The Essential Hair Nutrition For Healthy Hair
Mar 9, 2020
Introduction
We are what we eat. This means that the nutrition we get from food (or health supplement) is the main contributor to our health and beauty. Focusing on hair, do you know that many hair problems are because of hair nutrition deficiency? Following is the signs indicating your hair is having nutritional deficiency:
- Hair loss
- Hair thinning
- Dry hair
- Dull hair
- Brittle hair
- Premature greying of hair
The hair follicle cells have an active metabolism, which requires ranges of nutrients to ensure new hair formation and healthy, strong hair growth. Let’s take a look at the essential hair nutrition list!
Protein
The hair strand majorly consists of protein. Low or inadequate protein intake from food affects the entire hair growth cycle, resulting in hair problems. The new hair is unable to grow normally because not getting sufficient building blocks to form the hair. On the other hand, the growing hair becomes weak, dull, dry, thin, brittle, easily split and fall off. Among all proteins, L-cysteine has shown numerous positive improvements in promoting healthy hair growth and reducing hair loss. It is especially necessary to provide strength and rigidity to hair keratin as the basic building block and increase growth factors in hair growth.
Vitamin C
This nutrient is good for skin, immune health, and also necessary for your hair! It is essential for collagen synthesis and cross-linkage of hair keratin fibers in hair formation. Not enough vitamin C in the body decreased the keratin cross-linkage, ended up giving the “corkscrew hair” appearance.
Vitamin B Groups
These including Vitamin B3 (nicotinamide), Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and Vitamin B7 (biotin). All are to improve hair nutrition and increase hair follicle metabolism.
Minerals
Sufficient hair minerals play a similar role as the vitamins, i.e. provide nourish to growing hair. These minerals are zinc, iron, and copper. Zinc is needed by many enzymes in body functions, including acting as the enzyme activator for hair building. Iron essential for hair building and growing rate; deficiency impaired keratin production, which makes the hair thin and brittle. Copper is crucial for the crosslinking between keratin fiber which then keeps the hair strong.
Herbs
There are many alternative herbal ingredients used in managing hair issues. One of the popular herbs is named Horsetail extract. Its extraction contains silica, which is for healthy hair growth, hair texture and restores natural shine of hair tone. Some even said the Horsetail extract might also prevent the premature greying of hair.
No matter you are having any hair problem or wish to have healthy hair, you should replenish yourself with the essential hair nutrition starting today! This can revitalize your hair strand from within for stronger, healthier and shiny hair.
References
- Finner AM. 2013. Nutrition and Hair: Deficiencies and Supplements. Dermatol Clin Vol 31: 167-172.
- Goldberg LJ & Lenzy Y. 2010. Nutrition and Hair. Clinics in Dermatology Vol 28: 412-419.