The top vitamins for hair health are:

Vitamin A

Zinc

Biotin

Iron

Folic Acid

Saw Palmetto

Vitamin A

Have you ever wondered why vitamins are called A through K? The discovery of vitamins began amere century ago with the discovery of vitamin A in 1912. Scientists decided to name vitamins using the letters of the alphabet. They did not realize at that stage that vitamin A, and many of the other vitamins, were composed of more than one compound. Vitamin A consists of two groups of compounds called retinoids and carotenoids. Retinoids include retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid. Carotenoids include alpha carotene, beta-carotene, and a host of other carotenes. It is important to realize that the different forms of vitamin A serve different functions, and that beta-carotene is the form of vitamin that supports strong hair growth. Carotenoids are found in plant sources, and retinoids in animal sources. Your body can convert carotenoids into retinoids if there is a shortage of retinoids. It is therefore important for hair growth to ensure you get plenty of the right form of vitamin A in the form of beta carotene. In a study done on vitamin A, researchers found that high levels of vitamin A signals and activates hair follicles in mice and, therefore, may be beneficial in supporting healthy hair growth. The Hair Skin & Nails Plus Formula by Douglas Laboratories provides you with 15,000 IU of vitamin A to promote strong healthy hair growth. You need about 3000 IU of vitamin A per day to support and promote health. Although a lack of vitamin A is rare, there are a number of other reasons why you need to ensure you get sufficient vitamin A. Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene can decrease your risks of developing various different types of cancer. Vitamin A may also play a large role in preventing macular degeneration.

Biotin Hair Benefits

When you look at hair supplements, most of them contain large amounts of the vitamin B group of vitamins, including biotin, vitamins B1, B12, B3, B6, and B9. Biotin, also called CoenzymeR or vitamin H, is one of the B group vitamins and is vital for supporting numerous functions within the body. One of the most important functions of biotin is supporting blood sugar balance. Biotin is also invaluable for supporting your skin, hair, and nails. Biotin keeps skin and hair moist and supple because biotin plays a role in building healthy fats in the hair and skin. A lack of biotin often results in skin rashes and disorders. You can tell if you are lacking in biotin if you are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms:

Foods that contain Biotin

Peanuts
Tomatoes
Eggs
Onions

Carrots
Cauliflower
Oats
Sweet Potatoes

Biotin deficiencies are rare, so there is no RDA set for biotin, but it is important to differentiate between minimum daily requirements and what you need for health. RDA values are often determined by working at the minimum requirements, and not the amounts needed for optimal health. The Hair Skin & Nails Plus Formula by Dr. Wilson's Original Formulations contains 400 mcg of biotin designed to support supple, moist hair.

Folic Acid

If your hair is thin, or it grows really slowly compared to others, then you may need to investigate whether you need Folate. Folate, also known as folic acid or vitamin B9, plays a very essential role in supporting the production of new cells, particularly red blood cells. A lack of Folate can show up as thin hair or hair that grows very slowly, since Folate regulates the speed at which your hair grows and how thick your hair is. Folate, like foliage, is found abundantly in green leafy vegetables. You can get Folate from the following:

Zinc

If your hair is thinning, or you are struggling with hair loss, then your levels of zinc may be too low. Zinc is responsible for the production of new cells, it is needed to support the immune system, and it supports healthy hair. A lack of zinc can have serious consequences for your overall health and your body, including your hair and skin. A lack of zinc will affect your immune system, leaving you susceptible to infections. It will affect the health of your skin, and it may even affect your vision. You need at least between 11 mg and 13 mg of zinc on a daily basis to help meet your body’s requirements for zinc. One of the main symptoms of zinc deficiency is the loss of hair, so, if you are losing hair, then a lack of zinc could be the culprit. Zinc does not only affect hair and skin, but can affect the immune system, the reproductive system, and vision. The role of zinc in supporting healthy hair is still uncertain, but scientists believe that zinc is vital for supporting the protein structures that are found in the hair follicles. When these follicles are strong, hair that grows is strong and healthy, but when the follicles are weak, the hair is thinner and weaker. Zinc supplementation may also restore hair color, in certain cases. Dull gray hair often regains some of its prior beautiful color due to zinc supplementation. DNA production is also vital for supporting healthy hair growth, since new hair cells are constantly produced to support hair growth, and zinc is vital for healthy DNA production and cell division. The Hair/Skin/Nails Ultra Formula by Pure Encapsulations provides 30 mg of zinc, designed to support and promote optimal hair growth.

Iron

According to WebMD, a lack of iron has been linked to hair loss, so, if you are losing hair, perhaps your iron levels are low. Iron is vital for transporting oxygen around the body via the red blood cells, and it plays a role in the energy production cycle of the body. That is why individuals who lack iron are often tired and fatigued.
Healthy iron metabolism and iron levels are essential for overall health and, if you suspect you are low in iron, then you should see your physician, since supplements high in iron could be dangerous under certain circumstances. A supplement that contains smaller amounts of iron as part of a general multivitamin or as part of a hair supplement may, however, be considered safe.

If you want to add more iron to your diet, then you should eat:

The National Institutes of Health sets the recommended daily allowance of iron depending on your age and gender. Teenagers require the most iron and require between 11 mg and 15 mg of iron daily. Adults require between 8 mg and 18 mg of iron, with individuals over 51 requiring about 8 mg of iron per day.
Iron is not only needed for hair growth, but is responsible for supporting the entire body. Without breathing you cannot survive and, without breathing, your cells can’t survive, either. Your cells use the breathing process to produce energy for you to support cellular function and to support cellular replication. Since the hair requires millions of new cells to support growth, cellular energy plays a vital role in supporting hair growth.

Saw Palmetto

It’s not exactly a vitamin, but recent research shows that Saw palmetto is also excellent for supporting and promoting hair growth and health. Saw palmetto is an extract from the fruit of the Serenoa repens plant. Saw palmetto is a fan palm that is indigenous to the United States, growing in coastal regions, like the Gulf coastal regions and the Atlantic coast. Saw palmetto has been used for centuries by the North American Indians and the Mayans for its potential health benefits. The Mayans drank the berries’ juice as a tonic, and the Seminoles revered the plant for the health benefits in the berries of the plant. Modern science has started to study saw palmetto for its potential health benefits for a number of systems, from prostate health to supporting healthy hair and skin. In one study, researchers studied the effects of saw palmetto in individuals suffering from male pattern baldness and found that the hair count in test subjects increased between weeks 12 and 24. Therefore, saw palmetto may be beneficial in supporting hair growth. The Hair Skin & Nails Plus Formula by Douglas Laboratories is a comprehensive blend of beneficial nutrients and herbal extracts designed to support and promote healthy hair growth.

Saw palmetto is not the only herbal extract that has benefits for healthy hair, either. Herbal extracts that may be beneficial for supporting healthy hair include:

Hair Supplements and Vitamins

It is important to start seeing your body as a whole. Ill health or a loss of condition in one area of your body can often be a sign of poor health in more than one system of the body. Your body is talking to you through your skin, eyes, hair, and nails. Don’t ignore brittle nails, dry or brittle hair, or loss of hair. They are often indications of deficiencies. When you ignore deficiencies, you can end up with chronic and even life-threatening health conditions. The sad fact is that many of the “modern” health conditions we face today, like cardiovascular disease and diabetes, may be prevented with nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and the right diet. A good multivitamin should be a part of everyone’s diet to ensure you get the optimal amounts of nutrients. A good supplement designed to support and promote hair may also be a vital tool in supporting your hair, skin, and nails.