Best Foods for Hair Growth: What to Eat, Drink & Avoid
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It also encourages the glands in your scalp to make an oily fluid called sebum that keeps hair from drying out. You can also find beta carotene in other orange vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe, and mangoes. Beans are a great plant-based source of protein, which is essential to hair growth. A lack of zinc in the diet may promote telogen effluvium, a common but reversible form of hair loss caused by a lack of nutrients. Taking a zinc supplement may reverse the effects of hair loss caused by zinc deficiency (28).
Is Collagen Vegan?
They report that newly forming hair takes up selenium after receiving trace elements from the blood. Valerie Agyeman (she/her) is a women's health dietitian and the host of the Flourish Heights podcast, where she produces science-driven content covering overlooked nutrition, wellness and women’s health topics. She has over 10 years of nutrition communications, corporate wellness and clinical nutrition experience. Valerie is a trusted expert and regularly appears on networks including ABC’s Good Morning Washington, and she is a contributing expert to publications like Women’s Health, The Thirty and Shape.
Collagen
Don’t overlook the importance of getting enough protein if you’re looking to bring on some hair growth. 'Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin which has antioxidant properties that are protective of hair follicles and it is also a component in collagen production, which is vital for hair strength,' says Wheeler. In another study published by the Indian Dermatology Online Journal, antioxidants can block dihydrotestosterone (DHT), reducing the risk of hair loss and other hair problems. Smoking is a personal choice, and we’re not here to judge, but we’d be lying if we said the act doesn’t affect your hair in some way. "Smoking restricts blood flow to the scalp and follicles, which, in turn, restricts the vital oxygen and nutrients that your hair and scalp need to be healthy," notes Bauman.
Supplements for Hair Growth
In case you are skipping nuts and seeds, you may be doing it all wrong! Incorporating nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds, into your diet is highly beneficial for your hair due to their high content of vitamin E. This antioxidant helps prevent oxidative stress on the scalp and improves luster and shine. Antioxidants help protect cells and hair follicles from damage caused by oxidative stress.
Best Foods for Hair Growth, According to Nutritionists
But if you’ve ruled out more serious conditions and simply want to boost volume and amp up shine, what you put on your plate matters. Here, dermatologists share the best foods for hair growth you should be eating regularly. Excellent sources of plant-based protein, beans are also chock-full of hair-healthy plant compounds, iron, zinc, and biotin. From soups and stews to salsas and salads, the options for enjoying beans at home are truly endless. Though controversial when it comes to actual hair health benefits, biotin can be found in impressive amounts in eggs. Whether it’s oranges, lemons, limes, or grapefruit, you’re bound to find super high levels of hair-loving vitamin C in any citrus fruit option you choose.
Trade Hair Growth Supplements for Healthy Fats
Hair Health: How Diet Impacts Hair Growth - Shape Magazine
Hair Health: How Diet Impacts Hair Growth.
Posted: Wed, 08 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Keep in mind that fluctuating hormones due to pregnancy or menopause can also change the texture of your hair, and how much you lose in the shower every morning. Red meat in particular is rich in a type of iron that’s easy to absorb. Iron helps our red blood cells deliver oxygen to all cells in our bodies, including our hair follicles. “Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin which has antioxidant properties that are protective of hair follicles and it is also a component in collagen production, which is vital for hair strength,” says Wheeler. Ahead, Yawitz and Gomer share what nutrients are linked to hair growth and the best foods to eat that may help you get thick and healthy locks.
Foods fortified with vitamin D
You can also find hair growth serums that contain active ingredients that have been FDA-approved to promote hair growth, like minoxidil. If almonds aren't your thing, other sorts of nuts may help with hair growth, too. 'Nuts are packed with nutrients like vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc, and essential fatty acids,' says Gomer of pistachios, almonds, and the like.
Best for Temporary Hair Thinning: René Furterer Triphasic Reactional Concentrated Serum
Biotin is essential for the production of a hair protein called keratin, which is why biotin supplements are often marketed for hair growth. Biotin can help improve hair growth in people with a biotin deficiency (3). More specifically, it helps produce keratin, a structural protein that maintains hair, skin, and nails.
11 Best Foods for Hair Growth, According to Dietitians - Prevention Magazine
11 Best Foods for Hair Growth, According to Dietitians.
Posted: Wed, 30 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Best Foods That Will Help Your Hair Grow Thicker and Stronger, According to Dermatologists
Talking to your healthcare provider before changing your diet is a good idea. If your current diet is low in protein, it could negatively affect your hair growth. Collagen peptides can be added to hot or cold drinks, such as coffee and smoothies, as well as recipes like oatmeal and chia pudding, to boost your protein intake.
Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals overwhelm the body’s antioxidant defense system. Aim to meet your needs by eating vitamin-A–rich foods like sweet potatoes and avoiding too much supplementation. The body converts this compound into vitamin A, which is linked to hair health. While you are unlikely to consume excess biotin through food, many supplements for hair, skin, and nail growth contain biotin over the recommended daily intake (1).
A cup (30 grams) of spinach provides up to 20% of your daily vitamin A needs (7). For example, 1 cup (144 grams) of strawberries provides 85 milligrams or up to 113% of your daily vitamin C needs (6). Also, consider avoiding formulations that contain additives that might irritating to the scalp and inadvertently cause dryness or itchiness, such as harsh chemicals, dyes, and fragrances.
'Normally, up to 10 percent of your hair follicles are dormant at any given time. But nutrient deficiencies can cause your hair follicles to prematurely transition out of their growth phase, resulting in a higher percentage of follicles that are dormant,' says Yawitz. This can make the hair slower to grow, or even increase the likelihood of hair loss. Obviously, there's no magic cure for this (or else all those hair growth devices and products wouldn't exist).
A nutritious diet with the recommended essential nutrients, including protein, antioxidants, iron, and fatty acids, can help support healthy hair growth. Avoiding deficiencies can help prevent hair loss due to a lack of nutrients. Though there are many factors that impact hair growth, following a diet rich in foods that provide nutrients required for hair follicle health is critical for maintaining healthy hair and supporting hair growth. Nutrients such as protein, zinc, selenium, B vitamins, and vitamin E are essential for the regulation of the hair growth cycles and keep hair looking healthy and strong. Our bodies can't produce omega-3 fatty acids on their own, so it's important to get these fats through our diet. Avocados are a great source, and they're also rich in vitamins E and B(s).
Sunflower seeds are rich in plant-based protein and vitamin E, two nutrients necessary for healthy hair growth. Vitamin E has powerful antioxidant activity and may help promote hair health by protecting hair follicle cells against oxidative damage, which is known to disrupt hair growth. Fatty fish (ie. salmon, herring, mackerel) are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, selenium, and vitamins B and D, says Dr. Camp. “Selenium is a trace mineral that helps regulate thyroid hormone levels and plays a role in limiting oxidative stress on the hair follicle,” he notes.
A 2020 review suggests that caffeine in topical products, like shampoos and conditioners, could prevent hair loss as effectively as drug-based treatments. Caffeine may promote hair growth by stimulating the metabolism and proliferation of cells. Fresh (or frozen!) strawberries provide antioxidants that help protect hair follicles and vitamin C to support collagen production—two things that result in stronger strands less prone to breakage, says Taub-Dix. A 3.5-ounce serving of smoked oysters will add about 7 milligrams (mg) of iron and a whopping 63 mg of zinc to your diet. While we can’t control many of the elements at play when it comes to our hair growth, we can control which foods we order, snack on, and cook with.
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