair growth by enhancing the body's immune function. You can find vitamin E in seeds and nuts, seafood, eggs and oils.
Vitamin A
The McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign says vitamin A can help keep skin, nails and hair healthy. But don't take too much. Excessive amounts of vitamin A can lead to a loss of hair. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it's stored in the body for use as needed. Some good sources of vitamin A are green, yellow or orange vegetables, cantaloupe, apricots and sweet potatoes.
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