Vitamin C has long been touted for its beauty benefits from anti-aging properties for younger-looking skin to growing longer, stronger hair and nails..
1. Vitamin A
All cells need vitamin A for growth. This includes hair, the fastest growing tissue in the human body.
Vitamin A also helps skin glands make an oily substance called sebum. Sebum moisturizes the scalp and helps keep hair healthy (2Trusted Source).
Diets deficient in vitamin A may lead to several problems, including hair loss (3Trusted Source).
While it’s important to get enough vitamin A, too much may be dangerous. Studies show that an overdose of vitamin A can also contribute to hair loss (4Trusted Source).
Sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, spinach and kale are all high in beta-carotene, which is turned into vitamin A.
Vitamin A can also be found in animal products such as milk, eggs and yogurt. Cod liver oil is a particularly good source.
You can also find vitamin A supplements online.
2. B-Vitamins
One of the best known vitamins for hair growth is a B-vitamin called biotin.
Studies link biotin deficiency with hair loss in humans (5Trusted Source).
Although biotin is used as an alternative hair-loss treatment, those who are deficient have the best results.
However, deficiency is very rare because it occurs naturally in a wide range of foods.
There’s also a lack of data about whether biotin is effective for hair growth in healthy individuals.
Other B-vitamins help create red blood cells, which carry oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles. These processes are important for hair growth.
You can get B-vitamins from many foods, including whole grains, almonds, meat, fish, seafood and dark, leafy greens.
Additionally, animal foods are the only good sources of vitamin B12. So if you’re following a vegetarian or vegan diet, consider taking a supplement.
You can find B-vitamin supplements online.
3. Vitamin C
Free radical damage can block growth and cause your hair to age.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect against the oxidative stress caused by free radicals (6Trusted Source).
In addition, your body needs vitamin C to create a protein known as collagen — an important part of hair structure.
Vitamin C also helps your body absorb iron, a mineral necessary for hair growth.
Strawberries, peppers, guavas and citrus fruits are all good sources of vitamin C.
