Vitamins Needed For Healthy Hair

Hair is an essential part of your appearance, making healthy hair important to helping you look your best. Hair is also necessary for keeping your scalp warm and providing a small cushion for your skull, according to Kids Health. Unfortunately, your hair may be prone to numerous disorders and infections, potentially resulting in hair loss. To promote healthy hair and prevent damage, consider supplementing your diet with vitamins that are effective in keeping your hair healthy. The best way to obtain these nutrients is from a healthful diet filled with a varied selection of foods, or through supplements like tablets and capsules.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is one of the antioxidant vitamins. Antioxidants are essential for protecting your hair from free radicals, dangerous compounds that may harm your hair, possibly causing it to become brittle. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that vitamin C is effective in treating and preventing numerous hair disorders such as alopecia and male pattern baldness. Dry and splitting may be the result of a vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C is found in foods such as cabbage, potatoes, watermelon, papaya, mango, oranges, pineapples, raspberries and red peppers.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another antioxidant vitamin, an important nutrient for protecting your hair from free radical damage. Vitamin E aids in prevention of hair loss by stimulating blood circulation throughout the scalp. This helps to increase the speed of hair growth. Good food sources of vitamin E include yams, olives, spinach, corn, sunflower seeds, asparagus, wheat germ and vegetable oils.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is also an antioxidant vitamin. Vitamin A helps to treat and prevent dry hair by ensuring that your body produces an adequately supply of sebum, a natural oil that keeps your scalp moist. Also, vitamin A is used to help your body withstand stress, which can be a key factor of hair loss in some people. MedlinePlus says that vitamin A can be found in animal foods such as cheese, eggs, carrots, pink grapefruit, kidney, broccoli and apricots.

Biotin

Biotin can be used to improve hair that is splitting or thin. In addition, biotin is recommended to treat weak hair, as it can help to keep your hair strong. Low intake of biotin in your daily diet may cause hair loss, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Cooked eggs, whole grains, peanuts, brewers yeast, beans, walnuts, mushrooms, bananas, sardines and almonds are good sources of biotin.

Minerals

Minerals are also essential nutrients for your hair. Zinc is an antioxidant, assisting in destroying free radicals and preventing them from harming your hair. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that a zinc deficiency may lead to hair loss. Good sources of zinc include pinto beans, red meats, shrimp, green beans, cheese, oysters, crab and poultry.