Hair Loss and Vitamins

The B-Vitamin Family

Hair loss and vitamins especially in the B family have some relation that you may not have realized before. Vitamins are essential not only to our body but to our hair as well. Lack or excess of it will have its corresponding effect to our scalp, hair follicles and hair strands. One of the most important vitamins that should be part of our diet is Vitamin B.

Vitamin B however is not a single vitamin like vitamin C or D, that’s why it is most often called as B Vitamins. It is a group of eight water-soluble vitamins that plays a significant role in our cell metabolism. These eight vitamins are more popularly known as Vitamin B complex.

Let's now learn about hair loss and vitamins from the B family.

Vitamin B1

Vitamin B1 or Thiamine is a white crystal-like vitamin that can be found on the surface of rice and other grains.
It supports our nervous system and thus deficiency can lead to nervous disorders and to the disease called beriberi.

Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2 or Riboflavin keeps our skin healthy and can be obtained from green vegetables, fish, milk, egg yolk, kidney and liver of chicken, pork and beef.
Vitamin B2 deficiency or medically called ariboflavinosis can be manifested through a crack or swollen lips, inflammation of the tongue (glossitis), seborrheic dermatitis and oral mucosa among others.

Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 or Niacin reduces our cholesterol level by helping our body to process fats, neutralizes our blood sugar and plays a vital role in the genetic processes of our cells and energy production.
Mushroom, tuna, salmon, chicken breast, asparagus are good sources of this vitamin.
While scarcity of vitamin B3 will cause muscle weakness, skin infections, loss of appetite and digestive problems.

Vitamin B5

Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic acid supports the production of red blood cells, aids metabolism, helps resist allergies and releases energy from fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
This vitamin can be derived from lean meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, whole grain cereals and royal jellies.
Deficiency in Vitamin B5 is very rare since we only need 4-7 milligrams of this vitamin daily, though a short supply of this vitamin results to headache, nausea, numbness, fatigue, acne/skin infection, muscle weakness and cramps.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine/Pyridoxal/Pyridoxamine is needed for the proper function of our nervous and immune systems.
It is also necessary for the metabolism of our red blood cells.
Foods that are high sources of this vitamin are fish, chicken, eggs, carrots, banana, avocado, brown rice and whole grains.
Shortage of this vitamin will cause mood swings, depression, anemia, nausea, dermatitis and hypertension.

Vitamin B7

Vitamin B7 or Biotin maintains and promotes the good health of our hair and skin, converts fats, proteins and carbohydrates to energies and controls the appropriate level of our blood’s sugar.
Not having enough Biotin might lead to dry scalp, hair loss, dermatitis and neurological disorder in infants.
As you can see here, hair loss and vitamins B7 are closely related considering the issues that can occur with a deficiency of this one.

Vitamin B9

Vitamin B9 or Folic Acid/Folate is crucial for the development and protection of new cells.
This vitamin is especially important to pregnant women and new born babies since it is in this stage where rapid cell growth occurs.
We can obtain folate in green leafy vegetables, broccoli, mushroom, asparagus and in dry beans and peas.
We need folic acid to prevent anemia, diarrhea, appetite/weight loss and birth defects in babies.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 or Cobalamin is the largest and most complex than any of the Vitamin B complex because only bacteria can synthesize it unlike other B vitamins that can be easily synthesized thru biochemical compounds.
It helps in the formation of red blood cells, bone marrow and has an important function in DNA synthesis.
An insufficiency of this vitamin can bring anemia, memory loss and other cognitive deficits, weakness and loss of balance.

Whew! Hair loss and vitamins from the B family should now be covered.

Don’t worry about the excess B vitamins for it is regularly excreted through our urine but you should be more cautious about the deficiencies. Vitamin B deficiency has greater impact than any other vitamins because it affects the whole body.

It is also the major cause of a temporary or permanent hair loss. The effects include hair sensitivity as having weak/brittle hair, dry and itchy scalp and susceptibility to dandruff. Insufficient Vitamin B will reduce the blood and oxygen supply to the hair and thus results to temporary hair loss. It can only be restored once we have learned to provide ourselves with proper nutrition.

As you can see hair loss and vitamins in the B family are deeply related.