How to Choose
Vitamins and Minerals Essential for Healthy Hair
Be it man or woman, everyone wants that full and healthy-looking hair. However, there are many people out there struggling with hair problems such as brittleness, dandruff and hair fall. Everyone knows that a good hair-care routine can help us overcome these problems, but do you know that taking some vitamins and minerals is also important in this process?
Let’s look at what can help!
There are so many vitamins! Which ones are actually good for my hair?
Biotin
The most popular vitamin known to benefit our hair is biotin, which is a type of vitamin B, specifically vitamin B7. A deficiency in biotin can contribute to hair loss, as well as skin and nail issues1. Some signs of biotin deficiency that you can look out for include thinning hair and brittle nails. In order to improve this condition, biotin-containing supplements can be taken. However, biotin can also be found in the food we consume everyday such as eggs, milk, and bananas, so always opt for the natural sources first!2
Vitamin E
Sometimes, issues related to our hair health, especially hair loss and early hair graying could be very much contributed by a process called oxidative stress3,4. Oxidative stress is an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body, which can lead to cell and tissue damage. In this case, a potent antioxidant like vitamin E can significantly reduce hair loss, which is commonly associated with low levels of antioxidants in the scalp area5. Consistent consumption of antioxidants can also help to improve the conditions of our hair as it helps to reduce tissue damage.
Aside from vitamins, what else can I look for?
Protein
Many people tend to take this very lightly, but protein is actually a very important component of our diet as it is the basic building block for most cells including our hair cells. Amino acid, which is the simpler form of protein, is important in the synthesis of keratin; the element that contributes to hair strength, elasticity, volume and shine6.
Protein can easily be found in our food sources such as:
- Egg
- Cottage cheese
- Fish
- Poultry
- Seeds
- Nuts6
These protein sources are also not too expensive and easily accessible. Therefore, increasing our protein consumption on a daily basis is definitely possible without having to break the bank!
Minerals6 Just like vitamins, minerals are as important in influencing hair growth. Some of these minerals include zinc, iron and magnesium.
Zinc promotes hair growth and hair strength by providing the bond necessary for hair building. Meanwhile, iron is responsible for providing the energy for cell differentiation involved in hair production. The deficiency of both these minerals can lead to hair fall as well as thin and brittle hair. Some of the sources of these minerals include red meat (beef and lamb), soy and figs.
Issues related to hair can be really frustrating, especially since it affects our appearance to a great extent, but with the right hair-care routine together with the suitable consumption of these vitamins and minerals, your hair will restore to its pristine condition and look good again.
Don’t know which one of these recommendations is the most suitable for your condition? Fret not! Visit any of our Caring Pharmacy outlets and our pharmacists will be more than happy to assist.
References:
- The Nutrition Source (Web accessed June 2022). Web link: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/biotin-vitamin-b7/
- Biotin – Uses, Side Effects, and More (Web accessed June 2022). Web link: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-313/biotin
- Oxidative Stress in Ageing of Hair. Trüeb, Ralph M (2009). International journal of trichology.
- Oxidative Stress: Harms and Benefits for Human Health. Pizzino, Gabriele et al. (2017). Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity.
- Effects of Tocotrienol Supplementation on Hair Growth in Human Volunteers. Beoy LA, Woei WJ, Hay YK (2010). Tropical life sciences research.
- Nutrition of women with hair loss problem during the period of menopause. Goluch-Koniuszy, Zuzanna Sabina. (2016). Menopause review.
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