There have been isolated reports of pregnant women who, while taking prenatal vitamins, have noticed an increase in their hair growth and thickness. However, there are still no formal scientific studies to confirm that this is actually the case. How is hair growth connected to taking prenatal vitamins? What makes up prenatal vitamins?
Because of the specialized needs of pregnant women, prenatal vitamins differ from a typical multivitamin by having elevated amounts of calcium, iron, and folic acid. These three vitamins are particularly needed by pregnant women. Folic acid has been shown to prevent spina bifida, a birth defect affecting the neural tube, which eventually evolves into the central nervous system of a normal human body. Pregnant women need more calcium because they need stronger bones to be able to carry the baby full-term. They also need more iron in the body because during pregnancy, it helps the body make new blood to carry nutrients and oxygen to the baby.
So how do they affect hair growth?
Folic acid in particular is one of the main components of many hair growth formulas as it helps in the formation of new cells. It is one of the many B-complex vitamins and speeds up production of fresh cells in order to replace the old ones. Aside from preventing birth defects, folic acid can cause the hair to grow faster and the strands to become thicker.
The jury is still out on whether prenatal vitamins really contribute to making hair grow faster. It is an advantageous side effect though because pregnant women tend to lose hair approximately three months after delivery due to the body’s hormonal changes.
If you do want to make your hair grow faster during and after pregnancy, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables that contain flavonoids. They are antioxidants that may encourage hair growth and protect the hair follicles as well. Use shampoos and conditioners that contain silica and biotin. Also, make sure that your diet has enough supplements of Vitamin E, inositol, biotin, Vitamin C with bioflavonoids, and coenzyme Q10.
