Vitamins for hair - for beautiful and healthy hair

Vitamin B

The B vitamin group is particularly important for the hair. B vitamins make hair beautiful and healthy, promote a healthy scalp and boost metabolic processes in the hair roots and the production of the sebaceous glands. We give a brief introduction to the individual B vitamins below:

• Vitamin B2: Vitamin B2 has an important influence on the health of the scalp and promotes beautiful hair. The daily requirement of around 2 milligrams can be covered by eating cheese, salmon and almonds, for example.
• Vitamin B3: Vitamin B3 is also known as niacin. It strengthens the hair structure, coordinates metabolic processes in the hair roots and protects the scalp from inflammation. The recommended daily dose of about 11 to 16 milligrams can be covered by foods such as fish, meat or peanuts.
• Vitamin B5: Vitamin B5 is also known by the name pantothenic acid. A lack of Vitamin B5 can lead to the hair going prematurely grey, as deficiencies prevent sufficient colour pigments from forming in the hair fibres. The recommended daily dose is around ten milligrams and can be satisfied by foods like liver, mushrooms and broccoli.
• Vitamin B7: Vitamin B7, also known as biotin, is the beauty vitamin par excellence. It makes hair shinier, prevents split ends, protects from hair loss and prevents inflammation in the hair roots. The recommended daily dose of 0.25 milligrams can be covered by foodstuffs such as wholegrain products, bananas, spinach and strawberries.
• Folic acid: Folic acid ensures a good supply of oxygen in the blood, which gets to the hair roots. Hair loss can thus be effectively combatted. The recommended daily dose of 0.16 to 0.4 milligrams can be covered by foods such as liver, grains or asparagus.

A lack of B vitamins can lead to hair loss and brittle hair in the long term.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C promotes blood circulation in the scalp and also increases the bioavailability of iron, whereby the vitamin can support the metabolism of the hair roots. A lack of Vitamin C can show up in damage to the hair texture and even extend to hair loss.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E has an antioxidant effect on the hair. It protects against sun exposure, strengthens the hair and supports hair growth. The recommended daily dose of 11 to 15 milligrams can be covered by foods such as tomatoes, raspberries or almonds. A lack of Vitamin E makes the hair dry and brittle, and can lead to hair loss.

Other nutrients for the hair

Along with the vitamins for hair we have mentioned, there are other nutrients that are important for the beauty and health of the hair:

• Zinc: Zinc is responsible for the formation of keratin and collagen and thus supports hair growth. Nuts and legumes are particularly good for satisfying the zinc requirement.
• Iron: Iron ensures a controlled oxygen transport in the blood and thus supports various growth processes. A lack of iron is one of the most important causes of hair loss. An iron deficiency can be effectively combatted by the regular consumption of meat, soya products, lentils and spinach.

Should vitamins for hair be applied externally or taken in the form of preparations?

A healthy and balanced diet is the most important factor for attaining beautiful and healthy hair. Hair problems such as split ends, dry and brittle hair or hair loss can be prevented by a good diet in most cases. Moreover, in some instances, it can be sensible to supplement the diet by taking vitamins for the hair. This is the case, for instance, if nutrient intake is limited through illness or if there is a higher nutrient requirement. Along with vitamin preparations, there are also various haircare products available that provide the hair with vitamins externally. These include, for example, shampoos, conditioners or hair treatments.