List of Vitamins That Help Hair Grow

List of Vitamins That Help Hair Grow
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Your hair is the fastest-growing tissue in your body, according to Huntington College of Health Sciences. Hair generally grows 1/2 inch per month but slows down at the age of 40. Men begin to notice hair loss around 35 years of age, which is sooner than in women. People with healthy hair have over 90 percent follicle growth and less than 1 percent of hair follicles that are declining. No matter your age, specific vitamins may improve the health and growth of your hair.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps restore the collagen in the connective tissue within hair. This helps maintain the strength and elasticity of your hair, which prevents breakage and allows proper growth. Vitamin C is also a strong antioxidant and protects hair-follicle cells. This enables healthy growth and prevents internal and external oxidation damage to the hair follicles.

Beta-carotene

Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A in your body and is essential for proper hair growth and development. Beta-carotene also helps your body produce sebum, which acts as a natural conditioner for your hair. Maintaining moisture helps keep hair strong and supports growth. Beta-carotene will protect your hair follicles from free-radical damage, creating an environment that enables healthy hair growth.

Inositol

Inositol, one of the B complex vitamins, improves and strengthens hair from the roots. It helps keep follicles of the hair healthy. If follicles are not healthy, hair growth will be slow, and the hair that does grow will be weak. Inositol is a precursor for phospholipids, which are essential for healthy hair-cell follicle production and development. This supplement will help keep your hair healthy and strong from follicle to tip.

Other Vitamins

Other natural supplements that support healthy hair include pantothenic acid, para-aminobenzoic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6 and vitamin B-12. These vitamins are essential because they actually slow or even prevent loss of hair as well as graying of hair as women age. Niacin is another essential nutrient for healthy hair in women. Most of these vitamins and minerals can be found in specially formulated supplements that are meant specifically for the hair of women. Taking one supplement is more convenient than taking several different supplements, and it also ensures that women are not getting too much of one type of vitamin and not enough of another.

References

Article reviewed by Leah Ann Crussell Last updated on: Mar 30, 2011

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