It is a daunting task trying to pick out a multivitamin that is going to take care of all of your hair's needs. There are vitamins out there that promise to improve your hair, but they often don’t have some of the most important vitamins and minerals. Looking for vitamins that contain biotin, folic acid, vitamin C and zinc is a good way to ensure that your hair is going to get the nutrients that it needs. Each of these four vitamins affects the hair follicles in a positive way and together they may improve the overall condition of your hair if taken regularly.
Biotin
Biotin is an important supplement for the health of your hair. There is evidence that suggests that biotin can improve thin hair that is prone to split ends. Although a biotin deficiency is rare in most people, those who are deficient commonly experience hair loss, brittle nails and a rash around the mouth. The daily recommended amount of biotin is only 30 mcg, but for people suffering from hair thinning or hair loss, higher dosages of up to 600 mcg are recommended. Biotin is sold in supplements containing from less than 100 mcg all the way up to 10,000 mcg pills.
Folic acid
Folic acid is important for your hair because it controls the rate new hair follicles grow as well as how often they are created. Being deficient in folic acid can lead to thinning hair and slower rates of hair growth. You may also be susceptible to graying hair with low levels of folic acid, which is why gray hair and thinning hair often happen at the same time.
Vitamin C
One of the main functions of vitamin C is to produce collagen, the connective tissue found in hair follicles. If there is a vitamin C deficiency not only will your hair become weaker but the blood vessels surrounding the hair cells will be at risk of damage from free radicals. A dose of between 100 and 200 mg of vitamin C a day is recommended for maintaining the integrity of your hair.
Zinc
Zinc is needed for the production of both DNA and RNA. Both of these are used during follicle cell division, and without enough DNA and RNA your hair would start to thin. Zinc also helps by stabilizing the cell membranes of the follicle cells, protecting them from outside damage. A zinc deficiency is common, and a dose of 15 mg a day is recommended to remedy the problem.
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