Vitamins for the hair: the most important questions and answers

Vitamins are essential for our health. They also have a variety of tasks in our hair and ensure shiny, strong and voluminous hair. However, if you do not get enough vitamins through your diet and a vitamin deficiency develops, hair loss can occur.

In this article you will find out which vitamins are important for hair, in which foods you can find a lot of the required vitamins and what the daily requirement is for each of them. You will also learn about the consequences of a vitamin deficiency and find answers to the most important questions on this topic.

the essentials in brief

• Vitamins A, B, C and E are very important for your hair health. In order for them to have a positive effect on your body, you have to take in a sufficient amount of the vitamins through your food every day.
• A balanced diet is sufficient for optimal care of your hair. If you suffer from a vitamin deficiency, you can use preparations such as tablets, capsules or vitamin gummy bears.
• When you take supplements, you can create an unhealthy excess of fat-soluble vitamins. To prevent this, you should consult your doctor beforehand and pay attention to the dosage.

Vitamins for hair: what you should know

Before we go into more detail about the individual vitamins for hair, we have put together important information on the topic for you and answered the following frequently asked questions.

What exactly are vitamins?

Vitamins are essential substances for our health that we have to absorb through food. They support the body in important tasks such as building cells and bones. They also play an important role in our immune system and energy production.

When they hear the word vitamins, many people think of lemons and their high vitamin C content. In fact, strawberries have slightly more vitamin C than lemons. Acerola and rose hips even contain more than 10 times the amount of vitamin C. (Image source: unsplash/ Han Lahandoe)

A letter is often used to designate vitamins, and vitamin C is certainly the best known for many.

What leads to hair loss and unhealthy hair?

It is normal for our hair to fall out every day, but many people have the problem that they lose a lot of hair every day. This hair loss can have different reasons, in some cases a lack of trace elements such as zinc or a lack of vitamins is the trigger. Stress or inflammation of the scalp can also lead to hair loss (1).

Hair loss can be very distressing for those affected. However, there can also be more serious illnesses behind it, so let your doctor examine you in any case. Then you will also find out whether a vitamin deficiency is the reason. (Image source: pixabay / Martin Slavoljubovski)

Other factors that can damage your hair health are, of course, improper hair care and prolonged wearing of hats. Especially when washing and drying your hair, you should be careful with your hair and pay attention to the care products that are right for you (6).

Can vitamins support hair health?

Getting enough vitamins in your body is very important for your hair health. A lack of vitamins in particular can be very harmful to you. As a rule, however, a healthy and balanced diet is sufficient to cover your daily vitamin requirements (5).

A balanced diet improves your hair health

Vitamins as dietary supplements cannot perform miracles that are sometimes promised in advertising. However, if you suffer from a vitamin deficiency, taking vitamin supplements can make sense. However, consult your doctor before taking it (2).

Since vitamins are added to the body's metabolism, they mostly only have an effect on newly growing hair. So if you change your diet or take vitamin supplements, you should expect it to take a few months before you see a clear improvement.

Vitamin supplements are often available in tablet or capsule form. Recently there are also vitamin gummy bears on the market.

Can vitamins be harmful to hair?

You do not need to worry about an excess of water-soluble vitamins, as they are excreted if the amount is too high. However, there can be an excess of fat-soluble vitamins if you take too many vitamin supplements.

Such an excess can be harmful to the unborn child during pregnancy. A vitamin A excess could e.g. B. lead to deformities in the baby. In general, however, pregnant women have an increased need for vitamins (5).

In general, a large excess can also result in headaches, fatigue and other illnesses. So pay attention to the correct dosage when taking vitamin supplements.

When it comes to food, however, you don't need to worry about an excess of vitamins. This would only be conceivable with a high consumption of liver.

What do I have to consider with vitamins for hair in children?

When it comes to a balanced and healthy diet, there is no difference between children and adults, of course it is also very important for children and leads to healthy hair. With vitamin supplements, however, the situation is different.

A person's vitamin needs differ not only between women and men, but also between children and adults. For this reason, healthy children should completely avoid vitamin supplements and only ensure a healthy diet.

For example, if your child has a vitamin deficiency, dietary supplements could be an alternative. Since children have a lower vitamin requirement than adults, the danger of a vitamin excess from the preparations is even higher in children.

Therefore, taking vitamins for hair through dietary supplements should always be discussed with the pediatrician beforehand.

Do gummy bears with vitamins for hair promote hair health?

As with the classic vitamin preparations, the vitamin gummy bears contain all the important vitamins that you need for healthy hair. The key difference is that the gummy bears are more aesthetically pleasing than capsules or tablets and usually taste a lot better too. At this point, however, it must also be noted that some of the products also contain sugar.

Vitamin gummy bears are a tastier alternative to the classic tablets or capsules. Stars like Kylie Jenner were already enthusiastic on social media. Some of the products contain sugar, although there are now also sugar-free versions. (Image source: unsplash/ Ali onehor)

The good taste is achieved not only with sugar, but also with coconut oil or berries. However, some of the vitamin gummy bears do not contain any gelatin, which is a plus for vegans in particular.

Since gummy bears are still relatively new as a dietary supplement, there are not many studies on their effectiveness. As a rule, after three months you should notice an improvement in hair health, which is also confirmed in many comments from customers.

In general, as with other food supplements, gummy bears should only be used in the event of a deficiency. Otherwise, a balanced diet is the best way to ensure optimal hair health.

Vitamins for hair: The 4 most important vitamins for healthy and beautiful hair

Now that we have answered important questions about the whole topic of vitamins for hair, we now want to go into more detail about the individual vitamins. We have given you different sources of vitamins for this and in the next paragraphs you will find additional information on the effect, the dosage and the effects of a deficiency of the respective vitamins.

Vitamins for hair in dietary supplements

Here you can find out which vitamins are important for your hair health. That's why it's these vitamins that you'll find in hair supplements.

The most important vitamins	positive effect
Vitamin A	Strengthens hair growth
vitamin B	All important protective functions for the hair
vitamin C	Promotes the binding of iron, which is important for hair
vitamin E	Protects and strengthens hair

It is important to note that the vitamins mentioned below are important for many other processes in the body, but we will now only go into the positive effect on our hair.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A can also be found on some labels under the terms retinol or carotenoids, it helps you get smoother hair and supports healthy hair growth (4,7).

The daily dosage is recommended as follows:

• Infants up to 1 year: 0.5-0.6 milligrams
• Children 1-12 years: 0.6-0.9 milligrams
• Adolescents and adults: 0.8-1.1 milligrams

If you don't take in enough vitamin A and you develop a deficiency, you have to reckon with a disruption in your hair growth. Pregnant women should note that they have a higher vitamin requirement and breastfeeding women are even recommended an amount of 1.5 milligrams per day.

vitamin B

The term vitamin B stands for a group of several vitamins and is essential for optimal hair health. A deficiency in vitamin B can also lead to brittle hair or hair loss (4).

Now we want to explain to you in more detail which vitamins belong to the vitamin B group, what positive effects they can have on your body and how much you need every day.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine)

The vitamin B1 ensures strong and shiny hair by making the cell membranes elastic and vital. An amount of 1.0 to 1.3 milligrams per day is recommended for adults.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Vitamin B2 has a positive effect on hair growth. In addition, your scalp is protected from the negative consequences of harmful environmental influences. For the dosage, 1.5 to 2.0 milligrams of vitamin B2 is recommended for adults.

Vitamins B3, B5 and B6

Vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) are important vitamins for your hair health. They improve metabolism, strengthen the hair structure, regulate sebum production and protect the scalp from inflammation.

In addition, a precursor of vitamin B5, D-panthenol, in hair care products ensures an improved hair structure.

The daily requirement of an adult for vitamin B3 is 13 to 16 milligrams. In addition, an amount of 5 milligrams of vitamin B5 is recommended for adults. You should consume around 1.2 to 1.6 milligrams of vitamin B6.

Vitamin B7 (biotin)

Vitamin B7 or biotin is considered the most important vitamin for your hair health, which is why it is sometimes referred to as vitamin H. It ensures strong, shiny hair and prevents split ends. Additionally, biotin protects against an inflamed scalp and boosts metabolism and hair growth (3).

The recommended daily amount of biotin is around 30 to 60 micrograms.

vitamin C

Vitamin C has an indirect effect on your hair because it promotes the binding of iron to red blood cells. As a result, the iron is transported even better in the body and reaches your hair roots, where it protects your hair from structural damage. Iron also ensures improved oxygen transport and thus also helps against hair loss (4).

For vitamin C, there are the following recommended amounts per day:

• Infants and children up to 3 years: 20 milligrams
• Children 4 to 9 years: 30-45 milligrams
• For ages 10 to 14 years: 65-85 milligrams
• From the age of 15: 90-110 milligrams

A lack of vitamin C can damage your hair structure or cause hair loss. Please note that breastfeeding women and smokers have a higher vitamin C requirement.

vitamin E

Vitamin E also strengthens your hair and stimulates hair growth. In addition, vitamin E also protects your hair from the effects of sun exposure (4).

The following dosage per day is recommended:

• Infants up to 1 year: 3-4 milligrams
• Children up to 9 years: 5-10 milligrams
• From the age of 10 years: 11-15 milligrams

If you develop a vitamin E deficiency, you could experience symptoms such as brittle, brittle hair or even hair loss. An important note is that breastfeeding women even need 17 milligrams of vitamin E.

zinc

Zinc is not a vitamin, but a trace element. However, zinc is also very important for your hair as it can ensure a healthy scalp. In addition, zinc is required for the formation of keratin, which is a component of our hair, so zinc is also involved in hair growth (4).

Vitamins for hair in food

Of course, vitamins are not only found in dietary supplements. You can also get all of the vitamins mentioned above through food with a balanced diet. That's why we want to show you which foods you can use to cover your need for the respective vitamins.

vitamin	top foods
Vitamin A	liver and carrots
vitamin B	nuts, beans and mushrooms
vitamin C	Acerola and peppers
vitamin E	oils and raspberries

It is important to note that vitamins from food e.g. B. can also be lost during cooking. In addition, foods with fat-soluble vitamins such as carrots should only be consumed in combination with oil or other fats so that the body can absorb the fat-soluble vitamins.

Vitamin A

The top 3 vitamin A suppliers are:

• Liver (6.6 mg vitamin A / per 100 g)
• Pepper (2 mg vitamin A / per 100 g)
• Carrots (0.88 mg vitamin A / 100 g)

Other foods high in vitamin A include butter, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, and dried apricots.

vitamin B

Since the vitamin B group consists of numerous vitamins, there are also many foods that can provide your body with sufficient vitamin B. You can find biotin e.g. B. in liver, soybeans, nuts and mushrooms.

Vitamin B3 is mainly found in animal foods such as meat, fish and dairy products. Vitamin B5 is also found in many foods, including fish, legumes, mushrooms, peanuts, watermelon and liver.

If you want to cover your daily requirement of vitamin B6, foods such as pistachios, sunflower seeds, garlic, beans and bananas should not be missing from your diet.

vitamin C

The three foods with a lot of vitamin C are:

• Black currants (200 mg vitamin C / per 100 g)
• Paprika and hot peppers (approx. 140 mg vitamin C / per 100 g)
• Kiwis (93 mg vitamin C / per 100 g)

Foods such as coriander leaves, parsley, thyme, broccoli, tomato juice, acerola and lemon or orange peel also contain a lot of vitamin C.

vitamin E

The three foods with the highest vitamin E content are all three different oils (wheat germ oil, sunflower oil and safflower oil). You can also cover your daily vitamin E requirement with 60 grams of almonds or 250 grams of tomato salad, for example.

Foods such as wholemeal biscuits, rye, soy sausage, savoy cabbage or raspberries also provide your body with vitamin E and can therefore end up on your plate if you want to make sure you are getting enough vitamin E.

zinc

The following foods are high in zinc:

• Wheat germ (17 mg zinc / per 100 g)
• Oysters (16.6 mg zinc / per 100 g)
• Beef (about 9 mg zinc / per 100 g)
• Pine nuts and pumpkin seeds (9 and 8.2 mg zinc / per 100 g)
• Basil (7.1 mg zinc / per 100 g)
• Cocoa (6.7 mg zinc / per 100 g)

If you include the foods mentioned above in your food and eat a generally balanced diet, you can supply your body with sufficient vitamins, strengthen your hair and do something good for your health.

Conclusion

In summary, vitamins play an important role in beautiful and healthy hair. Especially vitamin A, the vitamin B group, vitamin C and vitamin E have a greater influence on your hair health. Your hair suffers primarily from a lack of these vitamins and symptoms such as structural damage or even hair loss can occur (1).

It is healthiest if you take the vitamins through a balanced diet. Particularly suitable foods are z. B. wheat germ, carrots, liver, currants and oil. If you already have a vitamin deficiency, you can also take the vitamins through dietary supplements after consulting a doctor. In addition, there can be a harmful excess of fat-soluble vitamins from vitamin supplements, so pay attention to the dosage (2).

Individual proofs(7)

1. Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A. The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2019;9(1):51-70. doi:10.1007/s13555-018-0278-6 source
2. Rushton DH. Nutritional factors and hair loss. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2002;27(5):396-404. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2230.2002.01076.x Source
3. Piraccini BM, Berardesca E, Fabbrocini G, Micali G, Tosti A. Biotin: overview of the treatment of diseases of cutaneous appendages and of hyperseborrhea. G Ital Dermatol Venereol. 2019;154(5):557-566. doi:10.23736/S0392-0488.19.06434-4 Source
4. DiBaise M, Tarleton SM. Hair, Nails, and Skin: Differentiating Cutaneous Manifestations of Micronutrient Deficiency. Nutr Clin Pract. 2019;34(4):490-503. doi:10.1002/ncp.10321 source
5. Finn AM. Nutrition and hair: deficiencies and supplements. Dermacol Clin. 2013;31(1):167-172. doi:10.1016/j.det.2012.08.015 Source
6. Song S, Lim JH, Son SK et al. Prevention of lipid loss from hair by surface and internal modification. Sci Rep 9, 9834 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46370-xSource
7. Thompson JM, Mirza MA, Park MK, Qureshi AA, Cho E. The Role of Micronutrients in Alopecia Areata: A Review. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2017;18(5):663-679. doi:10.1007/s40257-017-0285- xSource