However, this may be more than some people need, especially younger people who get adequate vitamin D from sun exposure. This small, easy-to-swallow tablet is gluten-free and die free. However, calcium supplements may interact with certain antibiotics, so you may want to separate this supplement from any medications you take.

Protein plays an important role in hair growth. Collagen is often recommended to support hair growth because collagen has many of the same amino acids building blocks of protein as keratin, which is a protein that makes up a lot of your hair.

However, the research to support collagen for hair growth is slim. One small, short-term study showed that 12 weeks of collagen supplements led to less hair breakage for some women, and a recent study in mice suggested that oral collagen may support hair growth.

If you have trouble getting enough protein from food, a protein powder like Vital Proteins collagen peptides can be an easy way to boost your intake. You may benefit from hair growth vitamins if:. You may not benefit from a hair growth vitamin if:. Our team works hard to be transparent about why we recommend certain supplements; you can read more about our dietary supplement methodology here.

We support supplements that are evidence-based and rooted in science. We value certain product attributes that we find to be associated with the highest quality products. We prioritize products that are third-party tested and certified by one of three independent, third-party certifiers: USP, NSF, or ConsumerLab.

It's important to note that the FDA does not review dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they go to market. Our team of experts has created a detailed, science-backed methodology to choose the supplements we recommend and gives more details on what we specifically look for in supplements.

Experts we spoke to for choosing the best vitamins for hair growth include:. Most vitamins marketed to support hair growth are a combination of the vitamins and minerals that play a role in hair development including vitamins A,C, E, D, B vitamins, iron, and zinc.

Some hair growth supplements also include additional herbs, antioxidants, or other ingredients that have little to no research to support them, which we discuss below.

It is essential to carefully read the ingredient list and nutrition facts panel of a supplement to know which ingredients and how much of each ingredient is included, relative to the recommended daily value of that ingredient.

Please bring the supplement label to a healthcare provider to review the different ingredients contained in the supplement and any potential interactions between these ingredients and other supplements and medications you are taking.

In addition to vitamins and minerals, many supplements marketed to support hair growth include other ingredients that may or may not be safe for you. They also have not been well studied or studied at all for use for hair growth.

These ingredients include:. There is no standard dose for hair growth supplements, though manufacturers may follow daily values DV , dietary reference intakes DRIs , and adequate intakes AIs to determine the dosage of each vitamin and mineral included.

Some may add more than the recommended amount of some nutrients such as vitamin D or B vitamins since there is emerging research that suggests that higher doses may be needed if you are deficient or because some nutrients are not well absorbed in supplement form.

We recommend to work with a healthcare provider to determine the best dose for you. The amount of time it will take to see results will vary by individual and depend on which nutrients you may need to support hair growth and how deficient you are.

For example, with oral iron supplementation, deficiency correction is common in three to six months. There are many reasons for hair loss ranging from nutrient deficiencies, malnutrition, and stress to underlying medical conditions like a thyroid disorder.

Your healthcare provider can help you determine the reason for your hair loss so you can address the right thing rather than spending time and money trying supplements that may or may not help.

Ultimately in order to improve hair growth you need to understand the reason for hair loss or lack of growth. Start by eating enough calories and protein as well as consuming a variety of foods so you get enough of each of the vitamins and minerals that support hair growth.

Managing stress is important as well. It depends. There are many other underlying reasons for hair loss or lack of hair growth including not eating enough protein as well as common health issues like thyroid disease and overall hormonal imbalances, explains Puello.

Hair growth supplements cannot address these issues. Yes, vitamin and mineral deficiencies are one of the causes of hair loss. Probably the most common deficiency that contributes to hair loss is iron.

But there are many other vitamins involved in hair growth including B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc, explains Chun. Some people have success with using biotin supplements for hair health, but note it may not be the most important nutrient for everyone for hair growth.

Sarah Anzlovar, MS, RDN, LDN is a registered dietitian, certified intuitive eating counselor, and experienced writer whose work has been featured in Verywell, EatingWell, Healthline, and more.

She also works with many endurance athletes to support fueling and recovery, including distance runners and triathletes. She thoroughly combed the research for hair growth supplements and ingredients that truly can help with hair health. Sinclair LM, Hinton PS.

Prevalence of iron deficiency with and without anemia in recreationally active men and women. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Malve V, Gandhi A, Pandit S, et al.

Iron deficiency in peri-menopausal women: Clinical considerations from an expert consensus. Indian Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Research. Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A. The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review.

Dermatol Ther Heidelb. National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements. Holick MF, Binkley NC, Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Gordon CM, Hanley DA, Heaney RP, Murad MH, Weaver CM. Evaluation, Treatment, and Prevention of Vitamin D Deficiency: an Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline.

Murillo AG, Hu S, Fernandez ML. Zeaxanthin: Metabolism, Properties, and Antioxidant Protection of Eyes, Heart, Liver, and Skin. Antioxidants Basel. Published Sep Kang JI, Yoon HS, Kim SM, et al. Mackerel-Derived Fermented Fish Oil Promotes Hair Growth by Anagen-Stimulating Pathways.

Int J Mol Sci. Austin J Pharmacol Ther. Bumrungpert A, Pavadhgul P, Piromsawasdi T, Mozafari MR. Efficacy and Safety of Ferrous Bisglycinate and Folinic Acid in the Control of Iron Deficiency in Pregnant Women: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Published Jan Zubair Z, Kantamaneni K, Jalla K, et al. Prevalence of Low Serum Vitamin D Levels in Patients Presenting With Androgenetic Alopecia: A Review.

Published Dec Kalman, DS, Hewlings, S. The effect of oral hydrolyzed eggshell membrane on the appearance of hair, skin, and nails in healthy middle-aged adults: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.

J Cosmet Dermatol. Hwang SB, Park HJ, Lee BH. Published Oct 7. Mount Sinai. Stinging Nettle. Verma N, Gupta SK, Tiwari S, Mishra AK. Safety of Ashwagandha Root Extract: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, study in Healthy Volunteers.

Complement Ther Med. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Evron E, Juhasz M, Babadjouni A, Mesinkovska NA. Natural Hair Supplement: Friend or Foe? Saw Palmetto, a Systematic Review in Alopecia. Skin Appendage Disord.

Bounda GA, Feng YU. Review of clinical studies of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. and its isolated bioactive compounds. Pharmacognosy Res. doi: Iron-Deficiency Anemia.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Patel DP, Swink SM, Castelo-Soccio L. A Review of the Use of Biotin for Hair Loss. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising.

Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content. Measure advertising performance. Measure content performance.

Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. What to Buy Haircare Products. By Sarah Anzlovar MS, RD. Sarah Anzlovar MS, RD. Sarah Anzolar, MS, RD is a private practice dietitian who works as a freelance writer, recipe developer, food photographer, and brand consultant.

health's editorial guidelines. Medically reviewed by Kristie Reed, PharmD. Kristie Reed, PharmD, oversees emergency, general medical, surgical, psychiatric care, and oncology medication as the pharmacy director of a community hospital.

Reed specializes in IV medications. learn more. Fact checked by Rich Scherr is an updates strategist and fact checker for Dotdash Meredith brands, including Health and Verywell.

Fact checked by Richard Scherr. health's fact checking process. In This Article Expand. Our top picks. Should I Take Hair Growth Vitamins?

Our Supplement Research Process. The Different Types of Vitamins for Hair Growth. Ingredients: What to Pay Attention To. How Much of a Hair Growth Supplement Should I Take?

How Long It Takes To See Results. When to See a Healthcare Provider. Your Questions, Answered. Who We Are. A Note About Supplements Dietary supplements are minimally regulated by the FDA and may or may not be suitable for you.

Our Top Picks. Best Overall:. Best Postnatal Vitamin for Hair Growth:. in wellness, beauty, and innovation from top media outlets. with Nutrafol Hair Growth Nutraceuticals.

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