Written By Taiwo Kazeem
Foods and Vitamins That Promote Hair Growth in 2025
Vitamins play a crucial role in supporting hair growth and overall hair health, just as they do for the rest of your body. Whether you’re dealing with thinning hair or want to prevent it in the future, boosting your intake of hair-healthy vitamins can make a noticeable difference.
In this article, we discuss vitamins for hair growth, food for hair growth, and vitamin deficiencies that cause hair loss.
Ready to take your hair health to the next level in 2025? Let’s get started.
What Vitamin Deficiency Causes Hair Loss?
B vitamins, vitamin D, and iron deficiency are amongst those that can cause hair loss. Below, we discuss how deficiency of these vitamins causes hair loss:
Biotin
Although there is not a lot of research in this area, some researchers have linked hair thinning and loss to a deficiency in Biotin. Biotin (also known as Vitamin B7) aids in the production of keratin, a protein found in the hair. Luckily, Biotin deficiency is rare, and in most cases, genetic or linked to factors like pregnancy and breastfeeding.
If you are Biotin deficient, foods like sweet potato, eggs, salmons, beef, milk, bananas, liver. can help raise your Biotin levels. You can also make do with a biotin supplement on recommendation of your physician. That said, taking Biotin supplements when not Biotin deficient may not change much about your hair health.
Folic Acid (Folate) and Vitamin B12
Folate or folic acid (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12 help improve the production of protein in the body by generating new cells, a component that is vital to and for hair growth. Apart from that, vitamin B12 aids the production of red blood cells, which transport nutrient to hair follicles.
When deficient in vitamin B12 and Folic acid, you may experience hair loss, besides more prominent symptoms. Thankfully, you can get folate from cereals, fruits and vegetables and vitamin B12 from milk, yoghurt, salmon and liver. You can also get them from supplements.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D requires exposure to sunlight for activation. So, deficiency may stem from low exposure to sunlight through chronically staying indoors, using too much sunscreen. You may also become deficient if you do not consume foods that contains vitamin D.
Deficiency in vitamin D can lead to hair loss, but you can get supplements to improve this. You can also get vitamin D from fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, and salmon.
Iron
Iron contributes to the creation of the red blood cells/ haemoglobin in the body, and this distributes oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia. In turn, anemia can contribute to hair loss as it leads to insufficient delivery of oxygen and nutrients needed for hair growth.
You can improve your iron levels by consuming foods, including eggs, chicken, spinach, sweet potatoes, beans and beef. You may also speak with your doctor about iron supplements.
What Are Good Vitamins for Hair Growth?
Besides iron, folic acid, biotin, and vitamin D, good vitamins for hair growth include vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin E, and so on. Here’s more information about the effects of these vitamins in boosting hair growth:
Before getting a supplement, ensure you speak with a doctor first.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A helps boost cell production and in extension hair growth. It also helps in the secretion of sebum that keeps the hair moisturized and possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that prevent extreme drying and hair breakage.
That said, excess Vitamin A can also lead to hair loss. So, unless there is a confirmed case of vitamin A deficiency, avoid the supplements and just eat vitamin A-rich food.
You can get vitamin A in foods like kale, yoghurt, carrots, sweet potatoes, egg, pumpkin, broccoli and milk.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the powerhouses in skin and hair care. It has antioxidant effects that help fight free radicals that otherwise would be harmful to the hair. It also encourages the production of collagen and by extension keratin essential for and to the hair.
Major food sources for vitamin C are citrus fruits, red bell peppers, strawberries, and papaya.
B Vitamins
B vitamins include vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12, and each one of them plays a part in improving overall health. Vitamin B7 (Biotin), B9 (Folic acid), and B12, as earlier discussed, are highly significant in promoting hair growth. Niacin (vitamin B3) is also huge for hair growth.
You can readily get B-vitamin supplements. However, you can also eat foods such as nuts, eggs, avocadoes and vegetables or invest in hair products that contain these nutrients.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is responsible for tissue and hair growth and can improve hair lustre. It comes in various forms that are all just as helpful from topical creams to supplements and foods like broccoli and almonds.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, but you can also get them from sources like fish oil supplements. It helps promote healthier and denser hair.
Zinc
Zinc plays a part in the body’s overall health and immunity, including hair health. Zinc deficiency has been linked to alopecia and some other forms of hair loss. Incorporate foods like garlic, yoghurt, and spinach to have a healthy zinc balance.
Food for Hair Growth
Foods that can contribute your hair growth include eggs, berries, oysters, avocados, fatty fish, meat, and so on. We describe some of these foods below:
Eggs
Eggs are revered for being a good source of biotin and protein, but they also contribute selenium and zinc to your health. An added advantage is the yolk being a primary source of vitamin D. Alternatives for vegans include foods like almonds, hazel nuts and red lentils, which provide protein needed for hair production.
Berries and Citrus
Berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries) contain vitamin C and have strong antioxidant abilities that protect the hair from free radicals and aid the absorption of iron that delivers oxygen to hair follicles.
Citrus also contains a healthy amount of vitamin C and additionally helps encourage collagen production essential to hair growth.
Oysters
Oysters are the primary source of zinc on this list. They have regenerative effects that can promote hair growth and give you healthy glowing hair.
Food rich in zinc is recommended over zinc supplements because you may exceed the upper-level intake when taking supplements. Either way, moderation is key as having too much zinc can be bad for you. Besides zinc, oysters offer iron.
Spinach
Spinach, kale, arugula and other related vegetables are loaded with vitamins A and C, iron and folate all of which have been detailed to be excellent for hair growth. However, be cautious as too much vitamin A may cause your hair to start thinning.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Besides omega-3, you can also get vitamins B, D3 and protein from consuming them.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene, which is in turn converted to vitamin A, an essential nutrient for hair growth.
Avocados
Avocados are versatile and very nutritious. They provide vitamin E, which fight free radicals and contribute to hair health.
Nuts
Nuts, including cashews, almonds, and walnuts, contain a host of nutrients from vitamin E, vitamin B, Zinc, fatty acids, and biotin. Collectively, they have antioxidant effects and contribute to hair health. They can be eaten as snacks or made into hair oil to moisturize the scalp.
Peppers
Peppers, especially bell peppers, contain vitamin C, which has antioxidant effects and promotes iron absorption. They also contain vitamin A, which helps with sebum production helping to keep hair luscious.
Legumes
Legumes, including beans and lentils, serve as an essential source of protein, zinc, biotin, iron, and folate, which aid hair growth, repair, and prevent breakage. Legumes are also an excellent choice for a vegan’s source of proteins.
Meat
Meat, especially red meat, is a rich source of protein and iron. While iron forms the part of blood cells that helps transfer oxygen and nutrients to the hair, protein forms the structure of hair and helps prevent brittleness and breakage. However, be cautious as too much red meat may be harmful to the body.
Final Thoughts
You can improve your hair growth by optimizing your diet and raising your vitamin intake. That said, factors like lifestyle and genetics also play a part in your hair health, and you need to consider them too.