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Let’s talk about biotin vs prenatal vitamins for hair growth, because many people are suffering from hair loss from malnutrition, poor hair care habits as well as medical reasons like alopecia.
Alopecia is a big problem because the condition can cause hair loss on the scalp and other parts of the body like the face – eyebrows, eyelashes, nose hair, beards and moustaches.
Alopecia also can attack body hair and pubic hair – arms, legs, armpits, chest, and stomach.
We’re going to discuss biotin vs prenatal vitamins for hair growth because certain vitamins can help you prevent hair loss and improve alopecia symptoms if you are already suffering from it.
In this article, we will be reviewing biotin versus prenatal vitamins for hair growth so that you can decide which fast hair growth supplement is the best for you to use.
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Biotin is a hair growth vitamin that is easily soluble in water. It is a part of the vitamin B family.
Biotin is actually another name for vitamin H. Our body needs this vitamin to convert nutrients into useful energy.
Apart from that, this popular hair growth vitamin plays a crucial role in improving your hair and skin's overall health.
If your body does not contain enough biotin, you may experience symptoms such as hair loss or alopecia.
In most cases, the amount of hair growth biotin you get from your diet is enough. However, research says that you must take it as a supplement if you face alopecia due to a lack of biotin.
[RELATED ARTICLE: MSM Hair Growth Studies]
The primary protein that forms the building blocks of your hair and skin is keratin. Biotin is used to improve the infrastructure of the keratin present in your body.
In a clinical study conducted in 2015, women with reducing hair density were given biotin orally two times a day for three months. The images of their scalps were observed before and after three months.
The researchers found that females who took biotin supplements had shown a noticeable improvement in hair density and increased hair growth. The amount of hair fall was also less after the treatment with biotin.
A similar study was also conducted in 2012, which showed similar results.
Apart from this, the best biotin supplements also known for reducing inflammation and improving the body’s cognitive function.
Biotin also helps in lowering the blood sugar levels in people who have diabetes, which is another great reason to take products like Wellabs Biotin drops.
Biotin increases good HDL cholesterol and decreases bad LDL cholesterol.
If you think that you are suffering hair loss due to a deficiency of biotin in your body, you can take biotin supplements which are available easily at all chemist shops. These supplements are usually sold in the form of a capsule.
The best thing is that biotin hair growth supplements usually do not have any adverse side effects.
However, side effects including nausea, diarrhea, and cramping have been reported by some people.
The side effects can be alleviated by taking the supplements along with food.
However, we recommend that you see a doctor before taking biotin hair growth supplements to be aware of the potential risks and benefits. You should follow the doses given by your doctor.
A frequently asked question is, "Are prenatal vitamins safe if you are not pregnant?"
Pregnant women take prenatal vitamins to ensure they are supplying their baby with enough vitamins and minerals.
If you are not pregnant, you may not need to take prenatal vitamins because most of the required nutrients will come from your diet.
Taking prenatal vitamins for hair growth when not pregnant comes with its own share of pros and cons.
Even if they are not pregnant, women take prenatal vitamins to improve their hair and nails as you may have seen in our prenatal vitamins hair growth before & after hair growth photos article.
Prenatal vitamins consist of specific nutrients such as folic acid, iron, and calcium.
These vitamins can improve your hair strength and improve symptoms of alopecia.
Even if you are not pregnant, you should not take prenatal vitamins to get the required amount of folate in your body.
Some even try adding pregnancy vitamins in shampoo for faster hair growth, which isn't an effective method.
You can try consuming foods that are naturally rich in folates. Some foods rich in folates are green leafy vegetables and breakfast cereals.
An overdose of folic acid may not do you much harm.
Still, prenatal vitamins are exceptionally high in iron, and accumulating too much of it inside our bodies can sometimes become toxic.
It can cause many adverse side effects like stomach aches, fatigue, and weight loss.
Prenatal vitamins are also high in calcium that may result in the formation of kidney stones inside your body if you are not pregnant.
To sum it up, spending too much money on prenatal vitamins if you're not pregnant may not be a good idea because the benefits might be short-term, and the risks develop later on.
So, Biotin is the winner in the biotin vs prenatal vitamins for hair growth battle if you're not with baby.
If we compare biotin with prenatal vitamins, you should definitely go with the former.
Taking multivitamins regularly will help you get the required amount of nutrients in your body.
Hey sis, heyyy!
I'm Melissa Harris
Co-founder of NHP. You'd de wise to...
TAKE DELIVERY of NHP Tutorials in your inbox for FREE!
Get EXPERT HAIR HELP at your fingertips weekly!
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Women who are pregnant or trying to be pregnant should actively take prenatal vitamins so there are enough nutrients in the body during conception to provide the baby a healthy environment to grow.
If you’re pregnant these health supplements are the logical choice if trying to decide the better choice in the biotin vs prenatal vitamins for hair growth battle.
Some women use prenatal vitamins for hair growth because hair tends to grow longer during pregnancy.
Some ladies imagine that they'll enjoy the full and healthy fast-growing locks that accompany pregnancy long after the baby.
However, soon after the baby is born, their hair returns to normal or begins to shed more than usual.
Prenatal vitamins are an essential part of prenatal care and are packed with many health-boosting nutrients, many that are beneficial for faster hair growth; however, this drastic change in hair growth patterns is not completely due to the vitamin supplements.
There are some natural and hormonal changes that come along with the pregnancy phase that account for the bountiful hair growth that takes place.
How pregnancy benefits hair...
When a woman becomes pregnant, her body becomes “oxygen-rich” in order to properly deliver nutrients to her developing baby.
Blood circulation becomes extremely high in order to adapt to the metabolic needs of the embryo. This increased circulation also helps transport oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles.
During pregnancy, the body also becomes “estrogen-rich.” Estrogen levels regulate the length of the hair growth phase.
When estrogen is high, your hair will stay in the growth (anagen) phase much longer before entering the shedding (telogen) phase.
This temporarily “locks” all of the hair in the growth phase. This may be why many women experience faster hair growth during pregnancy.
[RELATED ARTICLE: Best Black Hair Growth Secrets]
There is much scientific evidence of the benefits of biotin for preventing hair loss and hair thinning. But it helps to include healthing eating into this biotin vs prenatal vitamins for hair growth challenge.
You can get biotin naturally by eating food like salmon, eggs, and sunflower seeds.
There are a lot of biotin supplements available online as well as offline stores. The supplements are usually sold in the form of a capsule or tablet. You must consult your doctor to decide what dose should be the best for you.
Your doctor will give you a proper plan to follow that will contain details regarding the amount of dose you need to take daily and the number of intervals you need to take it. You must follow this plan religiously to get the most benefit.
Finally, you should make sure that you follow a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water.
You should limit your caffeine and alcohol intake and do regular exercise to improve your health, including your skin and hair.
Taking powerful hair growth vitamins may show tremendous improvements at first, but overlooking your diet may harm you in your later life stages.
By now, you have an idea about which vitamin should be the best for you in the biotin vs prenatal vitamins for hair growth.
You must take care of your health by making wise lifestyle choices.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Melissa Lee
Melissa Lee is a Contributing Editor to NHP and a former owner of the BlackhairOMG website. She formed 4C Trichology Growth Services, LLC., a US based hair care consultation service. She has also contributed as a writer and consultant for various hair and beauty websites. Melissa can be followed on Twitter here.