When hair loss occurs because of medications, disease or medical treatments, hair may easily grow back when you address the source of the problem. If hair loss occurs because of nutrition and lifestyle, it's time to make some changes in your diet and habits. Several vitamins do affect the growth or loss of hair.
Vitamin A
If you're concerned about regrowing hair, be careful with vitamin A. The university-sponsored website Net Wellness says this vitamin is important to hair growth. Unfortunately, taking too much vitamin A can have the opposite effect and cause hair to fall out. Also, people are more likely to overdose on vitamin A than on many other vitamins because vitamin A is fat soluble. It stays in the body until needed and can build up to unhealthy levels.
Vitamin B
Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, lists eight B vitamins that also are important to hair growth. The B vitamins help you get energy from the food you eat and help form red blood cells, and Net Wellness says deficiencies of B6 and biotin can lead to hair loss. To make sure you're getting enough B vitamins, eat plenty of fish, poultry, meat, eggs, dairy products, leafy green vegetables, beans, peas and grain products with added B vitamins. You need to consume B vitamins on a daily basis because they are not stored in the body.
Vitamin C
Net Wellness says a shortage of vitamin C in the body can contribute to hair loss, too, so make sure you're getting enough vitamin C if you're worried about regrowing hair. Most people associate vitamin C with oranges and other citrus fruits, but you can also get vitamin C from strawberries and cantaloupe, and from vegetables such as broccoli and green or red peppers.
Vitamin E
Holistic Online recommends vitamin E to help maintain a healthy head of hair. It says vitamin E improves circulation to the scalp and improves the health and growth of hair. You can find vitamin E in seeds and nuts, seafood, eggs and oils.
Lifestyle
Eating better foods or taking vitamin supplements will only go so far in helping your hair regrow. The Hair Boutique says it's also important to drink enough water and limit your intake of caffeine, alcohol and sugar. Take care of that hair while it's growing in to prevent further loss or breakage. Use gentle shampoos and be wary of putting chemicals on your hair. Go easy with the blow dryer and curling iron.
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