Vitamin B12 for Hair Growth 

Vitamin B12 is important for the growth and maintenance of cells, including red blood cells. It may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and colon cancer, and may help keep the nervous system healthy. Vitamin B12 deficiency is known to cause several health problems such as damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, anemia, hair loss and fatigue.

Before moving further in the article let us clear one point that vitamin B12 is not a single vitamin rather it is a group of eight distinct vitamins. These are namely, cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin, hydroxycobalamin, methylcobalamin, niacin-adenine dinucleotide (NAD), niacin-dinucleotide, riboflavin and thiamine. Vitamin B12 is required for cell division and blood formation in the human body.

B12 promotes healthy hair growth by assisting in the production of oxygen-rich red blood cells, which feed hair follicles. Since b12 helps produce red blood cells, having enough Vitamin B12 is essential to the hair growth process.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin and is stored by the liver, therefore, any excess is removed from the body through urine or sweat. It plays a major role in the development and maintenance of the brain and central nervous system as well as providing energy for red blood cells to function properly.

A deficiency of Vitamin B12 can lead to mood disorders, memory loss, weakness, hair loss, anemia and irreversible nerve damage. There are several factors that can affect vitamin B12 levels such as age, those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, those who consume meat from animals that have been poorly fed and those who have a digestive problem such as Crohn's disease or lactose intolerance.

Vitamin B12 supports the formation of new cells, the division of cells and helps in the production of DNA and RNA, the building blocks of life. A deficiency in Vitamin B12 can lead to a host of problems such as a decrease in mental function, fatigue, neuromuscular problems and general weakness.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to slow hair growth because the body struggles to replicate hair cells. Vitamin B12 helps in producing red blood cells and promotes healthy hair growth by feeding the hair follicles. 

Cobalamin produces red blood cells and a decreased number of red blood cells has been linked to iron deficiency. Both these conditions hamper hair growth, leading to hair loss or thinning from the scalp.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can take up to 6-12 months to fully recover. Therefore, it is important to consult a medical professional if one is suffering from Vitamin B12 deficiency. 

How to Reverse Vitamin B12 Deficiency Naturally for Hair Growth?

We are being bombarded with so many health issues these days. Vitamin B12 deficiency is one of them. The symptoms are hair loss, thinning hair or patchy hair loss.

The problem is, once you are deficient in Vitamin B12, your body starts absorbing less and less until you have very little left in your body. Your body will start eating away at its stores which will take months before the deficiency really starts to kick in.

This is why it is extremely important to get your levels checked regularly especially if you are having thinning hair or hair loss.

Senior citizens and people suffering from blood loss tend to have a Vitamin B12 deficiency. This is because the body can’t absorb Vitamin B12 from food, which is usually found in animal-based products. The deficiency might lead to anaemia and lessen the flow of oxygen to other parts of the body. In order to correct this disorder, you need to add more Vitamin B12 sources to your diet. There are many ways to do it naturally.

Given below are some foods that contain Vitamin B12 and adding them to your diet will help you get rid of hair loss due to vitamin deficiency.

• Chicken breast
• Eggs
• Yoghurt
• Milk
• Salmon
• Clams
• Beef livers
• Tuna
• Turkey
• Pork
• Crab
• Oyster

Supplements:

According to Ayurveda, our body is a product and result of what we eat. Having a diet rich in Vitamin B12 is the right way to fight hair loss caused by B12 deficiency. However, if someone is facing severe hair loss due to B12 deficiency then it is better to take B12 supplements. It is highly recommended to take the natural form (methylcobalamin) and not the synthetic way (cyanocobalamin) as it may impair kidney function in people with kidney problems.

Take Away

Vitamin B12 has several different forms. Some of these vitamins are single-celled bacteria and archaea that contain a form of vitamin B12 that is not found anywhere else in nature. The most well known and easily absorbed forms of Vitamin B12 are cyanocobalamin and methylcobalamin.

Vitamin B12 deficiency also affects hair growth. It makes hair loss an issue for many men and women. As hair growth depends on proper circulation of blood, there are times when a lack of Vitamin B12 works against it. This results in hair loss, which is then followed by dry, brittle strands.