Shiny and voluminous hair is not only a sign of beauty but also speak volumes about the good health. However, maintaining them is not an easy task. The health condition of your hair depends on various nutrients, which are used by your body for their growth and repair.

To help you keep your hair healthy, we have drawn up a list of some of the best vitamins for hair growth.

Vitamin A
An important vitamin for proper hair growth is the vitamin A. It contains antioxidant properties that help in keeping the scalp moisturized by the production of sebum. Sebum is a natural oil made by the skin glands which makes your hair glossy. Vitamin A offers faster hair growth and sufficient thickness.

Vitamin A rich foods include:

• Egg yolk
• Sweet potatoes
• Milk
• Spinach
• Mangoes
• Carrots
• Dried apricots

Niacin (Vitamin B3)
One of the 8 B vitamins, niacin is a necessary nutrient that is required for proper functioning of the body. Its chemical composition (nicotinamide) helps to improve skin function. Niacin ingested orally or applied to the scalp protects the scalp and hair from damage caused by sun/UV rays exposure. It makes your hair less brittle and provides more luster.

Foods to eat for vitamin B3 deficiency:

• Tuna
• Mushrooms
• Avocados
• Turkey

Biotin (Vitamin B7, Vitamin H)
A part of the vitamin B family, biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that is also known as the hair growth vitamin, vitamin H. A part of the vitamin B family. This vitamin works to complement hair growth by activating the amino acids and fats that are essential for maintaining the structure of the hair protein keratin.

A deficiency of this vitamin can lead to hair loss and sparse growth. Research has shown that intake of biotin coupled with an external application made hair grow back in areas where hair shedding had taken place. Biotin can be found in many foods like:

• Nuts – almonds, walnuts
• Mushrooms
• Eggs
• Bananas
• Cauliflower
• Salmon
• Raspberries
• Soybean

Folic Acid (Vitamin B9, Folate)
Folic acid plays a vital role in the metabolism and breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, helping in the absorption of essential nutrients in your body. Folate is thus pivotal in providing proper nutrition to the hair follicles, thereby maintaining the shine and giving more volume to your hair.

Vitamin B12
Another important hair growth vitamin from the vitamin B family is the vitamin B 12. This vitamin aids in the production of red blood cells, which act as carriers of oxygen and essential nutrients to the hair follicles in the scalp. The process plays an important role in the promotion of cell division and growth. B12 is also important for the absorption of iron, which is why it prevents hair loss.

Foods high in B12 vitamin are:

• Cheese
• Yogurt
• Milk
• Whey powder

Vitamin C
Free radicals are molecule species that are highly unstable and reactive. Their chemical composition gives them the freedom to exist independently in the body, free to synthesize with chemicals to either turn into oxidants or reductants. They damage and alter other important molecular structures in the body like DNA, lipids, and proteins. This causes aging.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which can fight this oxidation chain reaction that leads to graying hair. Vitamin C is, therefore, one of the best vitamins for hair growth. In your war against aging hair, foods to load up on are:

• Brussel sprouts
• Lemon
• Strawberries
• Red peppers
• Grapefruit
• Oranges
• Guava
• Kale
• Broccoli

Vitamin D
This vitamin is responsible for regulating the calcium and phosphate concentration in your body, the process is called as calcium homeostasis. It is mostly synthesized by a chemical reaction in the body which is triggered in the presence of sunlight and is not dependent on your diet alone. It is technically not a vitamin but a hormone. As hair follicles are known to be highly sensitive to hormones, a vitamin D deficiency leads to loss of hair in big and overlapping patches (alopecia areata).

The best way to make up for any deficiency of vitamin D is to sit in the sun for 10-15 minutes. In this time duration, your body is able to absorb up to 10,000 units of this vitamin. Additionally, a topical application of vitamin D helps generate faster hair growth.

Foods rich in vitamin D include:

• Halibut
• Eel, mackerel, and swordfish
• Maitake and portabella mushrooms

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another antioxidant compound that works in a way that is similar to how vitamin D operates in the body. It is vital to the process of building and repairing of hair tissue. As an add-on, it also stimulates blood circulation that helps maintain scalp health. So, vitamin E not only helps fight loss of hair aging of hair but also locks in the moisture keeping the hair supple.

High vitamin E content foods are:

• Sesame seeds
• Peanuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Dry herbs

Vitamins are an essential nutrient that we must incorporate into our daily food intake. If you suffer from any pre-existing conditions, consult your doctor before you take any of these best vitamins for hair growth.