We tried all the best vitamins and supplements for hair growth so you can find the one that works best for you. (Nutrafol/Viviscal/Baby Blues)
Watching your hair thin or shed can be concerning, especially if you are unsure why it's happening. If you’re experiencing thinning, breakage, or hair loss, the first step in halting your hair woes is to get to the root of the problem so you know how to treat and, ultimately, regrow thicker, fuller, healthy hair. Factors that can lead to thinning, breakage, and loss include genetics, hormones, excess stress, illness (including COVID-19), giving birth, or a nutrient deficiency. Board-certified dermatologist Jose Diego Mier, tells Yahoo Life, “When it comes to hair health, it’s crucial to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle. Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and proteins can give your body the essential nutrients it needs to support hair growth.” The best hair growth products for you will not only come down to the root of the cause, but also your lifestyle. Do you have time for a three-step hair regimen? Or would it be easier to take a supplement once or twice a day? For many, supplements fit the bill better due to the time investment needed for daily use of shampoos and serums.
Fortunately, multivitamins and supplements are available that have been formulated with extra nutrients specifically designed to offset excessive hair shedding and loss and help you regrow thicker, fuller hair. Some may even surprise you, such as the herb horsetail that you won’t come across in the average diet, but it packs a punch when it comes to helping your hair health.
To find the best hair growth vitamins and supplements for various conditions and needs, we spoke with our expert panel of dermatologists, trichologists and plastic surgeons to learn what key ingredients to look for (and what to avoid) and to determine which products deliver real results. Using the experts' input, our research team reviewed more than 30 vitamins and supplements for hair growth and personally tested quite a few of our top picks. We narrowed our list down to eight of the best vitamins and supplements for hair growth based on key ingredients, clinically proven effectiveness, cost, ease of use, overall safety, and user and tester satisfaction.
A note on supplements
The products included on this list are dietary supplements. Statements about these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplements are not appropriate for everyone and may interact with other supplements or medications, so talk to your healthcare provider before adding a dietary supplement to your routine.
Update, Aug. 29, 2025: We checked all product prices and availability. Our number one pick for best vitamins and supplements for hair growth remains unchanged.
Nutrients: Your hair health requires a variety of nutrients to be strong and healthy, including B vitamins (you’ve likely heard of the buzzy ingredient biotin) and Vitamins A, C, D, and E, plus minerals like selenium and silica. Besides supporting healthy growth, these micronutrients prevent oxidative stress that can damage hair production or cause hair fall.
Botanicals: Botanicals can address hair fall in a number of ways, such as blocking the production of the hormone DHT, the cause of one of the most common causes of thinning, androgenetic alopecia, says Hadley King, a board-certified dermatologist in New York.
”The herb saw palmetto inhibits dihydrotestosterone [DHT],” says King. She also says curcumin can be beneficial for its anti-inflammatory properties, while ashwagandha, an adaptogen that can help decrease stress and cortisol, can help keep hair follicles in the growth phase longer in the case of stress-related hair loss, which has been seen in small studies.
Vitamins: Vitamins that are beneficial for stress-related hair loss (called telogen effluvium) include vitamin D, zinc and iron. Biotin, a B vitamin, is another big player in the realm of hair-loss supplements, but maintain some skepticism around this one.
“Keep in mind that although oral biotin is an ingredient that’s often recommended for hair growth, there isn’t enough evidence to evaluate its effectiveness in the treatment of hair loss,” says King. “However, hair loss is a symptom of biotin deficiency, so biotin supplementation is thought to benefit people with hair loss or thinning hair who have a biotin deficiency,” she adds.
Seeing a healthcare professional right away can help make treatments more effective. This is especially important if you’re a female experiencing a receding hairline (frontal fibrosing alopecia), which carries a risk for significant permanent baldness.
If you experience sudden hair loss, it could be a sign of a medical condition.
You should also see a doctor in the following cases:
Losing hair in an unusual pattern
Losing hair rapidly or at an early age (for example, in your teens or 20s)
Experiencing pain or itching with the hair loss
The skin on your scalp under the involved area is red, scaly or otherwise abnormal
Experiencing hair loss accompanied by acne, facial hair or an abnormal menstrual cycle
You’re a woman and have male pattern baldness
You have bald spots on your beard or eyebrows
Experiencing weight gain or muscle weakness, intolerance to cold temperatures or fatigue
Areas of infection on your scalp
To select the best vitamins and supplements for hair growth, we consulted with six board-certified specialists, including dermatologists and trichologists, to discuss the causes and cures for hair thinning and loss, did a thorough assessment of more than 30 of the best hair growth vitamins and supplements, and vetted each for the number of ingredients included proven to support hair health, efficacy, cost, user and tester reviews and overall safety. Brands with awards, certifications, or a reputation for high-quality bioavailable nutrients also made it to the top of the list.
Vitamins and supplements work in a variety of ways. Certain vitamins may work by correcting nutritional deficiencies brought on by physical, mental, or emotional stress (like childbirth or other life events). Some vitamins and herbal supplements may address hormonal changes causing hair loss, while still others simply stimulate new and healthy hair growth after significant hair thinning.
For example, saw palmetto works by controlling DHT levels, which can cause hair loss, while vitamin C helps support hair growth by preventing oxidative stress that leads to hair fall. Supplementing with vitamin D helps people who lose hair due to traumatic or highly stressful events that cause a deficiency in the vitamin.
“Because of the hair growth cycle, consisting of distinct anagen, catagen and telogen stages, it is fair to give a hair supplement six months before assessing its effect,” says King. Additionally, people with full baldness may take up to a year to see results.
It’s always best to consult with your doctor before taking any new vitamins and supplements. Make sure you list your existing medications and any underlying health conditions you may have. It's also important to note that some prescription strength hair growth products and topical treatments are formulated specifically for male and female genetics, so make sure you use the best hair growth products that are formulated for you.
Dr. Mier recommends that people “avoid excessive heat styling, harsh chemical treatments and tight hairstyles that can put strain on your hair follicles.” Instead, opt for natural and nourishing products for thinning hair that are suitable for your hair type, such as a shampoo for thinning hair. If you suffer from an itchy scalp or very dry hair, then a vitamin or supplement for hair loss may be the better bet. Above all, what ever you choose, stick with for a few months for the best results.
Amy Forman Taub, MD, FAAD, Board-certified dermatologist
Michelle Henry, MD, Board-certified dermatologist and Harvard-trained Mohs surgeon
Glenn Vallecillos, MD, Board-certified plastic surgeon
Jose Diego Mier, MD, Board-certified dermatologist
Jake Woods, MD, Board-certified dermatologist
Andy Goren, Board-certified dermatologist, trichologist and professor
Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.