Should You Take Prenatal Vitamins Strictly For Hair Growth
Prenatal supplements are definitely teeming with beneficial ingredients that promote the growth and health of your hair.
A common question that has surfaced lately is if you should take these prenatal vitamins just to help your hair.
If youre not thinking of getting pregnant, already are pregnant, or are nursing an infant, supplementing with a prenatal vitamin may not be in your best interest.
These supplements are specifically designed to meet the increased nutrient needs to support a growing fetus.
During pregnancy, your daily requirement for vitamins and minerals goes up compared to when youre not expecting.
Some of these ingredients are not healthy to take in high doses and could lead to adverse side effects.
For instance, Vitamin A could be toxic to the liver if you take excess amounts.
Another mineral that may cause concern is iron.
If you get more iron than you need, it could lead to vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation.
Youre much safer off taking a specific supplement or multivitamin that has your recommended daily amount, as opposed to an expecting mother.
Healthy food sources that contain these nutrients are always a good way to go, as well!
Add these foods into your diet to benefit hair growth and health:
- Salmon
- Yellow peppers
- Oysters
- Eggs
- Sweet potatoes
- Sunflower seeds
- Almonds
- Greek yogurt
- Oatmeal
- Guava
- Lentils
- Barley
- Halibut
- Shellfish
What Vitamins Minerals And Nutrients Make Hair Grow Faster
So what should you do for super healthy hair and nails? Well, taking vitamins and minerals for women can help. It can also help to take supplements that were created for stronger nails and hair regeneration. Most of them contain the same nutrients found in prenatal vitamins, only the dosages are suited for a non-pregnant woman:
- Omega-3 fatty acids contribute to a healthy formation of the brain in the child. And in preventing perinatal depression. When it comes to hair care, these fatty acids boost hair growth and luster.
- Copper helps form the babys skeleton, muscles, and blood cells. In haircare, it stimulates hair follicles, keeping hair nourished and strong.
- Zinc is linked to the healthy weight of the baby at birth. Healthy zinc levels prevent preterm births. Zinc also repairs the hair, balances the oil glands in the scalp, and boosts growth.
- Iron is involved in creating new blood cells. Healthy circulation is beneficial to both pregnant women, as well as women who want beautiful locks.
- Calcium keeps the bones strong and is involved in the health of the cardiovascular system. It also keeps nails and hair strong.
- Folic acid is associated with the healthy neuronal development of the fetus. Its also responsible for new cell regeneration, hence it could boost hair growth.
- Vitamin D helps support the immune function during pregnancy. But its also linked to keeping hair follicles healthy. Healthy follicles = strong hair.
Do Prenatal Vitamins Help Hair Growth
Although theres a correlation between prenatal vitamin consumption and hair growth during pregnancy, that doesnt necessarily mean that prenatals cause hair growth.
However, a 2018 study found that women may experience thicker nails during pregnancy. Interestingly, there was no difference in the growth rate of nailsonly nail thickness. This indicates that since pregnancy hormones impact nail thickness, they may similarly impact hair thickness.
Overall, research doesnt support the idea that prenatals will help your hair grow. However, a diet rich in vitamins A, C, D, E, B vitamins, iron, and zinc very well could!
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Best Prenatal Vitamin For Hair Loss
One of the best over-the-counter prenatal vitamins for hair loss is Feed Mom & Me Complete Prenatal with DHA. It is backed with all the vitamins and minerals needed for healthy hair growth.
This prenatal supplement is formulated by an OBGYN & Registered Dietitian, containing all the nutrients needed to conceive and during pregnancy. Each small and easy-to-swallow pill is packed with 22 vital natural nutrients to provide nutritional support for you and your growing baby. It contains Vitamin A, B Complex, Vitamin C, D, E, Iron, Zinc, Calcium, and Selenium.
The vegetarian formula is free of artificial colors or flavors, chemicals, preservatives, non-GMO, dairy, soy, or gluten-free. Adding to that, it is a women-owned company. Who better than a female would understand pregnancy!
Are Prenatals A Good Option Or Is There Something Better For Thinning Hair
Women often add prenatal vitamins to their daily vitamin regimen when they are looking to boost hair growth. Prenatals can be a good option for increasing certain nutrients in the body, and they are usually safe for most women to take. However, there are better supplement solutions for both men and women looking to stop hair thinning.
One of the leading causes of hair loss is androgenic alopecia, or male and female pattern hair loss. Men and women with this common condition can suffer from DHT sensitivity, which shrinks your hair follicles and eventually causes permanent hair loss. Several factors aside from DHT sensitivity are at play in this condition, including inflammation and scalp infection. Thus, boosting your intake of nutrients like zinc, iron, and folate can be helpful, but it will not reverse the effects of androgenic alopecia and other hair loss conditions.
To counter hair loss, you need to take a supplement that contains all of the essential nutrients for hair growth support, plus anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, and DHT blockers. Examples of agents that offer these attributes include Canadian willowherb, procyanidin B2, and alfalfa extract.
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Is It Safe To Take Prenatal Vitamins For Hair Growth
The primary problem with women taking prenatal vitamins for hair growth when they arent pregnant is that, unlike women who are growing a baby and who will benefit from the additional nutritional support, our bodies dont actually need the higher amounts of certain vitamins and minerals that prenatal vitamins provide.
And in some instances, like in the case of iron, prenatal vitamins could do more harm than good and even lead to toxicity if they are consumed in excessthis risk extends to pregnant women, too. Taking too much iron for too long a period, especially over the age of 50, can result in side effects such as stomach pain, nausea and liver complications. Keep in mind, however, that not all prenatal vitamins contain iron, so always read the labels and consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet or adding any new supplements.
The fact of the matter is that most women who arent pregnant are able to get sufficient levels of the nutrients they need through a healthy and well-balanced diet. And a regular multivitamin is more than capable of filling any food gaps in your diet for your hair health and beyond.
Best Prenatal Vitamins For Hair Growth Pills Results Reviews
What are the best prenatal vitamins for hair growth? Do the prenatal vitamins for hair growth really work? Find out more about taking prenatal vitamins for hair growth, whether you can use prenatal pills when not pregnant and how to use prenatal vitamins for hair growth.
Prenatal vitamins create a weighty debate on whether they should be used for hair growth or not. While they are supposed to be for women who want to conceive or those who are already pregnant, other women who are not in these categories still buy them anyway. Women who use them to promote hair growth also do not unanimously agree on the results. Some are for the opinion that they do not make hair grow.
On the other hand, other women believe that they do stimulate hair growth. So whom should we believe? Through my research, I have come to my own conclusions on this hot debate and am going to share them with you shortly. For women who have used prenatal vitamins for hair growth and have actually worked, what are some of the best brands they used? Lets discover that in a bit as well.
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Whats In Prenatal Vitamins That Make Your Hair Grow
Prenatal vitamins have the same nutrients as multi-vitamins with a few exceptions. Despite the fact that different brands and formulations of multi-vitamins differ, prenatal vitamins generally include important elements such as Calcium, Iron, and Folic Acid.
Prenatal vitamins usually include Calcium, Iron, and Folic Acid in addition to other vitamins and minerals. Hair growth supplements may include Biotin, Iron, and Vitamin C. Biotin , Vitamin C, Iron, Zinc, Niacin Millet Seed Extract Flax Seed Extract
The other hot topic is biotin. Biotin, commonly known as vitamin B-7, works to support the metabolism of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. This is why biotin is sometimes referred to as hair food. Unless youre vegan, biotin deficiency is unusual. When it comes to the role of biotin in hair loss
Prenatal Vitamins For Hair Growth When Not Pregnant Vs Biotin
A frequently asked question is, “Are prenatal vitamins safe if you are not pregnant?”
Pregnant women take prenatal vitamins to ensure they are supplying their baby with enough vitamins and minerals. If you are not pregnant, you may not need to take prenatal vitamins because most of the required nutrients will come from your diet.
Taking prenatal vitamins for hair growth when not pregnant comes with its own share of pros and cons.
Even if they are not pregnant, women take prenatal vitamins to improve their hair and nails as you may have seen in our prenatal vitamins hair growth before & after hair growth photos article.
Prenatal vitamins consist of specific nutrients such as folic acid, iron, and calcium. These vitamins can improve your hair strength and improve symptoms of alopecia.
Even if you are not pregnant, you should not take prenatal vitamins to get the required amount of folate in your body. Some even try adding pregnancy vitamins in shampoo for faster hair growth, which isn’t an effective method.
You can try consuming foods that are naturally rich in folates. Some foods rich in folates are green leafy vegetables and breakfast cereals.
An overdose of folic acid may not do you much harm. Still, prenatal vitamins are exceptionally high in iron, and accumulating too much of it inside our bodies can sometimes become toxic. It can cause many adverse side effects like stomach aches, fatigue, and weight loss.
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Can Prenatal Vitamins Support Hair Health
The short answer is yes, but thats not what theyre intended to do. Prenatal vitamins are multivitamins with added ingredients to support a growing baby. Prenatal vitamins are specifically formulated to support a healthy pregnancy, not hair health. That being said, hair healthincluding hair thickness, color, and strength is somewhat impacted by diet and nutrition overall. Micronutrients play an important, but not entirely clear, role in normal hair follicle development and immune cell function. Certain vitamins and minerals are beneficial for maintaining different properties in the body, including hair, skin and nails.
How Do You Buy The Best Prenatal For Hair Growth
- Is it worth buying an prenatal for hair growth?
- What benefits are there with buying an prenatal for hair growth?
- What factors deserve consideration when shopping for an effective prenatal for hair growth?
- Why is it crucial to invest in any prenatal for hair growth, much less the best one?
- Which prenatal for hair growth are good in the current market?
- Where can you find information like this about prenatal for hair growth?
buying guides for prenatal for hair growth
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Which Prenatals Are The Best For Hair Growth
Which prenatals are the best for hair growth? DHA is useful to support healthy brain and eye development of the fetus. It can give you 100 percent of the daily recommended value of folic acid. This can be consumed before, during, and even after pregnancy. This multivitamin also promotes hair growth and helps to make your hair lustrous.
What prenatal vitamins are best for hair growth? Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin thats a part of the vitamin B family. Its also known as vitamin H. Your body needs biotin to help convert certain nutrients into energy. It also plays an important role in the health of your hair, skin, and nails.
Is biotin or Prenatals better for hair growth? So Biotin is the winner in the biotin vs prenatal vitamins for hair growth battle if youre not with baby. If we compare biotin with prenatal vitamins, you should definitely go with the former. Taking multivitamins regularly will help you get the required amount of nutrients in your body.
What is the best vitamin for hair growth? One of the best known vitamins for hair growth is a B vitamin called biotin. Studies link biotin deficiency with hair loss in humans . Although biotin is used as an alternative hair loss treatment, those who are deficient have the best results.
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Folic Acid For Hair: Benefits And How To Use It
Hair growth is one of the few perks people recall when looking back at their first pregnancies, and typically estrogen is claimed to be the culprit. Though recently, experts have been speculating if folic acid, or folate, plays a part in the equation. Folate levels are typically increased during pregnancy to enhance their baby’s neural tube development. But it turns out, folic acid has a ton of perks for our hair, too. Recently, claims have been made linking folic acid to hair perks like volume, growth, shine, and the prevention of graying and thinning.
But do you have to be pregnant to reap the benefits? Signs indicate no. As of late, a number of vitamins and supplements have hit the market promising to increase your folic acid intake. But there’s some disagreement within the dermatological community surrounding their legitimacy.
Meet the Expert
- William Gaunitz is a certified trichologist and the founder of Advanced Trichology.
- Dr. Joshua Zeichner is a board-certified dermatologist practicing in New York City.
- Ginger King is a cosmetic chemist, owner of product development firm Grace Kingdom Beauty, and founder of lip care brand Fan Love Beauty.
Keep reading to find out about the benefits of folic acid for hair.
Folic Acid For Hair
Type of Ingredient: A water-soluble Vitamin B Supplement
Works Well With: Folic acid works with a range of other vitamins and supplements .
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