Do Prenatal Vitamins Help Hair Grow?
Medically Reviewed By Margaret Etudo, BPharm. Written By The Vitamins For Woman Team.
Imagine seeing this blog post when you asked Google, “How can I help my hair grow?” This article shows you the link between prenatal vitamins and hair growth, whether you are pregnant or not.
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Pregnancy comes with an increased need for vitamins and minerals. Remember, you are working twice as hard to stay healthy while growing your baby. This is where prenatal vitamins come in.
Essential vitamins like B vitamins, iron and calcium do not only support women who are pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding. They also help you to produce new cells and stay healthy.
In this article, we will look at prenatal vitamins that can help your hair grow. We also answer questions on how they help your hair grow faster and thicker and if they help with getting pregnant or not.
Do Prenatal Vitamins Help Hair Grow?
Prenatal vitamins are specifically formulated to support you through your pregnancy journey. You may notice that your hair grows faster and thicker while taking them. This does not necessarily mean that prenatal vitamins help your hair grow.
Deficiency of essential vitamins and minerals – like those in prenatal vitamins leads to hair loss. However, no scientific evidence exists that prenatal vitamins boost hair growth.
Another reason hair grows faster while pregnant is elevated hormone levels. Oestrogen extends the anagen (growing) phase of hair follicles, while progesterone boosts blood flow and increases oil production.
A healthy, balanced diet might be all you need, not prenatal vitamins.
What Vitamins Do Prenatal Vitamins Contain?
Prenatal vitamins are packed with various essential nutrients. Some of the key vitamins in prenatal vitamins are:
- Folic Acid: Folic acid helps prevent congenital abnormalities affecting your baby’s brain and spine development.
- Choline: Like folic acid, it helps your baby’s brain and spinal cord develop properly. It reduces the risk of neural tube defects.
- Omega-3 (DHA): Omega-3 fatty acid supports the development of your baby’s vision, brain, and nervous system.
- Iron: Iron helps to make healthy red blood cells for you and your baby.
- Vitamin D: Vitamin D ensures ovulatory regulation and healthy egg formation.
- Iodine: Iodine produces thyroid hormones, which help you store energy from food. It also develops your baby’s brain and nervous system.
What Vitamins Lead to Hair Growth?
Some of the vitamins in prenatal vitamins can help your hair grow faster. Some of these include:
Vitamin B Complex
The B complex includes the eight B vitamins. One symptom of vitamins B2, B7, B9, and B12 deficiency is hair loss.
- Riboflavin (B2): Riboflavin contains two coenzymes responsible for the growth of new cells in your body. It also maintains your blood homocysteine levels. This amino acid produces proteins that help you grow healthy hair strands.
- Biotin (B7): Biotin is a cofactor for five carboxylases, which is responsible for the metabolism of fatty acids, glucose, and amino acids. It is one of the popular nutrients associated with hair care because of its role in protein synthesis, especially keratin production. This is why most hair, skin, and nails supplements contain biotin.
- Folate (B9): Folate aids the growth and maintenance of body cells. It plays a significant role in producing DNA, RNA and red blood cells. Folate transports nutrients and oxygen around your body, including hair follicles in your skin and scalp. Folate deficiency can cause changes in your hair like thinning, loss and premature greying.
- Cobalamin (B12): Like folate, B12 is responsible for nerve function and the production of DNA and red blood cells. B12 helps the growth of new hair follicles while boosting the health of the old ones.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is critical for vision, immune function, and cellular growth. Consuming too much vitamin A can lead to oversecretion of oil in sebaceous glands and hair loss. Taking vitamin A in the right amounts can help your hair, skin and nails grow.
Iron
Iron produces haemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen around the body. Low iron levels lead to iron deficiency anaemia. It is common in most women who experience hair shedding or loss.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C boosts the absorption of iron. It also supports the production of collagen and neurotransmitters. Low vitamin C intake is associated with iron deficiency-induced hair loss, which makes your hair weak and brittle.
Other Ways To Grow Your Hair Faster
Here are some tips you can implement if you want your hair to grow faster:
- Eat a balanced, healthy diet
- Get at least 6-7 hours of sleep
- Wash and condition your hair frequently
- Comb and brush your hair gently
- Choose protective hairstyles with little to no friction on the roots of your hair.
- Limit the use of styling tools that use heat, e.g., flat irons, curlers, blow dryers
- Reduce stress levels
Frequently Asked Questions
You can take biotin and other vitamins during pregnancy if you are not getting enough through your diet. Before you get a hair, skin and nails supplement, find out if your prenatal vitamin can help your hair and nails grow when pregnant.
Consult your doctor before you take any supplements during pregnancy to help your hair grow.
Prenatal vitamins support the growth and development of your baby. This includes healthy growth of hair, skin and nails. However, the impact on your baby’s hair, nails, and skin is unclear.
It is possible for prenatal vitamins to increase the likelihood of getting pregnant. However, they do not directly help you get pregnant.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prenatal vitamins like folic acid are suitable for women of childbearing age whether they are pregnant or not.
Final Thoughts For You
Prenatal vitamins are great. However, there are other ways to grow your hair faster besides taking them. One of the reasons why you may be struggling with hair growth is vitamin deficiency. Prenatal vitamins have exactly what you need, so you may not need to use hair vitamins during pregnancy.
Do not hesitate to consult your doctor before taking any prenatal gummy vitamin or supplement to help your hair grow faster and thicker.
- Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A. The role of vitamins and minerals in hair loss: a review. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2018;9(1):51-70.
- Wallace ML, Smoller BR. Estrogen and progesterone receptors in androgenic alopecia versus alopecia areata. Am J Dermatopathol. 1998;20(2):160-163.
- Grymowicz M, Rudnicka E, Podfigurna A, et al. Hormonal effects on hair follicles. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(15):5342.
- Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Facts about neural tube defects.
- Bhandari J, Thada PK. Neural tube disorders. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024.
- Campoy C, Escolano-Margarit MV, Anjos T, Szajewska H, Uauy R. Omega 3 fatty acids on child growth, visual acuity and neurodevelopment. Br J Nutr. 2012;107 Suppl 2:S85-106.
- Zhou X, Wu X, Luo X, et al. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on in vitro fertilisation outcomes: a trial sequential meta-analysis of 5 randomised controlled trials. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:852428.
medically reviewed by margaret etudo, BPharm. written by the vitamins for woman team.
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always thought prenatal vitamins were just for pregnancy health but seeing them linked to hair growth? that’s wild. Wonder if there’s any science backing this up or if it’s just another beauty myth. good read tho, vitamins for woman.
Intriguing article! I was wondering if the benefits of prenatal vitamins for hair growth are applicable to everyone or primarily for those who are currently pregnant. Also, could there be any side effects? Thanks for sharing these insights.
Great questions! Generally, prenatal vitamins are safe, but it’s essential to avoid excessive intake of certain vitamins, particularly Vitamin A, which can be toxic in high amounts. Always best to consult with a healthcare provider first.
love using natural stuff for my hair. heard about prenatal vitamins before but never knew which vitamins were actually helping. thanks for breaking it down! gonna give this a try, hope it works 🙂
Every other day, there’s a new ‘miracle’ for hair growth. Now it’s prenatal vitamins? Hard to believe any of this without seeing real, scientific proof. Seems like another fad to me.
This article raises an interesting point about the vitamins contained in prenatal supplements and their potential effects beyond pregnancy. However, it would benefit from more in-depth analysis on how these benefits compare to regular multivitamins.
That’s a fair point, Liz_reads. While prenatal vitamins are formulated for pregnancy, the concentrations of certain vitamins like Folic acid might offer unique benefits. But agreed, the comparison to regular multivitamins would be informative.
heard that these vitamins can be good for men too, not just hair. guess it’s all about those nutrients. Might give it a shot, who knows, might even grow some hair back, haha.
So you’re telling me all I needed for fabulous hair was some prenatal vitamins?! BRB, hitting the pharmacy before my next concert! Who knew growing hair could be as easy as popping some vits?! LOL!
Interesting theory but I’m skeptical about vitamins directly affecting hair growth without concrete evidence. Do these studies account for other variables? It feels like we’re oversimplifying a complex issue.
Actually, there’s quite a bit of research linking nutrition to hair health. While vitamins alone might not work miracles, they’re a key part of the puzzle. Definitely not an oversimplification, just part of a holistic approach to wellness.
Loved reading about the natural ways to boost hair growth. It’s refreshing to see advice that doesn’t rely on chemicals or unsustainable practices. Shows that we can care for our bodies and the planet simultaneously. Great job, Vitamins For Woman!