Hair loss, receding hairlines, and baldness are problems for many people. These are the reasons a lot of people are looking for natural solutions. While this is not a medical emergency, individuals experiencing hair loss may feel socially anxious and even depressed. Before you end up losing your confidence, let’s look at how vitamin B12 could help.
Related: Get Answers to Common Questions about B12
What Causes Hair Loss?
As you start looking into vitamin B12 as a solution for thinning hair, it’s important to uncover the root cause of your condition. Hair loss may occur for several reasons.
- If you have a family history of alopecia or baldness, this might explain why you are experiencing a similar problem as your relatives.
- For women, hormonal imbalances brought about by pregnancy and menopause are a top cause of hair loss.
- Medical conditions, like scalp infections and autoimmune disorders, and use of certain drugs, as well as radiation therapy may lead to hair loss..
- Everyday stress, certain hairstyles, and beauty treatments can lead to hair loss.
With all the possible factors that can cause baldness, you should be aware of the solutions available to help you deal with it at its earliest stage.
Will Vitamin B12 Help With Hair Loss?
B12 is a vitamin that is used to help with certain health issues, including:
- Circadian rhythm sleep disorders
- Lack of energy
- Nutritional support for vegans
- Immune system support
- Nervous system health
This essential vitamin is also crucial in the formation of red blood cells. As you may have learned in anatomy class, red blood cells (RBCs) carry oxygen and other nutrients, distributing them through the body. Without sufficient RBCs, even your hair follicles can suffer from nutrient deprivation. Sufficient amounts of RBCs enhance your body’s natural functions, including hair growth. B12 could actually make your hair follicles healthier and stronger. This can result in better hair growth and stronger hair strands.
Where do I get Vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in many food sources like meat, poultry products, and fish. A serving or two of these foods can supply your daily needs of B12. Ideally, you should include them in your menu list to boost your overall health. While this seems pretty easy, many people are actually deficient in vitamin B12. A faulty diet is usually the cause of the problem. As a result, people don’t get the recommended 2 micrograms (mcg) of B12 per day. People on a strictly vegan diet typically need to take B12 supplements to get the recommended daily dosage.
In order for Vitamin B12 to help improve hair loss, you may need a supplement. There are many wellness shops that sell quality products to help you get your daily requirement. Since the dosage varies from one brand to another, and from one type of supplement to another, it is best to consult your doctor to get the right dose.
For hair loss, it is suggested that you supplement with 3 mcg or more of B12 per day to see results.
What are the B12 Vitamins Available for Hair Loss?
There are different forms of vitamin B12 supplements available on the market. They vary in terms of manufacturer, dosage, and administration preference.
The most common forms of B12 are tablets, capsules, and pills. These are taken orally, usually the least expensive, and require minimal to no medical supervision or a prescription. It’s important to note that not all ingested B12 goes straight into the blood. Some of it is lost as the supplement passes through the digestive tract.
If you want a more reliable form that is best absorbed into the bloodstream, you can get a B12 injection. These can be more expensive, but the extra cost may be worth it considering that almost all of what you take goes directly to your bloodstream. Of course, this is not an option for people who have a fear of needles or who have certain medical conditions. It also requires supervision from a medical professional, since injections can be a more invasive procedure than oral supplements. However, many injections are painless since they are typically delivered subcutaneously, or under the skin.
Is Vitamin B12 Effective for Hair Loss?
While vitamin B12 supplementation may help with hair loss, results are immediate. Your hair will still follow a normal growth cycle. Don’t expect to see hair growth within days or even a couple weeks of supplementing with vitamin B12. Each strand of hair on your head may require up to 4 months to appear on the scalp depending on what stage it is at in the hair life cycle. B12 is a long-term strategy for hair growth. As you take a supplement or get an injection, you are consistently nourishing your growing cells with nutrients in order to maximize their growth.
Take away
Vitamin B12 is an important vitamin to boost the body’s overall health. It may also be a natural way to help improve hair growth. In fact, hair growth is just one of the bonuses you get from taking the supplement. A stronger immune system, better sleep, and healthier systems are all possible benefits of taking this essential vitamin.
The experts at Medical Weight Loss Centers of America are here to answer any questions you may have about vitamin B12. You can contact the team at any time and see how vitamin B12 may be an appropriate option for you depending on your goals.