Prenatal Vitamins For Your Hair & Nails

Prenatal Vitamins for Your Hair & Nails

Mar 28, 2011 | By Brooke Peyman

Created for women who are pregnant, prenatal vitamins are filled with nutrients that are specifically needed for a new baby's development. There are many myths claiming that prenatal vitamins can help with your health and beauty. Contrary to popular belief, prenatal vitamins should be taken by pregnant women only; non-pregnant women will not benefit from taking them.

Misconceptions

Many myths exist concerning prenatal vitamins and what they can do for your body. Prenatals cannot impact the way your hair looks or feels or improve the strength of your nails. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, authors of the book "What To Expect When You're Expecting," explain that the hormones in your body during pregnancy increase circulation to your skin and scalp, which can improve the way your hair grows. However, prenatal vitamins do not a play a role.

Hair Health

Hair health can be improved by taking other supplements, rather than prenatal vitamins. MedlinePlus explains that vitamin C can help with hair growth and repair. Too little amounts of vitamin C can lead to dry hair and hair that breaks often. Men should consume 90mg a day and women should consume 75mg a day. Foods that contain vitamin C include strawberries, citrus fruits, bell peppers, tomatoes and broccoli.

Nail Health

Biotin is a B vitamin that can improve the strength and thickness of your nails, according to MayoClinic.com. The website suggests taking 2.5mg of biotin a day for nail health. Biotin can also improve your hair because it aids in growth. Eggs, fish, milk products, whole grains, legumes and lean beef are also sources of biotin.

Considerations

Dietitian Katherine Zeratsky of the MayoClinic.com explains that if you are not pregnant, then you probably should not consume prenatal vitamins. Although they may not hurt you, they contain more nutrients than you need. If you are looking to add a supplement to your diet, talk with your doctor about taking a multivitamin to get extra nutrients into your diet.