What ingredients do you want in your Hair Skin and Nails Vitamins?
Everyone wants their hair, skin, and nails to look great on a daily basis – but just what vitamin and supplement ingredients are the best for hair skin and nails?
In this article, we will break down some top ingredients to look for to find a great hair skin and nails supplement, just what those ingredients help with, and how much you need.
Vitamins and Supplements for Hair:
Vitamin A: Necessary for healthy cell growth and rapidly replicating cells.
Aim for 700-900mcg retinol equivalents daily.
Biotin (Vitamin B7): Not getting enough Biotin can cause hair losses.
Get 30-100mcg daily through food, or take in supplement form up to 5,000mcg.
Vitamin B12: Deficiency may lead to premature hair loss and greying.
The RDA is 2.4mcg daily, although supplements normally have much higher doses up to 5,000mcg due to difficulty getting into your system.
Vitamin C: Increased collagen production and proper Iron absorption.
Men need 90mg daily, and women need 75mg daily.
Vitamin D: Needed for healthy hair growth and may help create new hair follicles. The recommended daily intake for adults is at least 600iu.
Vitamin E: Potent antioxidant to help scavenge free radical at the hair follicle level.Aim for 15mg daily for adults, but don’t go over 1,000mg.
Iron: Low Iron levels can cause hair loss, and Iron plays a large role in proper oxygen delivery throughout your body – including your hair follicles.
Most adults need 8mg Iron daily, but if you are a woman who is still cycling you need 15-18mg.
Zinc: Helps out with protein synthesis and healthy cell division.
Most adults need to get 8-12mg of Zinc daily.
Vitamins and Supplements for Skin:
Vitamin A: This antioxidant powerhouse helps out with skin too, and if you have ever heard of retinoid benefits for skin – they are derivatives of Vitamin A. Get 700-900mcg retinol equivalents daily for adults.
Vitamin C: Potent antioxidant found in skin cells, helps with collagen formation for a supple and dewy complexion.Men need 90mg of Vitamin C daily, and women need 75mg.
Vitamin D: Necessary for healthy skin, may help lessen acne severity and helps with skin cell growth and repair. Between 400iu to 800iu daily, depending on your age.
Vitamin E: Can have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and help prevent UV damage from sun exposure.Try to get 15mg (22.4IU) of Vitamin E in diet or supplement form daily.
Zinc: May help with common skin conditions and help speed wound healing, including those long-lasting blemishes. Aim for 8-12mg of Zinc daily to meet your needs.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin/Niacinamide): May help with skin hydration, smoothness, and keratin production.Get at least 14mg of Vitamin B3 daily for women, and at least 16mg daily for men.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid/Panthenol): Getting enough B5 may help reduce overall blemishes, increase skin healing, and lock moisture into the skin. Adults need to be getting at least 5mg of Vitamin B5 daily.
Choline: This makes up a major portion of the lipids in your cell membranes, so if you want fast and healthy cell turnover you need Choline. Men need 550mg of Choline daily, and women need 425mg.
Vitamin B9 (Folate/Folic Acid): Can improve skin barrier, moisture levels, and reduce inflammation. For most adults, 400mcg of Folate should be consumed daily in food or supplement form, but if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy you need more.
Vitamin and Supplements for Nails:
Biotin (Vitamin B7): May help increase the overall thickness of brittle and easily breakable nails.The recommended daily allowance for Biotin is 30 mcg for adult men and women through food, but it is common to see up to 5,000mcg in supplement form.
Vitamin B12: A B12 deficiency can cause an unusual darkening of the nails, and B12 ensures proper Iron absorption to give the nail beds the oxygen they need for growth.The RDA is 2.4mcg daily, although supplements normally have much higher doses up to 5,000mcg due to difficulty getting into your system.
Vitamin B9 (Folate/Folic Acid): Folate deficiencies can cause nail discolorations or ridges, and healthy folate levels ensure that red blood cells are properly produced for nutrients and oxygen to get to the nail beds.
For most adults, 400mcg of Folate should be consumed daily in food or supplement form, but if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy you need more.
Iron: Healthy Iron levels are needed for blood cells to efficiently carry oxygen to the nail beds, and ridges or caved-in nails can be a sign of iron deficiency.
The recommended daily allowance of iron for adults 19-50 years old is 18mg for women and 8mg for men.
Vitamin C: This common vitamin helps boost collagen production, which is a building block of nails.The recommended daily allowance for Vitamin C in adults is 90mg daily for males or 75mg daily in females.
Zinc: Helps with healthy cell growth and replication, and a deficiency may lead to nail bed issues or white spots on the nails.The recommended daily allowance for zinc in adults is 11mg for males and 8mg for females.
Jill Barat, is a Doctor of Pharmacy with a unique background in specialty pharmacy, innovative compounding products, supplements, and integrative medicine with a passion for helping patients live their best lives.
