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What’s Your
Hair Health? When it comes to optimal hair health, you are what you eat. After all, the scalp is home to around 100,000 hair follicles that need the right nutrients in the right amounts to thrive. Ahead, we share which vitamins you may want to add to your diet if you aren’t already consuming them. Hair health can be subjective, whether it’s silky-smooth locks or bouncy, curly tresses. That said, many of us can probably agree healthy hair is free of frizz, split ends, and brittleness. But how do you go about achieving that? Spoiler alert: it’s not only topical hair products you need to invest in. The other contributing factor to healthier hair lies in your diet. If you want your mane to look and feel its best, find out which vitamins (and other micronutrients) are known to be good for hair — and which ones still need more scientific data to solidify their hair-beneficial effects.
1. Vitamin A Vitamin A is one of the essential nutrients that everyone needs so that hair grows strong and healthy. If you need scientific proof, mouse and rat models show that this antioxidant stimulates the hair follicle stem cells. Still, you don’t want to overdo it with vitamin A as consuming too much is linked to hair loss. Remember, moderation is key. 2. Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Vitamin B2 (aka riboflavin) is another hair vitamin you’ll want to take notes on. Because this antioxidant is needed for cell development, fat metabolism, and energy production, low levels of riboflavin are known to trigger hair loss. It’s recommended to eat more riboflavin-rich foods like spinach and fatty fish (such as salmon and mackerel) or consider a B vitamin supplement that contains vitamin B2. 3. Vitamin B7 (Biotin) Because vitamin B7 (biotin) deficiency is linked to hair loss, make sure to get enough of this micronutrient in your meals. A 2017 systematic review in the Journal of Skin Appendage Disorders highlighted that supplementing with biotin may help with poor hair growth and brittle nails. Still, the review consisted of only 18 case reports solely focused on individuals with biotin deficiency and hair loss. As such, more studies are needed to confirm the general efficacy of biotin as a vitamin for healthy individuals.
