Best Supplements for Hair Growth and Strength

Are you worried about going bald? Has the stress been building up recently alongside the hair you’re losing in the shower? With all the hair supplements out there advertising themselves as the miracle cure, it can get a bit confusing to figure out which supplement formulation is right for you. That’s why we’ve broken down some common questions in this article to help give you a better idea of what to look for.

 Why Supplements Can Support Healthy Hair

As we go along in life, our hair can go through changes naturally and what these changes look like can be different for everyone. Thinning hair or hair loss can be due to a range of factors from age, health, diet, medication, to stress. Now obviously, there are quite a few of these factors that are hard to change, but to slow down or even stop these hair changes, supplements are a good option. Taking vitamins to help you get the nutrients you need is essential for supporting healthy hair. So let’s go through some of the best supplements for hair growth and strength.

 Key Nutrients for Hair Growth and Strength

There are so many products out there advertising themself as the best supplements for improving your hair health that it can sometimes be overwhelming. Before you buy any of these products, make sure you check the label at the back to see what ingredients or nutrients are used. To help you out with that, let’s go through some of the key nutrients that are best for hair growth and strength:

Biotin (Vitamin B7)

Biotin (also known as Vitamin B7) is necessary for your body to make a protein called keratin. Keratin is the main protein in your hair shaft so supplementing it can help with strengthening your hair and improving scalp health– this then encourages hair growth. That’s why you should definitely check to see if the hair supplement you are buying contains biotin. Additionally, there are some foods that are a good source of biotin including: egg yolk, nuts, legumes, and beef liver.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is very important for stimulating hair follicle growth. Having enough vitamin D can not only help with hair growth but also the thickness of the hair that grows. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to shorter phases of hair growth which can bring on problems like hair thinning or shedding. Some natural sources of vitamin D include: sunlight, fatty fish (e.g salmon, tuna), and fortified milk.

Zinc

Zinc is another key mineral in supporting the strength and development of hair follicles. It helps provide the hair follicles with a good supply of nutrients, supports scalp health, and helps regulate hormones that may contribute to hair loss. Some natural sources of zinc include: shellfish (e.g oysters, shrimp), nuts, and seeds.

Iron

Although iron supplements may be more known in treating anaemia, making sure you have enough iron can help speed up hair growth (and actually everything is interconnected). Especially for women, who are more likely to have anaemia, iron can be one of the best hair growth supplements for women.To improve your absorption of iron in your diet or from supplements, increasing your levels of vitamin C can help. Some foods rich in iron include: meat (e.g beef, lamb), legumes (e.g lentils), and leafy greens.

Collagen

Collagen supplements have been talked about a lot for its skin benefits but did you know it can also support hair health? What a great combination! By improving hair elasticity and strength, collagen can help your hair look thicker and reduce breakage. To increase the collagen in your diet, you can try having foods such as bone broth, chicken, and egg whites.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Not only does omega-3 fatty acids improve scalp health to strengthen your hair, but it can also make your hair look shinier and thicker. Some ways you can get more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet include: fatty fish (e.g salmon, mackerel), nuts, and seeds.

Best Hair Growth Supplements for Women

Generally a lot of hair growth supplements work for both everyone. For example, biotin, collagen, Vitamin D and Vitamin C are the best supplements for hair growth women and men. However, there are some more specialised formulations that can address some of the more common problems experienced by women rather than men. For example, a woman’s menstrual cycle can affect hair health due to the fluctuations in hormones. Supplements that can aid in regulating hormonal balance may thus be useful.

Menstruation problems, especially heavy menstruation can also cause iron deficiency which can lead to shedding or hair loss. So for women, in addition to more general ingredients like biotin, iron supplements and hormone-balancing may be more important factors to consider when picking the best hair growth supplements for woman. Overall if you have specific concerns, it is advised that you consult your healthcare provider first so that they can assess whether there are additional medical reasons for your hair changes.

Best Hair Growth Supplements for Men

Biotin, Vitamin C, collagen, and Vitamin D are the best hair growth supplements for men and women, but there are some key considerations for men to keep in mind when picking a hair health supplement formulation. Unlike women, for men the most common reason for hair loss is male pattern baldness. This kind of hair loss is attributed to a hormone called Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). So it follows that a hair health supplement targeted at men would benefit from something that helps to regulate DHT levels. This was a brief overview on the best supplement for hair growth men, it is recommended that you consult your healthcare provider for more personalised advice.

How to Choose the Right Hair Growth Supplement

So how exactly do you choose the best supplement for hair strength and growth? Let’s break down some steps you can take to figure this out:

1. What is the problem you are trying to address? –Is it hair thinning? Hair shedding? Breakage? Dryness? Colour changing? Male pattern baldness? It may also be helpful to think about what you consider to be your “normal” hair e.g thick, curly, fine etc. Identifying what specific problem you are trying to address is an important initial step so you can find a supplement that is personalised for your needs. It is possible dermatology medications may be more effective for your condition, depending on the nature of the problem you’re trying to address e.g. If you’re experiencing extreme dryness, it may be psoriasis.
2. Why is this hair problem happening? –For some people this may be very obvious, e.g male-pattern baldness, stress etc. However, for others, a consultation with a doctor or another health professional may be useful. They may want to do some blood tests to assess for other underlying medical reasons for the hair loss before recommending some hair supplements. Alternatively, they may make an alternative diagnosis and treat you with medications for chronic conditions if your hair loss is associated with other ailments or illness.
3. Pick a supplement formulation that addresses your needs and is from a reputable brand. – Supplements like biotin, collagen, zinc, and vitamin D and E are generally good for hair health. Go back to the section on the best supplements for hair growth men and women for a refresher of this information. They can improve the strength of your hair, reduce hair loss, improve hair growth and make your hair look thicker and healthier.

In some cases, the dosing of each supplement may be important, so please consult a healthcare professional. Taking more supplements than needed can actually make things worse sometimes. Also, if you are on any regular medication, it is also important to check with a pharmacist or doctor that the hair growth supplements do not interact. Make sure you also take note of what the potential side effects are.

Tips for Getting the Best Results from Hair Supplements

It’s important to remember that even the best hair growth supplement for women and men is not an overnight fix, it may be weeks to months before you notice the benefits and everyone responds differently. Understandably, this can be frustrating but here are some tips for getting the best results from hair supplements:

• Make sure to stay hydrated and eat a balanced, nutritious diet. This can help you get some of those vitamins and minerals (e.g protein, iron) naturally.
• Get some regular exercise and sleep well. Maintaining good physical and mental health is key to supporting hair health.
• Find some good stress management strategies. Stress can push your hair into a phase where it stops growing and starts shedding, so finding activities that can help to manage your stress levels can help support hair health alongside the supplements.
• Be gentle with your hair. Try to avoid using heat to style your hair, tight hairstyle, or any harsh chemicals while you are using hair growth supplements.

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