What people might not know is that it is natural to have hair fall out daily. That doesn’t mean you might not want to help support thicker hair. If you want thick and long locks, keep reading.
What Leads To Hair Loss?
There are several reasons why you might be losing your hair. It might be hereditary, hormonal, nutritional, due to medical reasons, or because of stress. Some individuals can experience hair loss due to hereditary reasons or because of health reasons like hormone imbalance, so we recommend you consult your doctor before adding supplements or medications to your routines.
Here at Copina Co., we don’t believe beauty is as easy as slathering on the world’s best serums. We believe it starts from within. That means we understand that our skin, hair, and nails are greatly affected by what we put into our bodies and that our external vibrance is a reflection of our internal health. If you are experiencing heightened amounts of stress or lack of sleep, this could be the reason behind your sudden increased hair loss.
It is important to find the root cause of your hair loss to also understand ways you can support it. You’ll want to help heal your hair loss by helping manage your stress and health too, but we have a few other things that might help support you during this process too.
If you didn’t know, for healthy hair and skin, your collagen levels are important. Our bodies’ rate of collagen production begins to slow down over time, typically around the age of 25. Overall, collagen loss happens due to the natural age cycle we experience but can be sped up due to external and internal stressors or habits. Overall, our bodies usually begin to produce less collagen in our 20s. Many people say that you begin to see signs of aging in your 30s or 40s, but often they can be seen through the 20s due to lifestyle choices or genetics. See, collagen is an essential protein in the body, making up around 30% and 75% of the protein in your skin. When you enter your middle to late 20s that amount of collagen begins to decline and people going through menopause lose a significant amount of collagen in the first 5 years. So naturally, your hair might need some extra support as you age.*
Some might choose to supplement their hair health with individual vitamins or with a collagen supplement. See below for the top 7 vitamins that may help with thicker hair.
Top 7 Vitamins for Thicker Hair
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Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an important building block in the internal synthesis of collagen which also means it can be important for hair health.* It might also help work as an agent to help clarify the scalp to remove chemical build-up, dirt, or other grime*. This can help ensure your scalp is clean which helps it absorb your hair products.
Vitamin C is required to support two enzymes (prolyl hydroxylase and lysyl hydroxylase) that are essential for collagen synthesis, so having enough vitamin C is crucial for collagen support.* This vitamin also plays a crucial role in protecting collagen that already exists in the body.* Since vitamin C works as an antioxidant, it can help neutralize free radicals, which are known for causing oxidative stress. Oxidative stress degrades collagen, so antioxidant support is crucial to prevent this from happening.
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Amla Berry
In a 2009 study, amla berry had the strongest antioxidant activity among other plants and one of the highest polyphenol and tannin content. As for its benefits on hair health, amla can be rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, and antioxidants. These properties may help to promote circulation to the blood vessels in the scalp which could help enhance hair regrowth and scalp health.* Amla also has anti-inflammatory properties which can help to reduce scalp inflammation and the production of excess oil production*. When there is active circulation in these vessels, it could support hair regrowth and scalp health.* The oil from amla berries has been used as a hair tonic to help enrich hair growth and even potentially improve pigmentation.*
Amla Berry has amazing benefits, which is why it is an important ingredient in all of our vegan collagen boost blends.
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Vitamin D
Vitamin D is incredibly important for healthy teeth, muscles, and bones.* In recent research, Vitamin D, specifically Vitamin D3 deficiency, has been linked to potential hair loss.* The great part about Vitamin D is that you can get it from the sun. We recommend trying to get some sunlight in when you wake up, which benefits your circadian rhythm and might make your morning cup of coffee even more enjoyable.
Sadly though, often this is not enough. You can find Vitamin D in certain mushrooms or chia seeds that have a small amount, but if you are worried about a deficiency of it in your diet, you could consider looking into supplementation. When you are supplementing Vitamin D, make sure you are doing so in a way that it is properly absorbed. This means taking it alongside meals that are high in healthy fats or with K3. Ask your doctor before supplementing to know what might be best for your body.
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B Vitamins
B vitamins can be important for healthy hair. One of the common ones is Biotin or vitamin B7. Biotin helps with the production of Keratin9, which may aid in healthy hair growth.* It’s a powerhouse mechanism of metabolizing nutrients that can be ingested through vegan biotin supplements. Here at Copina Co, we made sure to include vegan biotin in our Vegan Collagen Supports for you to maintain your B7 levels in the body so that you can get possible health benefits such as stronger nails.* Biotin helps more with growth, but it might also support thicker hair.*
Other B Vitamins that might help with thicker hair include Vitamin B12. Avocados, dark chocolate, leafy vegetables, and beans are all great sources of B Vitamins that may help you support thicker hair. *
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Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a less popular vitamin that could possibly play a role in supporting thicker hair.* It may help overall contribute to your scalp and hair follicle health which in return helps support a healthier environment for hair growth.* Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that could help with protecting against hair loss.* It can promote blood circulation in the scalp, which could improve your scalp health.* It also has moisturizing properties that could help with any scalp dryness, which helps with hydrated hair.*
Vitamin E also has anti-inflammatory properties that may help support the scalp against dandruff and other scalp conditions.* Overall, Vitamin E can help protect your hair from oxidation stress. Foods like almonds, sunflower seeds, olive oil, pumpkin, and spinach are all good sources of Vitamin E.
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Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is known as an adaptogen, which means it might help your body’s resistance to stress*. It is also known for its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. For us, Ashwagandha is an important part of our Cacao Calm which is our version of grown-up hot cocoa. It contains protein, iron, vitamin C, tyrosine, and potassium which are all needed for supporting healthy hair growth.* It might also help with the delivery of nutrients due to the dilation of blood vessels which helps improve blood circulation*. It might also help boost the formation of collagen (hence why it is in our vegan collagen boosters) through DHEA production*. Ashwagandha may help promote the overall health of your hair follicles because of its anti-inflammatory properties. It may support scalp conditions like dandruff, itchiness psoriasis, eczema, and other inflammation allergies*.
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Vitamin A
Vitamin A which is also well known as a Retinol, can also be something to consider when thinking about hair health. It could possibly help stimulate your scalp to increase sebum.* Sebum is a natural lubricant that your scalp produces to moisturize itself and help prevent hair breakage.* This could help support and maintain a thick and healthy head of hair.* Vitamin A also can help aid in cell growth and is a natural antioxidant that protects the scalp.*
We want to caution you about over-supplementing Vitamin A as it can have negative effects on your hair. Please consult your doctor before adding a vitamin A supplement to your diet. You can find Vitamin A in Kale, spinach, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, Papaya, and red bell peppers to name a few.
Ways to Eat for Healthier and Thicker Hair
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Vegan Collagen Supports
Our vegan collagen support blend comes with a great range of ingredients that can help support your hair health. Take a peak at how one of our plant-based ingredients can help with your natural collagen production and hair health.
We use bamboo leaf extract, which comes with the added benefit of silica. Silica can support the fight against hair loss and thinning by supporting hormone balance and providing essential nutrients.* Supplementing silica into your diet takes these essential nutrients and can help to bolster your hair follicles with the necessary minerals and vitamins to promote strong, shiny hair.*
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Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids might help maintain healthy cell health in your hair and scalp.* They naturally have anti-inflammatory properties that can help with scalp inflammation.* They also might help regulate oil production in the scalp and support hydration.* You can find Omega-3 fatty acids in chia seeds, flax seeds and oil, hemp seeds and oil, and walnuts.
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Protein
Proteins are incredibly important for hair growth because your hair is largely made of a protein called keratin. Making sure you have adequate protein in your diet helps make sure there are the needed building blocks to produce strong and healthy hair.*
You can find protein in legumes like lentils and chickpeas, tofu and tempeh, quinoa, buckwheat, nuts and seeds, whole grains like brown rice, oats, and barley, pea protein, rice protein, or hemp protein powder.
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Zinc
Zinc helps with our body’s protein synthesis, including keratin which is important for hair.* Having sufficient zinc amounts in the body can help with the formation of strong and healthy hair.* Zinc can also be effective for healthy hair.* You can find zinc in chickpeas, lentils, some collagen, and beans.
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Iron
Iron helps with the regulation of the hair growth cycle.* Having adequate levels of iron can help support this cycle as well as support oxygen in your scalp and follicles.* You can get iron from lentils, spinach, quinoa, dried fruits like raisins and apricots, and peas.
Other Things to do to Support Hair Health
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Oil the ends
Putting oil in the ends of your hair can help support moisturization. Some like to add oil to the ends daily and others choose to use oil as a hair mask before wash day. Whatever your personal preference, natural oils can help with moisture and shine.
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Scalp Massage and Exfoliation
Scalp health also equals hair health. If you want to increase circulation in your scalp, try using a scalp massager, or a brush specific to scalp exfoliation, or do scalp massages at night before bed with your fingers (some choose to do this with oils like rosemary oil). Massages and exfoliation will help with circulation promotion which could help with promoting thicker hair over time.
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Be gentle
When brushing your hair, blowdrying it, or putting it up, try to be gentle with your hair to minimize breakage. This means brushing your hair from the ends and slowly working up to the roots or using hair types that are silk or pull less.
Why Is Supplementing Collagen For Hair Growth Important?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, which means it affects things like our hair and skin, including our scalp! As we age, our collagen production begins to slow down, making less collagen naturally, and affecting our hair, skin, and nails. This might also be sped up due to hormonal imbalances or lifestyle choices.
If you have #hairgoals or dye your hair, you might begin noticing how it affects your hair as you get older. Trying to have healthy and happy hair means eating a balanced diet full of healthy fats, but sometimes we need a little extra boost. You can also support your hair health through supplementation like through a collagen booster.*
Overall
Some vitamin deficiencies can lead to weaker or thinner hair, but the first step should be to lean on a balanced diet. If you still are having trouble with thinning hair, we recommend discussing with your doctor to find where your deficiencies rest.
The majority of the hair growth results you see is coming from an abundance of nutrients because it is often a last resort for nutrients.* Taking vitamins or well-rounded supplements that help support your hair health from within like our vegan collagen supports can help your body support hair thickness and growth.
Overall, moderation is key when it comes to any type of vitamin or added supplement in your diet. Do not take an excess of vitamins to try and speed up the process as it can have an adverse effect. If you are looking to support your collagen production from within, helping aid your hair skin, and nails, try our vegan collagen supports. They naturally help your body’s collagen production while giving you a beauty boost through our herbalist-approved, well-rounded blends.
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