Diet and Dietary Supplements - Page 2

Sometimes an effective way to promote healthy hair growth is from the inside out. There are many vitamins, minerals and supplements that can be incorporated into your diet to help nourish your hair. But do not rely on supplements alone, they are not supposed to be taken as a “cure” for balding or thinning hair; rather they are a good complementary treatment to help provide optimal health for hair growth. Just like many other nutritional supplements, it takes about 4 – 8 weeks to notice a difference, so anticipate accordingly. Also, it is best to obtain these supplements through food first. A healthy, balanced and nutritious diet is key to not only having healthy hair but imperative for an overall healthy lifestyle.

Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements

Omega 3 Fatty Acids:
Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial to many aspects of human health. It is important in brain development, communication, vision and can decrease triglyceride levels, in addition to being helpful for hair. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are flax seeds, walnuts, soybean oil, canola, and cold water fish such as salmon.

Gamma-Linolenic Acids:
GLA is actually an omega-6 fatty acid that has health benefits including helping eczema, cystic mastalgia, potential benefits against osteoporosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, Huntington’s disease and many other things. It is also an anti-inflammatory that has no side effects of other anti-inflammatory drugs. Like the omega-3s, GLA is helpful for healthy hair. The most common form is evening primrose oil, black currant seed oil or borage oil.

Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane:
MSM is a dietary supplement that gives support for healthy joints, muscles, skin, nails and hair, helps detoxify the body and increase blood circulation. Many people report that they experience faster hair and nail growth from taking MSM.

Biotin:
Biotin, also known as Vitamin H, is an essential nutrient factor in mammals. It helps the human body use protein and is involved in the production of keratin, a type of protein found in the hair and nails. Although biotin does not directly promote hair regrowth, it can support growth of healthy hair. Sources of biotin include milk, liver, egg yolks, whole grains and rice. The daily recommended dosage of biotin is 150 – 300 mcg.

Niacin/Vitamin B3:
Niacin is a member of the vitamin B family, and is through tot help improve circulation within the body. It helps normalize cholesterol levels in the body, and cholesterol can cause the body to overproduce testosterone. The daily recommended value for Niacin is 15 mg. You can find niacin in chicken, turkey and fish.

Pantothenic Acid/Vitamin B5:
Vitamin B5 helps regulate hormones, including ones that are involved in skin and hair. Pantothenic acid is present within every living cell, and is active in metabolizing and releasing energy from food. Many foods have pantothenic acid, so it is uncommon for someone to be deficient in it. The daily recommended intake is 4 – 7 mg daily; brewers yeast, whole grains and egg yolks are good sources of pantothenic acid.

Vitamin A:
Vitamin A helps enhance the health of the skin and scalp. It also regulates many functions in the body, helping fight viral and bacterial infections. If someone is in short supply of vitamin A, it can cause a flaky scalp. The daily recommended intake for vitamin A is 5,000 IUs. Liver, egg yolks, whole milk, carrots, green leafy veggies and yellow and orange veggies are good sources of vitamin A. Be careful though, as large doses of vitamin A can become toxic, as it can build up in the liver and other internal organs.

Pyroxidine/Vitamin B6:
Pyroxidine assists the body in metabolizing fats, creating amino acids and antibodies to help prevent infections. Several studies have shown that with vitamin B6 is combined with xinc, it can help block the testosterone to DHT conversion in the skin. High doses of vitamin B6 can be dangerous, therefore it is advised you stick to the recommended daily dosage, which is about 1.6 milligrams. In terms of getting vitamin B6 in food, salmon, white meat chicken, tuna, broccoli, lentils, mackerel, brown rice and halibut are good sources.