Vitamins to strengthen hair

hair health

Just as diet plays an important role in the health of the body, it also plays an important role in the health of hair, and hair needs a healthy, balanced and complete diet in order to be in good health. Healthy hair is defined as hair that grows naturally from all the follicles of a healthy scalp, and it is not It is easily broken, and a healthy scalp generally contains about 120000-150000 hairs, of which about 50-100 hairs fall out daily naturally, but when hair falls out in large quantities, this loss becomes noticeable. A healthy diet is important to maintain hair health and strength and prevent it from falling out. A lack of nutrients affects hair health. In this article, the role of diet, specifically vitamins, in maintaining hair health.

Vitamins that hair needs

In general, to be healthy, hair needs all the components of a balanced, healthy diet necessary for a healthy body, which includes all vitamins. The following are the most important vitamins for hair health and their nutritional sources:

• Vitamin B6It is a vitamin that is widely found in many food sources, such as meat, poultry, fish, potatoes, and some other vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, and tomato juice, and some non-acidic fruits, such as bananas, watermelon, and plum juice, in addition to legumes and liver. And grains fortified with vitamin B6, such as fortified bread, soy products, and nuts.
• Vitamin B12: It is found in animal sources only, such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese/eggs, in addition to fortified soy milk. Vitamin B12 is destroyed by exposure to microwave radiation, and therefore you should avoid heating its food sources using the microwave to preserve its content.
• Folic acid (folate)It is found in vegetables and legumes, specifically in green leafy vegetables, especially spinach, asparagus, and broccoli. It can also be obtained from fortified grain products (such as fortified bread and flour), orange juice, and whole wheat bread, in addition to liver and seeds.
• biotinBiotin is considered important for hair health, and its deficiency causes hair loss. Its most important food sources include internal organ meats, egg yolks, soybeans, fish, and whole grains.
• Vitamin E: As this vitamin is also necessary for hair health, this vitamin can be obtained from many food sources, especially vegetable oils, and wheat germ oil is considered distinguished by its content of this vitamin, but it must be taken into account that this vitamin is easily damaged by heat and oxidation.
• Vitamin DSome studies suggest a role for vitamin D in the hair growth cycle, but this role requires more scientific research to clarify it. This vitamin can be obtained by exposure to sunlight for a sufficient period, without exaggerating the period of exposure, or using sunscreen after Sufficient period of exposure to the sun to avoid the harmful effects of sunlight on the skin. It can also be obtained from some foods (but usually not in sufficient quantities) such as milk, juice, fortified cereals, and fatty fish such as salmon and sardines, in addition to fish liver oil, which is considered its richest food source. .

Take nutritional supplements for hair health

Despite the importance of vitamins for hair health, taking nutritional supplements for hair is not necessary. The best thing is to eat a varied and balanced diet that ensures that the body gets all its nutritional needs. Perhaps the greatest evidence of the importance of a healthy diet for hair health is the hair loss that affects people. When they lose weight quickly after following a strict diet that is very low in calories, these diets often do not provide the body with all the nutrients it needs, and therefore hair loss occurs. In cases of following a healthy weight loss diet, although hair loss may occur after losing 7 kilograms of body weight or more, hair health can then be restored if general health is good.

However, taking nutritional supplements can lead to an improvement in hair growth, especially if you do not have a balanced and healthy diet. A study was conducted on healthy women who believed that their hair was weakening. A nutritional supplement was given twice a day for 180 days, and it was found that this The supplement improves hair growth.

Other nutrients important for hair health

• Protein: At any time, 90% of the hair is in a state of growth, as it continues in this state for 2-3 years, and then enters a resting stage in which it continues for approximately 3 months before falling out, and if the diet is It does not contain a sufficient amount of protein, the percentage of hair that enters the resting phase may become greater, which negatively affects the health of the hair.
• Hair also needs iron, the deficiency of which can cause hair loss, in addition to many minor mineral elements, such as selenium, the deficiency of which causes brittle hair and nails, copper, magnesium, and zinc, the deficiency of which also causes hair loss.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: They are found in fatty fish, such as salmon and sardines, and in flax seeds, almonds and walnuts.

NoteIt should be noted that hair loss can have many causes, such as some genetic causes, hormonal problems, etc., and the cause does not necessarily have to be nutritional.