Eat the right foods and watch your hair grow and thicken

With the summer finally over it’s time for you to take better care for your hair. All the sun and frequent showering during the summer months have undoubtedly damaged and weakened your hair. There is no need for unnecessary stress since we have the right solution for you. While taking a haircut might refresh your hair, consuming the right vitamins can work miracles for you. Here are the 5 vitamins your hair needs to repair itself and the most common sources. No need for the added s

Vitamin B7 Biotin

Biotin is a B-complex vitamin formerly known as Vitamin H, a name which it got from the German words for Haar and Haut meaning Hair and Skin. It is commonly added to hair and skin products. Eating Biotin-rich foods will reduce the dryness of your hair and increase it’s elasticity. On top of that it will give you clearer skin. A biotin deficiency will result in hair loss and redness on the scalp. Although very rare, the lack of Biotin can be easily reversed by either taking a supplement or through your diet. Some of the foods that are high in Biotin include: 

• Egg yolks
• Nuts and legumes
• Whole grains
• Bananas
• Milk
• Meat (especially organ meat)

If you do however decide to resort to supplementation, the recommended daily dose should not exceed 30 mcg daily.

 

 Vitamin A

Vitamin A, also know as Retinol,  is essential for many bodily processes. It is absolutely critical for good vision, and plays an important role in reproduction and immune system support. One of the other functions of Vitamin A is support of cell growth and repair. And this is exactly what it will do to your hair. It also produces sebum, the oily substance that actually moisturizes your scalp, thus creating a more protected environment for your hair to grow. Food that are high in Vitamin A include:

• Lettuce
• Fish
• Liver
• Carrots 
• Sweet potatoes
• Dark leafy greens ..

While being healthy for your hair, too much can be very bad for you. Studies have shown that an excess of the recommended dose of ~2200 UI for women and ~3200 UI for men can lead to hair loss and can affect bone health. If you resort to supplementation make sure that you carefully calculate your daily intake from both supplements and diet.

 

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a well known powerful antioxidant that helps your body get rid of free radicals. The free radicals can be acquired by a number of ways, from cigarette smoke (even 2nd hand) to UV radiation from the sun. These free radicals quickly bind to oxygen in our blood and once this happens they can damage and impair the work of our cells. It also plays a role in eyesight preservation in the long term and helps build lean muscle tissue. A proper intake of vitamin E will increase the level of oxygen in your body thus promoting hair growth. Being a fat-soluble vitamin, it’s best consumed with fatty foods. Foods highest in vitamin E include:

• Wheat Germ (just one spoon of this contains all the Vitamin E you need for the whole day)
• Vegetable oils
• Sunflower oil (especially useful since it’s very easy to cook with it)
• Seeds
• Nuts
• Avocado

Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin, which means it does not exit the body though the urinary tract but it is stored in fat. This enables it to accumulate and reach toxic levels. This cannot happen however only though Vitamin E food consumption. If you are taking Vitamin E supplements, do not exceed the recommended daily dose of 15mg.

 

Pantothenic Acid

Pantothenic Acid a.k.a. Vitamin B5. The only vitamin on this list that helps prevent the natural graying of the hair. Although relatively unknown, this vitamin is absolutely essential to normal bodily functions. It basically helps your organism combat aging so it’s functions are numberless. It also promotes cell growth by helping the body dispose of the dead cells. This means that, to an extent, it will indirectly reduce hair loss. Foods that are high in           Pantothenic Acid include:

• Chicken Liver
• Sunflower Seeds
• Salmon
• Corn
• Brocolli

Although being a water soluble Vitamin (it gets excreted through the urinary track) it is still possible to overdose on it. This why it’s important that you do not exceed the RDA of 5mg.

 

Inositol

Inositol is probably the least well-known of the other vitamins. It is synthesized by the kidney every day. It’s use is mainly to enable cell communication, but men that use Inositol have reported less hair loss as well. On top of the hair loss benefit, Insitol is also very important in the regulation of serotonin, also known as the happiness hormone. So on top of being happy because less hair is falling out, you get a natural, body-regulated mood boost. While we mentioned that it’s synthesized in the body, who would not go for some extra happiness. Foods high in Inositol are:

• Beef Heart
• Wheat Germ
• Lecithin Oil
• Liver
• Brown Rice
• Nuts 
• Soy Flour

Inositol is no longer recognized as a vitamin, hence no RDA has been established. Most of the nutritionists recommend a daily dosage of ~1000mg roughly. 

Hopefully, you will find this article helpful and help your hair regain it’s former shine. If you need some tips on how to dye your hair feel free to check out this article to decide the method and whether to dye your hair dry or can you dye your hair wet.

NOTE: While this article might leave you getting ready to rush to the nearest pharmacy, if you suffer from any medical condition it is best to consult your doctor first.  

 

source: smartypantsvitamins.com