Everybody wants a head full of beautiful hair. Who doesn’t? Well, to have those shiny, healthy and lustrous locks, your nutrition is equally important as your hair care routine. The human scalp is highly sensitive. And your diet & lifestyle must be adequate to have blooming hair.
A number of factors can lead to damaging your scalp, including harsh hair care, using shampoos and conditioners with toxic ingredients, malnourishment, etc. Interestingly, vitamin B12 for hair health is an effective way of protecting and nourishing the scalp from many of these stressors.
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin essential for the production of Red Blood Cells (RBCs) and the synthesis of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid). So not only does it give your body great strength, but it nurtures your hair for those healthy and gorgeous tresses.
Read on to know the many benefits of vitamin B12 for hair.
All About Vitamin B12
Also known as cobalamin, vitamin B12 is one of the eight B vitamins. As mentioned above, it is a water-soluble vitamin that works to keep the body’s nerves & blood cells healthy. It is essential for proper RBC formation, cellular energy production and neurological function.
Vitamin B12 can be found in a variety of animal products, including fish, meat (especially liver), poultry, eggs and dairy products. Fortified cereals are also a good source of vitamin B12 and are a good option for vegetarians.
Having the right amount of vitamin B12 in your body has multiple advantages. Let’s take a look at these:
- Prevents anaemia
- Promotes healthy pregnancy and prevents major congenital disabilities
- Lowers the risk of age-related macular degeneration (eye disease)
- Prevents loss of neurons (brain atrophy), dementia and memory loss
- Enhances heart health
- It prevents osteoporosis and maintains optimum bone health
- Alleviates signs of depression and enhances mood
- Improves energy levels
Needless to say, vitamin B12 has several benefits for hair growth as well. Our body requires this vitamin to make RBCs, which carry oxygen to our organs, including the skin and scalp.
Why You Need to Prioritise Vitamin B12 Intake
Vitamin B12 works with folic acid (another essential vitamin) to maintain the health and strength of RBCs. Without adequate levels of these two vitamins, the body may not be able to convert enough carbohydrates into glucose (energy). As a result, a person may feel weak or fatigued and experience premature greying or thinning/loss of their hair.
Faster cell division occurs when there are high levels of both vitamin B12 & folic acid. Thus, additional oxygen is delivered to each cell which enables them to divide more rapidly & produce stronger cells. These cells can resist damage from free radicals, chemicals and physical trauma such as brushing/styling.
Without sufficient oxygenation of our cells, they cannot perform their functions properly. Therefore, a low RBC count will ultimately result in dryness of the hair follicles. Eventually, it will lead to faster hair loss or even alopecia (partial or complete baldness).
Let us delve deeper into the many benefits of Vitamin B12 for healthy hair:
Vitamin B12 Prevents Hair Loss
Vitamin B12 helps to limit hair loss. A study revealed that B-vitamin deficiencies, particularly vitamin B12 deficiency might cause your hair to fall out. The researchers also noted that people with hair loss problems were more likely to be deficient in vitamin B12 and biotin (Vitamin B7).
People who are deficient in vitamin B12 can suffer from anaemia, fatigue and other health issues apart from hair loss. Not including foods rich in vitamin B12 in your diet can aggravate hair loss symptoms. Still, baldness or hair loss is not always due to such deficiencies. You may also experience hair fall if you have certain digestive issues or are older than 50 years.
Vitamin B12 Encourages Hair Growth | Boosts Hair Growth
When it comes to promoting healthy hair growth and preventing hair loss, vitamin B12 is a crucial factor. This nutrient boosts hair growth and helps by maintaining a healthy RBC count. Without enough of these oxygen-carrying cells, your scalp is undernourished. This results in weak and brittle locks that fall out easily.
If you have noticed an increase in the amount of hair you are losing, it’s time to increase your intake of this essential vitamin. With more RBCs circulating through your body, there is less chance of experiencing premature greying or thinning due to poor circulation.
Moreover, vitamin B12 deficiency can cause a lot of problems. This can be caused by poor diet choices – like eating junk food instead of nutritious foods rich in nutrients like protein from soybeans!
Vitamin B12 Helps Keep Your Hair Moisturized
Do you suffer from dry, brittle hair? If so, vitamin B12 could be a game-changer for you.
The deficiency of this vital nutrient can cause dry and fragile hair. Research shows that supplementing with vitamin B12 helps reduce dryness and improve the look and feel of your hair. It also may help prevent your scalp from becoming dry.
The nutrient does this by helping to make melanin, the pigment responsible for giving our skin and hair their colour. Since it allows your body to produce healthy RBCs (red blood cells), these carry oxygen to the entire body – including your scalp – which helps keep it moisturised.
Vitamin B12 Makes Your Hair Stronger
Healthy doses of vitamin B12 strengthen your hair by helping your body absorb iron from food. Since iron is an important mineral for hair health, its better absorption makes a positive difference in your scalp. But, on the flip side, iron deficiency can lead to hair loss. This happens because the lack of iron slows down your body’s RBC production.
This, in turn, decreases the efficiency of oxygen delivery to your hair follicles. Iron also helps keep your hair follicles healthy. It’s worth noting that healthy hair grows faster than damaged hair, and you’re less likely to shed strands when it is in an overall good condition.
Vitamin B12 Helps Prevent Gray Hair
Another way that vitamin B12 helps you maintain a youthful appearance is by helping to prevent grey hair. As people age, grey hair and wrinkles are two of the most common cosmetic concerns. While there is no evidence that taking vitamin B12 can reverse greying hair once it has started, it still may help to prevent your hair from going grey in the first place.
Vitamin B12 supplements are available over-the-counter in drugstores and online, but you should never begin taking any kind of supplement without consulting with your doctor first.
Visit Amandeep Group of Hospitals for All Hair-Related Worries
As you can see, the importance of vitamin B12 cannot be understated. So, make sure to include foods like milk, yogurt, meat, eggs, beans, spinach, etc., to get this essential nutrient. Nevertheless, some hair problems can only be solved by a doctor.
Thus, If you or your loved ones are experiencing hair problems, consult a specialist right away. Do not delay checkups and identify the root cause of trouble. Thankfully, the hair transplant clinic at Amandeep Hospital provides world-class facilities to control hair-fall and other scalp-related diseases. In addition, our veteran surgeons and advanced surgical equipment will help you correctly diagnose and treat any problems.
Visit our facility or Book an appointment today!