9 Best Vitamins for Hair Growth, Approved by Dermatologists
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When it comes to building a luscious, healthy mane, choosing the best vitamins for hair growth can be a smart move. Not only are certain vitamins and supplements grounded in research and backed by dermatologists (two factors you won’t find in a lot of other products on the market), they also offer an easy, noninvasive way to bolster hair regrowth. “These vitamins can help ensure that your hair is growing most efficiently,” says Shereene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in NYC.
Of course, not every vitamin that advertises hair-boosting benefits delivers on the promise of healthy hair growth. Some are overhyped, others are downright ineffective, and still others carry harmful side effects. To help you sift through the options—and determine which tablets, capsules, or gummies are worth your dollars—we consulted several dermatologists and spoke to people who’ve actually used them in real life and saw results. Below are the best hair-growth vitamins worth considering.
The best hair-growth vitamins, at a glance
- Best Overall: Nutrafol Women’s Hair Growth Supplements
- Best Budget Option: One a Day Women’s Complete Daily Multivitamin
- Best for Thinning Hair: Viviscal Hair Growth Supplements for Women
- Best Vegan Option: Nutrafol Women’s Vegan
- Best for 50-Plus: Nutrafol Women’s Balance
- Best Multivitamin: Centrum Multivitamin Tablet for Women
- Best Vitamin D3: NatureWise Vitamin D3
- Best for Protein Deficiency: Viviscal Pro
- Best Splurge: Athletic Greens AG1
Your hair-growth vitamin questions, answered
- Do hair-growth vitamins actually work?
- What vitamins are good for thinning hair?
- What vitamins are best for hair growth?
- Which vitamin deficiency causes hair loss?
- What are the side effects of hair-growth vitamins?
- Does biotin help grow hair?
- What is good for hair growth and thickness naturally?
- How can you encourage hair growth?
- Meet the experts
Best Overall: Nutrafol Women’s Hair Growth Supplements, Ages 18-44
Courtesy of brand1/18Nutrafol Women's Hair Growth Supplements
Recommended by several of our experts, Nutrafol has been clinically proven to fortify thinning hair. In a 2018 study of 40 women, the product “safely and effectively promoted hair growth” in subjects with self-reported thinning hair who took it for six months. The supplement contains ingredients like saw palmetto, which combats hair follicle miniaturization, ashwagandha, which tamps down cortisol levels, and organic maca root, which helps balance female hormones, says Michele Green, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist in NYC.
“I lost so much hair after the birth of my second child and I became extremely self-conscious,” says Glamour reviewer Julia Arazi. “Within a few weeks [of Nutrafol], I started to shed significantly less, and soon after, my hairstylist commented on the amount of new hair growing on my head. Almost a year in, my hair is the thickest it’s been in 20 years.” She admits that taking the full dose of four pills once a day is a lot. “But it’s been well worth it for me,” she says.
Just make sure you’re someone who can be consistent. One Glamour reviewer, Meagan Brooks, gave up after trying Nutrafol for a short time. “The sheer amount of supplements you had to take was overwhelming for me,” she says. “I gave my stash to my friend who also has thin hair concerns but who is much better at taking her vitamins daily.” The results can be dramatic; it just takes commitment.
- Pros: Results supported by research
- Cons: Expensive; requires 4 pills each day; contains large amounts of biotin
- Key Ingredients: Saw palmetto, ashwagandha, organic maca root
- Number of doses per bottle: 30
Best Budget Option: One a Day Women’s Complete Daily Multivitamin
Courtesy of brand2/18One a Day Women’s Complete Daily Multivitamin
Taking a daily multivitamin can up your chances of getting adequate stores of a lot of the vitamins that promote hair health, and you don’t need to spend an arm or a leg to find a safe, effective product. Joyce Davis, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon in NYC, recommends reaching for a standardized, widely available brand—like One a Day—which you can likely find at pretty much any corner drugstore.
Glamour reviewer Khara Hanlon took One a Day for a few months, choosing them since they’re specifically made for women. She describes them as your “typical vitamin pill.” Although they’re not as appetizing as gummies, she says the taste was pretty standard for a vitamin. “I would take it with gobs and gobs of water really fast,” she says.
- Pros: Budget-friendly
- Cons: Not specifically designed or studied for hair growth
- Key Ingredients: Vitamins A, C, D3, and E; vitamin B12, iron, zinc
- Number of doses per bottle: 200
Best for Thinning Hair: Viviscal Hair Growth Supplements for Women
Courtesy of brand3/18Viviscal Hair Growth Supplements for Women
Another product backed by clinical research, Viviscal is made with a proprietary compound (AminoMar) that contains marine extracts, biotin, zinc, vitamin C, iron, and niacin, Dr. Green says. She describes the product as “excellent for individuals looking to achieve thicker, denser hair.”
Indeed, multiple studies in men and women show the product increased the number of hairs and improved hair loss, says Steve Daveluy, MD, associate professor and program director of dermatology at Wayne State University, in Detroit.
Glamour reviewer Jess Bohorquez, who’s been using Viviscal consistently for about 18 months for her curly, thin hair, started noticing significant results about six months in. “The most noticeable difference is how my ponytail feels,” she says. “So much thicker!”
- Pros: Results supported by research, less expensive than Nutrafol
- Cons: Have to take 2 pills daily; fishy taste
- Key Ingredients: Zinc, vitamin C, iron, and niacin
- Number of doses per bottle: 30
Best Vegan Option: Nutrafol Women’s Vegan
Courtesy of brand4/18Nutrafol Women’s Vegan
If you don’t like swallowing pills, Nutrafol’s standard supplements can be tough to take. They’re on the large side, and each serving requires four capsules. “I like the vegan ones because they're smaller,” says Shereene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in NYC who takes them herself. “I have a very bad gag reflex, so they’re easier to swallow.”
Nutrafol’s Vegan option is obviously a good pick if you’re following a plant-based diet, since it’s made with zero animal-based materials. Yet it’s got all the amino acids you need for luscious locks if your daily meals are low on protein, says Sharon Wong, MD, a consultant dermatologist in London.
Dr. Idriss adds that she also likes the vegan version because it doesn’t contain any biotin, which needs to be used very carefully since having too much can mess with your bloodwork. Since she started taking it, she’s noticed her hair growing more quickly. “Is my hair density overall thicker on my scalp? I don’t think so,” she says. “But I do think it allows your hair to grow stronger and faster so that you’re not shedding as much.”
- Pros: 100% plant-based ingredients, smaller capsules
- Cons: Expensive, have to take 4 pills
- Key Ingredients: Vitamins A, C, D, E, zinc, ashwagandha, saw palmetto
- Number of doses per bottle: 30
Best for 50-Plus: Nutrafol Women's Balance Hair Growth Supplements
Courtesy of brand5/18Nutrafol Women's Balance Hair Growth Supplements
This Nutrafol formulation is specifically designed for women 45 and older. Compared with the brand’s supplement designed for younger women, this product contains a slightly more potent variation of Nutrafol’s patented Synergen Complex, which contains saw palmetto (a plant compound that may target DHT, a hormone associated with hair loss), turmeric (a spice high in curcumin, which may reduce scalp inflammation and support hair growth), ashwagandha (good for lowering cortisol), and maca root (helps balance female hormones).
Users swear by the results: “I’ve never been so happy to see so many flyaways in my life!” says Kat, a Glamour reviewer with thin, straight hair who’s been taking the product for about eight months. “Even my stylist noticed a difference.”
- Pros: Brand is backed by research
- Cons: Have to take 4 pills daily
- Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, biotin, ashwagandha, saw palmetto, maca, turmeric, vitamin E
- Number of doses per bottle: 30
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Best Multivitamin: Centrum Multivitamin Tablet for Women
Courtesy of brand6/18Centrum Multivitamin Tablet for Women
Another easy-to-find, over-the-counter multivitamin, Centrum contains the vitamins Dr. Davis deems “essential” for hair health, including iron (100% DV), vitamin B12 (250% DV), and vitamin D3 (125% DV). More than 80% of Amazon customers give this product a 5-star rating, praising its convenience and value.
Just know that swallowing can be difficult for some. “It’s giant and hard—the biggest vitamin pill I’ve ever tried,” says Glamour reviewer Khara Hanlon. “I definitely wouldn’t take it on an empty stomach; it would make you pukey. But it has everything you need.”
- Pros: Budget-friendly, just need 1 pill a day
- Cons: Not specifically designed or studied for hair growth, can be tough to swallow
- Key Ingredients: Vitamins A, C, D3, and E; iron, vitamin B12, zinc
- Number of doses per bottle: 200
Best Vitamin D3: NatureWise Vitamin D3
Courtesy of brand7/18Naturewise Vitamin D3
Subpar stores of vitamin D can contribute to hair loss. “Of all the supplements, vitamin D probably has the most evidence behind it,” says Spencer Hawkins, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist and micrographic dermatologic surgeon in Atlanta. Dr. Davis recommends folks concerned with their hair health take a daily multivitamin (many of which contain D3) plus a separate D3 supplement on top of that to really bolster their supply of this essential vitamin. “I always recommend an extra 2,000 IUs of vitamin D3 every day,” she says. (D3 is the natural form of vitamin D that’s produced by the body from sunlight.)
One potential option? These softgel capsules, which are available on Amazon and provide 2,000 IUIs per pill. The brand is manufactured in U.S.-based facilities that comply with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, upping its chances of being safe and effective.
The pills are easy enough to swallow, “medium-size and football-shaped,” says Glamour reviewer Jason Taylor, who adds that they don’t have any weird flavor. It’s also more than your hair that could potentially benefit from the extra vitamin D, which boasts several health perks. “My immunity seems relatively strong,” Taylor says. “I have also seen some possible mood improvement.”
- Pros: Budget-friendly, just need 1 pill a day
- Cons: Would likely want to take this alongside a daily multivitamin to bolster supply of other important vitamins
- Key Ingredients: Vitamin D3
- Number of doses per bottle: 360
Best for Protein Deficiency: Viviscal Pro Advanced Hair Health
Courtesy of brand8/18Viviscal Pro Advanced Hair Health
“Structurally, hair is 90% keratin, which is protein, and the building blocks are amino acids,” Dr. Wong explains. If you’re not getting enough protein through your diet, your hair will benefit from a supplement like Viviscal that boosts that amino acid intake.
For patients who are particularly deficient in protein, she suggests Viviscal Pro, which has a larger dosage than the brand’s standard supplements. “Viviscal Pro has a higher quantity of some of those vitamins and minerals,” she says. That includes iron, zinc, and vitamin C.
Dr. Hawkins, who’s taken Viviscal himself, just notes that the AminoMar compound that makes this supplement so powerful does come with one drawback. “It’s honestly kind of got a fishy taste,” he says. “That was not great.” To get the effects, you need to take a pill twice a day, so be prepared.
- Pros: Results backed by research
- Cons: Have to take pills twice daily, fishy taste
- Key Ingredients: Zinc, vitamin C, iron, biotin, and niacin
- Number of doses per bottle: 60
Best Splurge: Athletic Greens AG1
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Courtesy of brand9/18Athletic Greens AG1
Danilo Del Campo, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and partner at Chicago Skin Clinic, says AG1 is his personal go-to for a multivitamin. This powdered supplement is “easy to take, comprehensive, and has science [to support it],” he says. It’s popular among celebs and athletes, too—fans include Olympic track star Allyson Felix and famed neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, among others. It contains a bunch of ingredients important for hair health, like vitamin B12, zinc, ashwagandha, and antioxidants.
Darian Davis, an AG1 enthusiast for about two to three years, raves about the product flavor, and enjoys it first thing in the morning for “its refreshing hydration, energy-boosting benefits, and vitamin supply.” The downside: It comes with a hefty price tag—each serving costs nearly $3.
- Pros: Only need to take once a day, contains many ingredients important for hair health
- Cons: Expensive; doesn’t contain iron, vitamin C, or vitamin D3
- Key Ingredients: Vitamins A, and E; vitamin B12, zinc, ashwagandha, antioxidants
- Number of doses per package: 30
10/18Do vitamins actually help your hair grow faster?
Short answer: Yes. “Vitamins and supplements can help with hair growth,” says Steve Daveluy, MD, associate professor and program director of dermatology at Wayne State University, in Detroit. “Some help by making sure our hair follicles have all the nutrients they need to carry out the task of building and growing our hairs,” he says. “Others help by promoting the hair-growth activities, similar to the way a medication may work.”
And still others include ingredients that directly counteract certain triggers for hair loss, like hormonal imbalances, says Danilo Del Campo, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and partner at Chicago Skin Clinic. For example, saw palmetto may target dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone associated with hair loss, he says.
A lot of different vitamins—including B vitamins, vitamin D, and vitamin E—can improve hair retention and prevent shedding, according to Michele Green, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist in NYC. That said, in developed countries, it’s pretty rare to have hair loss caused by a vitamin deficiency, since you can often get all you need through a well-balanced diet. The exception is people on strict diets, like those who are vegan, she says. Vitamin D deficiencies are also common among those who live at high latitudes or avoid sun exposure, adds Sharon Wong, MD, a consultant dermatologist in London.
Now, how much a vitamin or supplement helps with fast hair growth depends strongly on the underlying cause of your hair loss, Dr. Green says. To that end, Dr. Daveluy recommends understanding your root causes of hair loss before turning to a vitamin or supplement. That way, you can take a targeted approach.
For people with actual vitamin deficiencies, taking supplements can yield strong results. But for folks without nutritional deficiencies, or whose hair loss is due to non-nutrition-related factors like genetics (or a separate medical condition), the benefits of hair-growth vitamins and supplements “might be more modest,” Dr. Del Campo says.
11/18What vitamins are good for thinning hair?
There are a bunch of vitamins and dietary supplements that can promote healthy locks. Dr. Green suggests products with B vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin D, iron, and zinc, since these ingredients “have been proven to aid in hair growth, retention, and health.” To that end, taking a comprehensive multivitamin that addresses potential deficiencies can help boost your overall health and may indirectly support hair health, says Dr. Del Campo.
12/18What vitamins specifically help with hair growth?
There’s no one secret vitamin or ingredient for hair growth, but rather many that may be helpful. Dr. Del Campo suggests looking for products with the following:
- Vitamins A, C, D, and E, which help with scalp health and strengthen hair.
- Iron, since a deficiency can spur hair shedding and cause poor hair growth.
- Zinc, which has some evidence that it might be helpful, particularly if you have a type of hair loss caused by an immune attack on the hairs, called alopecia areata, Dr. Daveluy explains.
- Omega-3 fatty acids, which boost hair density and lessen hair loss.
- Saw palmetto, a plant-derived supplement that helps block DHT, a hormone associated with hair loss.
- Turmeric, a spice high in curcumin, which may reduce scalp inflammation and bolster hair growth.
- Antioxidants, as they combat oxidative stress, which can cause hair follicles to deteriorate.
Additionally, some research suggests that taking capsaicin (a chili pepper extract) and isoflavone (a plant compound) supplements can decrease hair loss, and that oral tablets of pumpkin seed oil can be useful for men with male pattern hair loss, Dr. Daveluy says.
Interestingly, kimchi may be another beneficial ingredient: In a 2019 study involving men and women with pattern hair loss, a probiotic made of kimchi and cheonggukjang (fermented soybean paste) improved hair thickness and hair count in 93% of study participants. This is why Dr. Daveluy tells patients to consider eating kimchi every day—especially if they already like the flavor.
As for whether the best vitamins for hair growth vary based on hair types, Dr. Green says no. “All hair grows by the same biology on one’s head,” she explains.
13/18Which vitamin deficiency causes hair loss?
Hair is protein, and in order to make protein, your body needs all the amino acids as well as vitamins, which are important coenzymes in protein synthesis, says Joyce Davis, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon in NYC.
Specifically, vitamin D helps stabilize the hair follicle, so not having enough of it can impact hair health. Vitamin D deficiency affects about one-third of American adults, according to the Cleveland Clinic—especially those who avoid dairy products, Dr. Davis says. So for people worried about their hair health, Dr. Davis recommends a vitamin D3 supplement as “pretty much essential.”
Iron deficiency and B12 deficiency can also impact your tresses, Dr. Davis says, and so can too low levels of zinc, adds Dr. Del Campo. On the flip side, having too much vitamin A as well as excess amounts of the mineral selenium can cause hair loss as well, according to Dr. Del Campo.
14/18What are the side effects of hair-growth vitamins?
Some reassuring news: Typically, there aren’t any side effects of taking vitamins or supplements for hair growth so long as you consume them as directed, Dr. Green says.
This means following dosing instructions so that you don’t ingest too much of a certain vitamin, which can lead to toxicity. Like we mentioned, having extra vitamin A and selenium can spur hair loss (literally the opposite effect you’re going for), and downing high doses of vitamin E can increase your chances of issues like hemorrhagic strokes, according to Dr. Del Campo.
Additionally, some supplements, like saw palmetto, may interact with certain medications and cause harmful outcomes, he adds. Biotin can also affect your medical lab results (more on that, below).
When considering hair growth vitamins, Dr. Del Campo urges people to first consult with a board-certified dermatologist and then to follow recommended dosages. Also, keep in mind the FDA doesn’t vet supplements before they go to market, which is why it’s important to do your own research to understand whether a product is safe and effective. “The best vitamins or supplements for hair growth will undergo clinical studies or market research to confirm whether they have been shown to increase hair growth,” Dr. Green says.
15/18Does biotin help grow hair?
Experts are split on whether biotin (vitamin B7) is actually effective in bolstering hair health. Biotin has been widely advertised as a solution to hair loss because it is involved in keratin production, and it’s found in many hair-growth supplements. “I think, frankly, most of the reason it’s placed in there is public perception and marketing, but it’s not really based on much reality,” Spencer Hawkins, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist and micrographic dermatologic surgeon in Atlanta, says. Dr. Wong adds that there is some data on biotin helping nail growth, “but there’s really very little data for biotin helping hair growth if you’re not deficient in the first place,” she says. And biotin deficiency in developed countries like the United States is extremely rare.
Still, some hair growth supplements contain major amounts of biotin—Nutrafol Women has 10,000% of the daily recommended amount. Be aware that this can interfere with blood tests, including a thyroid test, sex hormone test, and one used to detect heart attacks. “You could get a wrong diagnosis,” Dr. Wong warns. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning against biotin supplements due to its risks. Dr. Daveluy says if you do take biotin, be sure to tell all your health care providers.
16/18What is good for hair growth and thickness naturally?
Unfortunately, hair growth and thickness isn’t entirely under your control. “Your genetics and your hormones play the biggest role in governing how well your hair grows, especially as you get older,” Dr. Wong says. But there are some other things that will influence how well hair grows, including stress, diet, and medications you’re taking. “Stress management is very important because a lot of stress for a prolonged period of time can disturb the hair cycle and cause you to shed more hair,” Dr. Wong says.
Those with thinner hair will also want to pay attention to their styling choices. “In terms of making the most of the hair that’s on your head already, we know heat and dyes will damage the hair fiber—it can lead to hair loss and breakage,” Dr. Wong says. Shereene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in NYC, also suggests avoiding hairstyles like ballerina-tight buns or intense braids that pull on your hair, as well as extensions. “Be very gentle with your hair,” she says. “Treat it like you would treat a baby’s hair.”
Taking proper care of your scalp can also make a difference. “Establish a hair-care routine just like you would with a skin-care routine on your face, making sure that it’s cleansed regularly with an appropriate type of shampoo matched to your hair type with UV protection. Some people are now using antioxidants as well on the scalp,” Dr. Wong says. Massaging your scalp can also help, Dr. Idriss adds. This increases blood flow to your hair follicles so they can get better nutrition.
Also make sure you’re eating a well-balanced diet—if you can get all the best vitamins for hair growth through what you eat, you won’t need an extra supplement.
17/18How can you encourage hair growth?
While vitamins and supplements can help bolster your tresses, they often are not effective enough on their own to fully grow and retain hair, Dr. Green says. Some people, she explains, may need to add in other hair-care treatment options to really decrease hair follicle miniaturization and elevate hair growth and retention. This is where topical or oral medications, like Propecia and Minoxidil, may come into play. “You would be hard-pressed to find studies that compare any hair vitamins to standard medical treatment,” Dr. Hawkins says. “And if you did, the traditional medical therapy would really blow them out of the water.” That’s why Dr. Green suggests consulting with a board-certified dermatologist to get personalized recommendations for the treatment that will help bring you closest to the hair you’re after.
18/18Meet our experts
- Steve Daveluy, MD, associate professor and program director of dermatology at Wayne State University, in Detroit
- Joyce Davis, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon in NYC
- Michele Green, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist in NYC
- Danilo Del Campo, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and partner at Chicago Skin Clinic
- Spencer Hawkins, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist and micrographic dermatologic surgeon in Atlanta
- Shereene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in NYC
- Sharon Wong, MD, a consultant dermatologist in London
