Did you know that one of the biggest contributors to healthy hair is your diet?
Honestly, I was a little surprised the first time I heard that.
But if you think about it ... it makes perfect sense!
We often think the beauty products we use in the shower determine how our hair will look.
However, our diet influences and determines how well our cells function. Since everything in our body is made of cells, including our hair ... how well those cells function is extremely important.
In fact, certain vitamins actually have special roles when it comes to hair growth.
Here are six vitamins that can help hair look its best.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential for healthy hair, as it facilitates the production of sebum, an oily substance secreted from the scalp.
Preventing deficiencies of Vitamin A allows for adequate production of sebum in order to avoid hair breakage and split ends.
Vitamin A is also a component in tissue growth, which definitely includes your hair.
Carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli, liver, and dairy products all include Vitamin A.
Biotin
Biotin is a B-vitamin and is also known as "Vitamin H". Biotin helps support a protein called Keratin, which is the main structural component of hair, skin, and nails.
The introduction of Biotin helps support the Keratin infrastructure, giving you stronger and more resilient hair. Other research also suggests that Biotin promotes follicle growth.
In some cases, people with thinning hair have experienced an improvement in hair growth upon taking Biotin supplements.
Liver, eggs, nuts, soybeans, bananas, cauliflower, and mushrooms are all great sources of Biotin.
Alright, that’s two of the important vitamins. Keep reading for the remaining three...
Vitamin C
Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage our body's cells.
Many times, they're produced as a result of normal metabolic processes, and factors in our daily environment.
However, antioxidants can help regulate the production of free radicals, thus decreasing the negative affects caused by them.
Vitamin C is a great antioxidant. Vitamin C is also important because it helps to regulate the synthesis of collagen, which is another structural protein in the hair.
Citrus fruits are the most common source of Vitamin C.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is crucial for follicle development.
As we age, our hair can get thinner, but Vitamin D can help counteract this effect by stimulating new hair follicle growth.
This can also help prevent our hair from shedding or falling out.
Natural sources of Vitamin D include sunlight, fish, meat, liver, and eggs.
That leaves us with the final vitamin that we'll be discussing today...
Vitamin E
Remember what we said about antioxidants and free radicals? Well, Vitamin E is also an antioxidant.
Vitamin E has been proven as a reliable supplement for dermatologists for years, as it can help promote strong and vibrant skin.
The same effect occurs on the scalp. It is even known to help people with hair loss.
There is a protective layer surrounding each hair cuticle, and Vitamin E strengthens those fats and oils in order to provide shine and luster to your hair.
Vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and green leafy vegetables all contain Vitamin E.
Zinc
Zinc is a trace mineral found in our cells and is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions. It’s an essential component of several vital proteins and also aids DNA synthesis, protein synthesis and cell division.
So how does zinc help with your hair?
Zinc can actually help maintain the structure and integrity of the hair follicles. That’s why when people are zinc deficient, their hair follicles are weaker—which can lead to thinning and hair loss.
Causes of Hair Loss
There are so many factors that can affect your hair and how it grows.
While your genetics do determine a lot about your hair, there are also plenty of lifestyle practices that can as well.
For one, exposing your hair to high heats like curling irons and straighteners can damage you hair. A similar effect can also happen when you put your hair in tight buns or braids. Doing so can cause breakage and eventually thinning of your hair.
Another factor to consider is potential vitamin deficiencies. Iron deficiency or vitamin D deficiency are just two of which can have an impact on your hair health.
How Vitamins For Your Hair Work
In more ways than just one, the right vitamins and minerals can do far more for your hair than a gel, cream, or conditioner ever could by addressing hair health at a cellular level. The good news is that all of the vitamins we just looked at can be taken as supplements.
The question is... how do these vitamins work when you take them? With an oral supplement, the nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream from the supplement powder.
Once the vitamins enter the bloodstream, they're then sent through your body to nourish cells, including your hair follicles.
It’s important to note that very few vitamins only target your hair cells and hair follicles. Most of the vitamin products you'll find on the shelf are actually more like daily multivitamins - containing all of the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs on a daily basis for overall health.
There are, however, specific products catered to improving hair, skin, and even nail health.
Best Vitamin Supplements For Your Hair
There are quite a few supplements you can use to help improve the health of your hair.
My advice would be to look for one that is packed full of the vitamins we discussed today.
At 1st Phorm, we make Hair Skin Nail Essentials, a supplement that has all these vitamins and more to help support healthy hair, skin, and nails.
It's a combination of high quality ingredients packed into one convenient formula. So if you're looking for healthier hair, skin, and nails ... Try Hair Skin Nail Essentials today!
If you have any additional questions in the meantime, don't hesitate to reach out! We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches who are here to help you for free! Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com anytime.
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