Eating regularly and eating the right kinds of foods can help prevent female thinning hair, especially if it is caused by the lack of proper vitamins and minerals in your diet. As a woman, you should be mindful that you are getting enough of the essential vitamins for heathy hair. While all vitamins play an important role in staying healthy, there are only a few vitamins that can help at preventing hair loss. One of the best ways you can help to ensure that your lovely locks stay intact, and on your head, is to take appropriate amounts of the following vitamins.
Folic Acid is the number one most important vitamin for hair loss prevention. It has long been hailed as a vital part of women's health, especially for pregnant women. Few people realize that it can also play a big role in keeping your hair on top of your head where it belongs. Taking folic acid vitamins can not only greatly decrease your chances of experiencing thinning hair to begin with, it can also help at preventing hair loss in the future.
Folic Acid can be found in many foods, including nuts and soybeans; or can be bought in over-the-counter supplements.
Vitamin A is the second most important vitamin for hair loss prevention. Vitamin A plays a vital role in maintaining healthy hair, skin, and vision. It also plays an important part in preventing hair loss by promoting healthy cell growth around hair follicles, keeping them from becoming dry and brittle. Vitamin A performs as an antioxidant that helps produce sebum in the scalp.
Vitamin A can be found in many foods but is most prominent in fruits and vegetables. To get a healthy amount of Vitamin A for hair loss prevention you should make certain that you eat plenty of carrots, tomatoes, peppers and salads, as well as eggs and organ meats like liver. Vitamin A can also be bought in over-the-counter supplements. If you decide to take a vitamin supplement be sure to read the label first. More than 25,000 IU daily of Vitamin A is toxic and can lead to hair loss, rather than hair growth, as well as other serious health problems.
Vitamin C is a great vitamin for preventing hair loss. Vitamin C is another antioxidant that will help you maintain your skin and hair health. It is a great vitamin to incorporate into your diet to just maintain good health.
All of the citrus fruits contain vitamin C, as well as potatoes, dark green vegetables and green peppers. Vitamin C can also be bought in over-the-counter supplements. A good daily dose is 60 mgs.
Vitamin E should also be included in the list of vitamins for hair loss prevention. Vitamin E is essential for promoting healthy blood flow and is a great antioxidant that enhances scalp circulation. Good scalp circulation will stimulate hair growth. Vitamin E combined with scalp massages is vital to promoting hair growth. Good sources of Vitamin E are dried beans, soybeans, cold-pressed vegetable oils, raw seeds and nuts, wheat germ and green leafy vegetables. Vitamin E can also be bought in over-the-counter supplements. A daily dose of up to 400 IU is recommended. However, vitamin E can raise blood pressure and reduce blood clotting, so it is a good idea for people taking high blood pressure medication or anticoagulants to check with their doctor before taking Vitamin E supplements.
There are several B vitamins that help to prevent hair loss:
- Vitamin B3 helps to prevent hair loss and promotes scalp circulation. The food sources for this vitamin include fish, chicken, turkey and meat. Vitamin B3 can also be bought in over-the-counter supplements. A daily dose of 15 mg. is recommended.
Warning: 25 mg. or more will cause blood cell dilatation. - Vitamin B5 helps to prevent hair loss and the graying of hair. A daily dose of 4-7mg is recommended. Vitamin B5 is available in over-the-counter supplements.
- Vitamin B6 helps to prevent hair loss as well as creates melanin, which gives hair its color. Vitamin B6 is available in over-the-counter supplements. A daily dose of 1.6mg is recommended.
Warning: high doses can cause numbness in hands and feet. - Vitamin B12 also helps to prevent hair loss. A daily dose of 2mg is recommended. Vitamin B12 is available in over-the-counter supplements.
Biotin is another vitamin that helps in preventing hair loss. It helps to produce keratin and may prevent graying of the hair. Good food sources are whole grains, liver, rice, brewer’s yeast, egg yolks and milk. A good daily dose for this vitamin is 150-300 mcg.
Inositol is yet another vitamin that can be used for preventing hair loss. It keeps hair follicles at a healthy cellular level. A daily dose of 600 mg. is recommended for this vitamin.
As you can see there are a number of good vitamins for hair loss prevention, that you can take either as supplements or by eating a healthy diet. If you have any questions as to whether or not you are getting enough of these vitamins in your diet consult a physican. As with any supplements, if you are pregnant or nursing, you should practice extreme caution before taking any vitamins for hair loss.
