Losing one’s hair is more than just a problem concerning looks. Experiencing your own hair slowly falling out instills feelings of doubt, insecurity and lowered self worth. While there are many treatments for dealing hair loss, such as creams, ointments and medication, these solutions are costly, laced with side effects or often ineffective. Nevertheless, there are ways to arrest your hair loss through fortifying your diet with certain vitamins to prevent hair loss. Remember, an axiom of hair loss is that maintaining existing hair is an easier proposition than trying to grow new hair. These five vitamins to help hair growth should be considered ancillary solutions to hair loss that help you hold on to what you still have rather than growing new hair for you.

1. Beta Carotene

This vitamin is an essential element in growing hair and consuming more of this nutrient can help you fortify your hair against hair loss due to aging. Common sources of beta carotene are leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and kale, and in yellow or orange vegetables like carrots, yams, squash and turnips. Furthermore, beta carotene foods are also high in vitamin A, a skin health agent and antioxidants which fight the effects of aging.

2. Vitamin B

Often found in lean proteins, such as fish and poultry and in dairy, chickpeas and whole grain products, vitamin B helps bolster the strength of hair follicles and prevents the contraction of these follicles, a process that results in the thinning and loss of hair. Plus, foods that are rich in vitamin B are often high in zinc, a nutrient that strengthens hair protein, resulting in thicker and fuller hair follicles.

3. Iron

This nutrient helps oxygen flow to the scalp, allowing hair follicles to breathe and preventing them from becoming inflamed or contracting, both of which cause hair loss. Iron is present in many meats, such as chicken, liver and beef, but also is plentiful in foods like spinach, kale, chard, broccoli, dates and eggs. Furthermore, iron rich foods often have plentiful doses of vitamin C which helps regulate levels of sebum, a naturally produced conditioner that protects and moisturizes hair in addition to helping with the circulation of blood to the scalp.

4. Vitamin E

Normally important in the health and maintenance of the skin, vitamin E has received attention as a hair loss prevention agent due to its abilities to regulate certain hair loss chemicals, such as DHT, but findings are still inconclusive. Nevertheless, vitamin E does increase blood flow throughout the skin and oxygen absorption in the scalp. Good sources of vitamin E include green leafy vegetables, broccoli, eggs, nuts and seeds, legumes and whole grains.

5. Hydrating Oils

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids help prevent hair loss by hydrating the scalp and preventing it from drying out, a common precursor to hair loss. While available as supplements, these essential fatty acids are available in salmon, tuna, trout, avocado, nuts, olives, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and spinach.

While all of these vitamins are available as supplements, consuming them directly from their food sources often entails additional health benefits such as improved skin health and reduced blood pressure.  So, while you may try taking these vitamins to help hair growth, their added benefits make it worthwhile to continue using them even if you do not notice any change in your hair.

Image via Flickr