Which B vitamins are valuable for hair?

The most important things in brief

• On average, each of us has around five million hairs on our bodies and at least 100,000 of them on our heads.
• A whole range of vitamins ensure that our hair stays healthy and supple.
• Because the hair is constantly exposed to bad external influences.
• But vitamin B is a real benefit for the hair.

What damages our hair? There are a number of factors to mention in this regard. For example, the influences that our environment has on us, the bad air in the cities is just as important as UV radiation. Both make the hair dry and brittle. In addition, we wash our hair too often or wrongly. One consequence of improper care can be hair loss. But the right B vitamins help keep our hair in good shape.

Unhealthy lifestyle stresses the hair

Caring for it with the wrong shampoos or unhealthy styling products does more damage to our hair than we would like. However, dry, brittle hair often has hormonal causes - or it can be traced back to an unhealthy lifestyle. Nicotine and alcohol, for example, are also harmful to the hair, as well as the stress we often expose ourselves to.

A lack of iron is also often the reason why our hair is brittle or even falls out. If we constantly feel tired and drained, this is often a warning signal to the body that there is an iron deficiency. The hair is usually affected later. But vitamin deficiencies are also harmful. If we don't take in enough vitamins that our hair needs, the consequences are similar to iron deficiency, stress, alcohol and nicotine: the hair becomes dry, brittle and falls out.

Vitamins for hair

In order for our hair to stay healthy and grow (an average of 0.3 millimeters every day), it not only needs minerals such as iron or zinc, but also many vitamins. In addition to the vitamins from the vitamin B complex, which we will discuss in more detail below, these are primarily vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin E.

While vitamin A strengthens hair, makes it supple and supports growth, vitamin C is more responsible for the scalp and its blood circulation. It also cooperates with iron and thus ensures a healthy metabolism at the hair roots. Vitamin D ensures that the hair follicle cycle runs smoothly and vitamin E not only strengthens the hair but also contributes to hair growth and protects against UV rays.

The right B vitamins for the hair

So to the group of B vitamins. Vitamin B5 in particular stands out here. It contributes to hair strengthening, ensures normal sebum production, regulates the metabolism in the hair root and inhibits scalp inflammation. Vitamins B3 and B6 work in a very similar way. Incidentally, vitamin B5 has the precursor D-panthenol, which is used in shampoos and strengthens the hair structure.

Vitamin B7 (also vitamin H or biotin) protects the hair and ensures the right shine, while preventing hair root inflammation and split ends. Vitamin B9 (folic acid) ensures that our hair grows back by promoting cell division.