Vitamins and supplements for hair: How to find the ones that actually work

Which vitamins and minerals are good for hair?

If you want to keep your hair strong, shiny and beautiful, you must be sure to give it the care it needs. Even if you use a good shampoo and conditioner to care for your hair and scalp, it is at least as important to care for hair from inside. That way, you provide the best possible conditions for your hair.

When it is low on vitamins, it shows as a rule as dry, dull hair that easily breaks and splits. If your hair does not get enough vitamins, you may also risk hair loss.

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Vitamins make your hair healthier and can reduce hair loss

If you want to be kind to your hair, there is every reason to boost your diet and external care with a supplement containing vitamins that are good for hair.

Lots of supplements and vitamins are claimed to work against hair loss or dry, dull and tired hair. It may seem hard to find your way in a jungle of possibilities, and it can be especially difficult if you do not know what to look for.

It is a good idea to find out which vitamins actually work.

The 10 best vitamins and supplements to make your hair healthy and strong

There are many vitamins that promote a healthy scalp and hair. Some supplements work especially against hair loss while others are formulated to encourage faster hair growth.

There is a handful of effective ingredients that are found in most supplements for the hair.

Here are 10 vitamins and minerals that are effective for hair from the inside and out:

1. Field horsetail

Few plants in the world contain more silica than field horsetail – and silica is one of the minerals that strongly affects the health of your hair.

Besides silica, field horsetail is rich in several amino acids, which research has also shown to be beneficial to hair, scalp, skin and nails. Amino acids are important building blocks in keratin, which is what hair consists of.

Field horsetail thus helps to maintain natural production of hair cells and keep hair thick, strong and healthy.

2. Biotin

Biotin (vitamin B7) is an important vitamin when you are looking for supplements that actually work. Biotin is therefore one of the most commonly used supplements for hair care and hair vitamins – and for good reasons.

Biotin helps to break down fats, carbohydrates and protein, and helps to keep your hair healthy from inside. Most B-vitamins are good for the hair, but biotin is especially effective.

Besides giving you lovely, healthy hair, biotin is also good for skin and nails.

3. Zinc

Zinc is one of the most effective ingredients in diet supplements for hair. It can work wonders for hair, skin and nails, because it protects the cells against oxidative stress, which basically means an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants.

These are important in processes in the body, but if the balance is disturbed it can have serious consequences for hair, skin and nails – and then zinc can help.

4. Capsaicin

Capsaicin is an extract from cayenne pepper, which similarly stimulates the hair and scalp, promoting hair growth.

Capsaicin stimulates the scalp from inside, increasing the blood supply, which helps to increase and optimise hair growth.

5. Copper

Even though copper is not necessarily the most important ingredient for increased hair growth or a healthy scalp, many people are still glad to see copper on the ingredient list.

Copper helps to ensure normal pigmentation in the hair.

6. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an especially good vitamin for hair. It is good for your immune response – and if your immune response is thriving, it will show in your hair and the way it grows.

Besides boosting your immune response, vitamin C has a more direct effect on your hair, too. It helps the body to rebuild and increase uptake of vitamin E, iron and calcium, while it also contributes to forming collagen, which is what your hair consists of.

Vitamin C is good for everyone, but it is especially good if you find your hair is frizzy or breaks more than it should.

7. Vitamin E

Like vitamin C, Vitamin E is an antioxidant that ensures a balance in the scalp, and prevents oxidative stress.

Even though vitamin E is not spotlighted much in connection with hair growth and hair care, several studies clearly show that it can help to increase hair growth.

8. Vitamin A

All cells need vitamin A to grow and function, and that means your hair cells too. Vitamin A keeps your mucous membranes healthy, and maintains the balance, for instance, in sebum production in the scalp.

Sebum is another name for the natural oil in the hair, and is essential for keeping it healthy and glossy.

This does not mean it is a good idea to take large doses of vitamin A, however. The body can have difficulty excreting large quantities of vitamin A, so it is best to choose a tried and tested supplement, so you are sure to get the right amount.

In Hair Loss, a supplement from Australian Bodycare, all the ingredients are carefully tested, and you can be sure of getting the right dose of vitamins and minerals.

9. Niacin

Niacin (vitamin B3) is another B vitamin that helps to maintain balance in energy, nerves, metabolism, muscles, skin, hair and nails. Among other things, B vitamins promote healthy cell growth.

So B vitamins, including Niacin, have a positive effect when it comes to increasing hair growth.

10. Magnesium and calcium

Two minerals that are important for healthy hair growth are magnesium and calcium.

Magnesium plays a part in more than 300 chemical reactions, and helps the body to function optimally. When it comes to your hair and scalp, it is important in promoting strong, healthy hair growth. Similarly, calcium contributes to optimal conditions for your hair and scalp.

What should you bear in mind when looking for vitamins for your hair?

When you are looking for dietary supplements for your hair or to treat hair loss, the important thing, first and foremost, is to choose a manufacturer you trust. Then it is always a good idea to compare what you need with what the product is effective for.

However, most important of all is to choose a dietary supplement for your hair that contains the right ingredients in the right quantities. You can use the list above as a starting point to find effective vitamins and minerals for your hair, but a supplement does not have to include them all to work well.

At Australian Bodycare we recommend our Hair Loss dietary supplement to maintain healthy, normal hair.

Hair Loss is especially good for those who:

• Have difficulty growing long hair
• Feel their hair is thin and short
• Have been under stress that has caused thinner hair and poor growth
• Want to give their hair the best possible care – also internally
• Want their hair to grow longer fast
• Want to have healthy hair again after excessive styling, hair extensions or hair colour
• Want to give their hair extra care in connection with menopause or pregnancy

Hair Loss Care from Australian Bodycare contains biotin, zinc, field horsetail, capsaicin, copper, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium and vitamin E.

How can I get enough vitamins for my hair?

The best way to ensure that you get enough vitamins is to eat a healthy, varied diet with plenty of vitamins.

However, it is not always easy to get all the vitamins your hair needs – and then the best solution is to take a dietary supplement, that is formulated with the vitamins that have proved particularly effective in hair care and promoting hair growth.

Take a supplement to care for your hair

No matter how many products you use on your hair, they will rarely be enough to restore balance in your hair. Once the hair grows out of the follicle, it is in principle dead, and it is limited how much you can do if your hair is already tired, worn or frizzy, or if you have split ends.

By taking a supplement to care for your hair you care for it from inside – and that means healthier, stronger hair when it grows out of the hair follicle, because you have given your hair and scalp the vitamins they need. At the same time you ensure optimal conditions in your scalp, which are essential for strong, healthy hair.

If you have problems with hair loss, a supplement such as Hair Loss will also help to increase hair growth.

This is a supplement that gives your hair a boost, so it is healthier and thicker, and grows faster.

Even though dietary supplements and vitamins for your hair can make a big difference, they are not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle or a healthy, varied diet.

Eat foods with a high content of the vitamins that are important for your hair

Vitamins that you take in a supplement cannot replace a healthy diet with plenty of vitamins. Conversely, you can actually get the necessary vitamins through your diet – although it is easier said than done, and the great majority therefore choose to supplement their diet with vitamins.

If you want to focus more sharply on the vitamins that are good for your hair and scalp, there are a number of foods you can benefit from in your diet.

Foods with a high content of vitamins and minerals that are good for your hair:

• Oily fish such as salmon and mackerel
• Linseed
• Walnuts
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Eggs
• Yoghurt
• Avocados
• Lentils
• Whole-grain products
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Beans
• Cheese

Besides including some of the foods listed in your diet, it is important to remember to drink plenty of water. A motor runs best on oil – and your body works best if it gets about two litres of water per day.

What can you do yourself to get your hair to grow faster?

If you want your hair to be healthier, longer, thicker or glossier, it is not enough just to take dietary supplements and eat a healthy, varied diet – you also have to look after the hair you have.

5 tips to boost hair growth:

1. Brush your hair and massage your scalp

If you want to increase hair growth, it is important to stimulate your scalp to increase the blood circulation. At the same time, the oxygen supply to the hair follicles is increased, and this increases the production of new hair.

You can do this by brushing your hair daily and massaging it thoroughly, for example when you take a bath.

2. Avoid washing your hair every day

Soap and water tend to dry out both hair and scalp – and this has the opposite effect on hair growth. Wait instead for two or three days between hair washes. (Some people can wait even longer.)

If you suffer from dandruff or a oily scalp, you may feel like washing your hair daily, but in fact that only makes things worse. When you wash your hair, you wash natural oils out – and consequently, your scalp begins to overproduce oils, so your hair and scalp simply become more greasy.

3. Avoid exaggerated styling and use of heat

The best you can do for your hair is to leave it alone as much as possible. Avoid using a blow dryer or hot styling with a curling iron or smoothing iron unless it is really necessary. Remember to use heat-protective products, too, whenever you use heat to style your hair.

Apart from that, take care not to use too many products on your hair. They can accumulate in your hair and on your scalp, and in the worst case lead to hair loss. Many products contain chemicals and perfume, which can also irritate your scalp. So be careful how many products you use, and be sure to wash your scalp thoroughly when you take a bath.

4. Go regularly to the hairdresser

No, your hair will not grow faster if it is cut frequently – but if you have the tips trimmed often, all the worn hair will be cut away. That means fewer split ends and broken hairs.

So even though regular trimming will not make your hair grow faster, it will become longer more quickly.

5. Give your hair extra care now and then

To keep your hair healthy, it is best to use conditioner after every wash – but in addition it is a good idea to use hair treatment about once a week.

You can buy ready-made hair treatments, but you can also make them yourself, simply using oil. That is how to give your hair extra care and moisture.