This article was written by Bargello and posted on the old LHL boards.

WHAT VITAMINS SHOULD I TAKE?

Vitamins are very important not only for the growth of hair but also for overall health. After doing years of research on vitamins, I have found what vitamins work and what ones don't. My overall health has improved 200 percent since starting my vitamin program—and a healthy body means healthy nails, skin, and hair.

Multivitamin: I believe everyone needs to be taking a good multivitamin. You need one that contains at least 100 percent of most of the recommended daily nutrients. I am very partial to Vitaminshoppe's One-A-Day vitamin. This is an excellent vitamin for overall health. Note that it does not contain iron. This might be a concern or it may not be. Most menstruating women can benefit from extra iron in their diets. If you happen to be a woman who becomes iron-deficient easily, you may wish to add in an extra iron supplement. By not having iron, this particular multivitamin makes a good supplement for men, teens, and post-menopausal women.

Calcium: We all need calcium in our diet. This is something that is an absolute necessity. There is some calcium in the above multivitamin but not enough. Remember when taking calcium that you also need Vitamin D and Magnesium in order for the calcium to be absorbed properly. Most multivitamins will contain Vitamin D and Magnesium.

Now for the vitamins that promote healthy hair, skin, and nails.

Hair Vitamins: I like a good hair vitamin to start my program. There are several out there but GNC's Ultra Nourishair is probably one of the best I have seen. It is what I take and is the absolute heart of my program. I am a firm believer in this vitamin since it contains all the necessary vitamins needed for healthy hair.

Note: I do not like the vitamins that state that they are specifically for hair, skin, and nails. They generally have fewer vitamins than you really need for healthy hair, skin, and nails. I am not sure why but they do. If you take a good hair vitamin, your skin and nails will automatically benefit.

MSM: This vitamin is very important for healthy hair, muscles, and joints. It helps to decrease hair fall out by assisting in lengthening the growth stage of the hair. The longer you are able to retain the root, the longer your hair will grow. You may take up to 2000mg/day. Note: Ultra Nourishair contains 500mg of MSM. I take an additional 1000mg/day.

Silica: It will help increase the shine of your hair and is also a very valuable antioxidant. It assists in a lot of other areas other than just helping your hair be soft and shiny. Since Ultra Nourishair already contains silica, I take an additional 500mg/day.

Evening Primrose: There is so much to say about this essential fatty acid that contains Omega-6 Fatty Acid (Gamma-Linolenic Acid). This is a good Omega-6 Fatty Acid. It has several benefits of which I will only name a few: reducing PMS, clearing up eczema, helping your skin glow, minimizing fine wrinkles, reducing cholesterol, helping with your metabolism, and curing hair and nail problems. It helps nourish straw-like hair. You only really need 480-960 mg of GLA to reap wonderful benefits. I personally take 500mg/day. You should see results with Evening Primrose as early as two weeks after commencing daily consumption. Your scalp should feel less dry and the hair growing in should feel softer and more nourished.

Flaxseed Oil: This is wonderful in the sense that it contains both Alpha-Linolenic Acid (Omega-3 Fatty Acid) and Gamma-Linolenic Acid (Omega-6 Fatty Acid). Omega-3 is very important in our bodies, too. We need both to help maintain a healthy body. Omega-3 has been known to help people with ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder). It is also essential for healthy hair, skin, and nails. It helps hair in the same way that Omega-6 does. Why take both? Because the cells of the body need both in order to work properly. Our bodies do not make either of the fatty acids; we must supplement. Taking both will help the cells of the body to work more efficiently. This, in turn, will help hair growth as well as overall health of hair and body. I take 500mg/day. I really don't think you need more than that but you should experiment. You might find that your body does need more.

Biotin: This is what really can boost your hair growth. Skin, nails, and hair rely on biotin to grow. Therefore, if we feed our bodies more biotin, our skin will look better, our nails will be stronger, and our hair will grow faster and be stronger. Ultra Nourishair contains 1200mcg of biotin. I take an additional 2400mcg/day. I have played with the dosage a little and have found that my hair definitely grows faster with the total biotin of 3600mcg/day. You might need to play with this too. You might need more or less than I do for results.

Protein: I can't scream enough about protein! We need it and I don't care if it comes from a plant or from an animal. Truthfully your body can absorb and utilize plant protein better than animal. This is why vegetarians are incredibly healthy. I drink a protein shake everyday with my vitamins. I drink it with milk; it tastes better and I get extra calcium and protein. Vegans can make a protein drink with soymilk. If you buy soymilk with calcium added, you have the benefits of extra vegetable protein as well as calcium. Adding protein to your diet will help your body all the way around. It will function better and you will not be as hungry all the time. I suggest a protein drink of at least 22gr. of protein. I recommend at least one serving a day. If your diet is really poor, you can drink more. The extra protein will also help your hair grow. It is protein, too, after all.

With all this said, everyone is DIFFERENT! You might need more of something than I do; you might need less. Vitamins are personal things. You need to play with them in order to get the correct dosage for you. They are not a cure all. They can help your body in ways about which you normally wouldn't think. I have tried to keep the above information brief although I could write pages about each vitamin and why you should take it. The above program works very well for me. My hair grows at the speed of 1 ½" per month. One thing to always remember: when starting a vitamin program, don't expect results overnight. It will take your body between two and six weeks to benefit from vitamins. This time period depends on how depleted your system is. The average time is four weeks. If you are recovering from a serious illness, it may take longer.

One word about prenatal supplements: I personally do not think they will boost hair growth any more than a good multivitamin. There are a lot of good over-the-counter prenatal supplements out there. I like Natrol probably the best. However, when I sat down and actually compared the ingredients in prenatal vitamins to multivitamins, the multivitamin actually had more than the prenatal vitamins did. Prenatal vitamins do contain extra iron (for anemia), folic acid (for birth defects), and potassium (to help with muscle cramps). However, none of those ingredients will boost hair growth. I have had three pregnancies and I have NEVER taken prenatal vitamins. When I presented my vitamin program to my OB-GYN, she stated that she could not have put together a better vitamin program for overall health during and after pregnancy. I have never had a prenatal supplement prescribed for me; there really was no need.

If you wish to take a prenatal supplement in addition to a good multivitamin, by all means do. I think that the only reason doctors have stated that there is a boost in hair growth when taking prenatal vitamins is that, generally, women don't take vitamins until they are pregnant. A woman takes a prenatal vitamin and her hair starts to grow making her think that it is because of the prenatal vitamin. In fact, the accelerated hair growth is simply because she is getting some good vitamins into her system. It is also as a result of pregnancy itself. Pregnancy can cause your hair to grow faster because your body is renewing things a lot faster.

has anyone tried sally's beauty store hair vitamins?
also i heard that pre natal vitamins are suppose to be excellent for hair and hair growth...

Do you have any suggestions for someone that has trouble swallowing pills? I have found a multivitamin that is small enough for me to swallow without too much difficulty. So many of the liquid vitamins out there have things in them I don't want ... like ginseng. I cannot take stimulants of any kind. They bother my heart. Anyway, the multivitamin has the following:
Vitamin A 3000 IU
Vitamin C 150 mg
Vitamin D 100 IU
Vitamin E 30 IU
Vitamin K 25 mcg
Thiamine 15 mg
Riboflavin 17 mg
Niacin 75 mg
Vitamin B6 10 mg
Folate 800 mcg
Vitamin B12 20 mcg
Biotin 300 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 18 mg
Calcium 250 mg
Iron 18 mg
Phosphorus 65 mg
Iodine 150 mcg
Magnesium 200 mg
Zinc 15 mg
Selenium 100 mcg
Copper 3 mg
Manganese 2.5 mg
Chromium 120 mcg
Moly??? 25 mcg

Please forgive any misspellings ... it was very, very tiny and hard to read.

In addition to my multivitamin I also drink 8 oz of a fortified juice from Trader Joe's. It doesn't give actual measurements, but it give the following info:
Vitamin A 100% Vitamin C 100%
Calcium 33% Iron 4%
Thiamine 100% Riboflavin 100%
Niacin 100% Vitamin D 100%
Vitamin E 100% Vitamin B6 100%
Folate 100% Biotin 100%
Pantothenic Acid 100% Vitamin B12 100%

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

thanks for all the vita-info! I have always been curious about which vitamins may be best for hair growth. Your hair sure does grow fast! is the 1 1/2 inches growth per month an increase from before you were taking vitamins?

SuzieQ: I have aleays had trouble swallowing pills--I would gag on the taste and have to spit out the pill. What works for me now: I take a gulp of water and hold it in my mouth. I tilt my head back and then drop the pill into my mouth and then swallow--I don't even know the pill is there because it floats in the water before going down. Hope this helps.

mel

This is very helpful...I take a multi vitamin (GNC Women's Ultra Mega), which I am pleased with overall, however, it does not have much, if at all, of the ingredients that you listed. I will have to look into the other ones. I also take plenty of calcium through supplements along with som calcium in my diet, so that one's covered. Thanks again!

This article was written by Bargello and posted on the old LHL boards.

WHAT VITAMINS SHOULD I TAKE?

Vitamins are very important not only for the growth of hair but also for overall health. After doing years of research on vitamins, I have found what vitamins work and what ones don't. My overall health has improved 200 percent since starting my vitamin program—and a healthy body means healthy nails, skin, and hair.

Multivitamin: I believe everyone needs to be taking a good multivitamin. You need one that contains at least 100 percent of most of the recommended daily nutrients. I am very partial to Vitaminshoppe's One-A-Day vitamin. This is an excellent vitamin for overall health. Note that it does not contain iron. This might be a concern or it may not be. Most menstruating women can benefit from extra iron in their diets. If you happen to be a woman who becomes iron-deficient easily, you may wish to add in an extra iron supplement. By not having iron, this particular multivitamin makes a good supplement for men, teens, and post-menopausal women.

Calcium: We all need calcium in our diet. This is something that is an absolute necessity. There is some calcium in the above multivitamin but not enough. Remember when taking calcium that you also need Vitamin D and Magnesium in order for the calcium to be absorbed properly. Most multivitamins will contain Vitamin D and Magnesium.

Now for the vitamins that promote healthy hair, skin, and nails.

Hair Vitamins: I like a good hair vitamin to start my program. There are several out there but GNC's Ultra Nourishair is probably one of the best I have seen. It is what I take and is the absolute heart of my program. I am a firm believer in this vitamin since it contains all the necessary vitamins needed for healthy hair.

Note: I do not like the vitamins that state that they are specifically for hair, skin, and nails. They generally have fewer vitamins than you really need for healthy hair, skin, and nails. I am not sure why but they do. If you take a good hair vitamin, your skin and nails will automatically benefit.

MSM: This vitamin is very important for healthy hair, muscles, and joints. It helps to decrease hair fall out by assisting in lengthening the growth stage of the hair. The longer you are able to retain the root, the longer your hair will grow. You may take up to 2000mg/day. Note: Ultra Nourishair contains 500mg of MSM. I take an additional 1000mg/day.

Silica: It will help increase the shine of your hair and is also a very valuable antioxidant. It assists in a lot of other areas other than just helping your hair be soft and shiny. Since Ultra Nourishair already contains silica, I take an additional 500mg/day.

Evening Primrose: There is so much to say about this essential fatty acid that contains Omega-6 Fatty Acid (Gamma-Linolenic Acid). This is a good Omega-6 Fatty Acid. It has several benefits of which I will only name a few: reducing PMS, clearing up eczema, helping your skin glow, minimizing fine wrinkles, reducing cholesterol, helping with your metabolism, and curing hair and nail problems. It helps nourish straw-like hair. You only really need 480-960 mg of GLA to reap wonderful benefits. I personally take 500mg/day. You should see results with Evening Primrose as early as two weeks after commencing daily consumption. Your scalp should feel less dry and the hair growing in should feel softer and more nourished.

Flaxseed Oil: This is wonderful in the sense that it contains both Alpha-Linolenic Acid (Omega-3 Fatty Acid) and Gamma-Linolenic Acid (Omega-6 Fatty Acid). Omega-3 is very important in our bodies, too. We need both to help maintain a healthy body. Omega-3 has been known to help people with ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder). It is also essential for healthy hair, skin, and nails. It helps hair in the same way that Omega-6 does. Why take both? Because the cells of the body need both in order to work properly. Our bodies do not make either of the fatty acids; we must supplement. Taking both will help the cells of the body to work more efficiently. This, in turn, will help hair growth as well as overall health of hair and body. I take 500mg/day. I really don't think you need more than that but you should experiment. You might find that your body does need more.

Biotin: This is what really can boost your hair growth. Skin, nails, and hair rely on biotin to grow. Therefore, if we feed our bodies more biotin, our skin will look better, our nails will be stronger, and our hair will grow faster and be stronger. Ultra Nourishair contains 1200mcg of biotin. I take an additional 2400mcg/day. I have played with the dosage a little and have found that my hair definitely grows faster with the total biotin of 3600mcg/day. You might need to play with this too. You might need more or less than I do for results.

Protein: I can't scream enough about protein! We need it and I don't care if it comes from a plant or from an animal. Truthfully your body can absorb and utilize plant protein better than animal. This is why vegetarians are incredibly healthy. I drink a protein shake everyday with my vitamins. I drink it with milk; it tastes better and I get extra calcium and protein. Vegans can make a protein drink with soymilk. If you buy soymilk with calcium added, you have the benefits of extra vegetable protein as well as calcium. Adding protein to your diet will help your body all the way around. It will function better and you will not be as hungry all the time. I suggest a protein drink of at least 22gr. of protein. I recommend at least one serving a day. If your diet is really poor, you can drink more. The extra protein will also help your hair grow. It is protein, too, after all.

With all this said, everyone is DIFFERENT! You might need more of something than I do; you might need less. Vitamins are personal things. You need to play with them in order to get the correct dosage for you. They are not a cure all. They can help your body in ways about which you normally wouldn't think. I have tried to keep the above information brief although I could write pages about each vitamin and why you should take it. The above program works very well for me. My hair grows at the speed of 1 ½" per month. One thing to always remember: when starting a vitamin program, don't expect results overnight. It will take your body between two and six weeks to benefit from vitamins. This time period depends on how depleted your system is. The average time is four weeks. If you are recovering from a serious illness, it may take longer.

One word about prenatal supplements: I personally do not think they will boost hair growth any more than a good multivitamin. There are a lot of good over-the-counter prenatal supplements out there. I like Natrol probably the best. However, when I sat down and actually compared the ingredients in prenatal vitamins to multivitamins, the multivitamin actually had more than the prenatal vitamins did. Prenatal vitamins do contain extra iron (for anemia), folic acid (for birth defects), and potassium (to help with muscle cramps). However, none of those ingredients will boost hair growth. I have had three pregnancies and I have NEVER taken prenatal vitamins. When I presented my vitamin program to my OB-GYN, she stated that she could not have put together a better vitamin program for overall health during and after pregnancy. I have never had a prenatal supplement prescribed for me; there really was no need.

If you wish to take a prenatal supplement in addition to a good multivitamin, by all means do. I think that the only reason doctors have stated that there is a boost in hair growth when taking prenatal vitamins is that, generally, women don't take vitamins until they are pregnant. A woman takes a prenatal vitamin and her hair starts to grow making her think that it is because of the prenatal vitamin. In fact, the accelerated hair growth is simply because she is getting some good vitamins into her system. It is also as a result of pregnancy itself. Pregnancy can cause your hair to grow faster because your body is renewing things a lot faster.
Does your grow 1 1/2 inches a month because of the vitamins? Normally hair grows half a inch a month. So if take the vitamins you listed could my hair grow that quickly?

msm is NOT a vitamin. :wink: i never tried it but heard nothing but goodies about it though.
i only take 1 mg of biotin, and i skip days because i easily break out. i don't believe either one needs multivitamins. i once tried them and never noticed a difference so i stopped. what a person needs is a healthy diet. loads of vegetables and fruit, and dairy or other calcium sources. in france most non-dairy calcium loaded products contain calcium carbonate, i've found it doesn't work at all so look for other salts of calcium! i stick to skimmed milk personally, i can grow some of my nails easily beyond 1/2" of outgrow, so it must be working :lol:

my experience is; if you have acne be careful what you take, there's limits to what a skin can swallow! too much vitamins B (including biotin that is) can make things worse. try small doses first, take more progressively, see if you get more benefits on your hair (less shedding is easily noticed) or bad effects on your skin. this can save you tons of money as well. i found more than 1 mg of biotin didn't give any more benefits to me, just more acne! and i recently found i can even go with less and still have less shedding. i think it's unthinkable you can't get enough vit B from a normal diet so i'd rather avoid multivitamins and take the ones that interest you seperately. unless you're a McDo junkie, seek help rather than a multi vitamin!

What do you guys think about these multi-vitamins? It's called GNC SoloCaps. Also, where can I find MSM?

Vitamin A (50% as beta-Carotene, 50% as Acetate)1000 IU 20%

Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid) 200 mg 333%

Vitamin D (as Ergocalciferol) 400 IU 100%

Vitamin E (as natural d-alpha Tocopheryl Succinate)30 IU 100%

Vitamin K (Phytonadione)25 mcg 31%

Thiamin (as Thiamin Mononitrate)30 mg 2000%

Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2)30 mg 1765%

Niacin (as Niacinamide)30 mg 150%

Vitamin B-6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride)30 mg 1500%

Folic Acid400 mcg 100%

Vitamin B-12 Vitamin A(as Cyanocobalamin)30 mcg 500%

Biotin30 mcg 10%

Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium d-Pantothenate)30 mg 300%

Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate)60 mg 6%

Iron (as Ferrous Fumarate)18 mg 100%

Iodine (as Potassium Iodide)150 mcg 100%

Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide)30 mg 8%

Zinc (as Zinc Oxide)30 mg 200%

Selenium (as Sodium Selenate)25 mcg 36%

Copper (as Copper Gluconate)500 mcg 25000%

Manganese (as Manganese Sulfate)5 mg 250%

Chromium (as Chromium Chloride) 25 mcg 21%

Molybdenum (as Sodium Molybdate)25 mcg 33%

Potassium (as Potassium Chloride)30 mg 1%

Choline Bitartrate30 mg **

para-Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA)25 mg **

Citrus Bioflavonoids Complex10 mg **

Green Tea Leaves Extract (Camellia sinensis)5 mg **

N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC)500 mcg **

Lutein 300 mcg **

Boron (as Bron Gluconate)100 mcg **

Inositol30 mcg **

Silicon (as Silicon Dioxide)10 mcg **

Vanadium (as Sodium Metavanadate)10 mcg **

has anyone tried sally's beauty store hair vitamins?
also i heard that pre natal vitamins are suppose to be excellent for hair and hair growth...

Prenatal vitamins are the single reason that pregnant women experience such wonderfull hair growth (and maybe better diet in some). Everything else about pregnancy is a stressor on the body and should actually be detrimental to good hair. The only down side to prenatals is that they are high in iron. Not really a problem in women who have a monthly menses but could lead to iron overload in men, postmenopausal or hysterectomized women.

I absolutely love this thread. I think all that is stated in this thread is very much correct. As a result of me reviewing this thread, I have added more and different kinds of vitamins to my vitamin routine. I cannot wait to reap the benefits of taking more vitamins and extra protein. I have also increased the daily amount of protein with tuna, turkey, fish, lightly salted peanuts, and RAW veggies. Once again, I cannot wait to reap the benefits of all of my new hair care and vitamin regimen.

Do any of you here take prenatal vitamin's?


Chelci

[QUOTE=SuzieQ]Do you have any suggestions for someone that has trouble swallowing pills? QUOTE]

Have you tried grinding the pills up and putting them in a fruit smoothie? I have done this in the past, make the smoothie in a mixer, grind the pills with a mortar and pestle.

that's a great idea...the mortar and pestle...
a lot of vitamins you can buy in liquid form, look at your health food store. just add them to your smoothies then. or if you are very very brave, just with water.
This is a great thread! I am going to start the biotin and the silica in addition to my vitamins now

Thanks for all the vitaman info! It was really helpful!:grin:

Prenatal vitamins are the single reason that pregnant women experience such wonderfull hair growth (and maybe better diet in some). Everything else about pregnancy is a stressor on the body and should actually be detrimental to good hair. The only down side to prenatals is that they are high in iron. Not really a problem in women who have a monthly menses but could lead to iron overload in men, postmenopausal or hysterectomized women.

Actually, the prenatal vitamins have only a small part in the increased hair and nail growth pregnant women experience. Most of the increased growth is due to the fact that pregnant women have a dramatic increase in blood volume. The increased blood volume leads to an increase in the amount of nutrients hair and nails receive (besides acting as mother nature's insurance policy against shock from birth related hemoraghing)sp:wink: . Also, due to the hormone changes of pregnancy less hair is actually shed so hair feels thicker and healthier. After the baby is born many moms experiency an often frightening amount of hair loss due to this postponed shedding.

Oh wow. Im going crazy.
-Cries-
I’ve never been more confused man.

so what ive summarized is that the main thing that matters is GNC's Ultra Nourishair and Bitoin :)

hm?






This article was written by Bargello and posted on the old LHL boards.

WHAT VITAMINS SHOULD I TAKE?

Vitamins are very important not only for the growth of hair but also for overall health. After doing years of research on vitamins, I have found what vitamins work and what ones don't. My overall health has improved 200 percent since starting my vitamin program—and a healthy body means healthy nails, skin, and hair.

Multivitamin: I believe everyone needs to be taking a good multivitamin. You need one that contains at least 100 percent of most of the recommended daily nutrients. I am very partial to Vitaminshoppe's One-A-Day vitamin. This is an excellent vitamin for overall health. Note that it does not contain iron. This might be a concern or it may not be. Most menstruating women can benefit from extra iron in their diets. If you happen to be a woman who becomes iron-deficient easily, you may wish to add in an extra iron supplement. By not having iron, this particular multivitamin makes a good supplement for men, teens, and post-menopausal women.

Calcium: We all need calcium in our diet. This is something that is an absolute necessity. There is some calcium in the above multivitamin but not enough. Remember when taking calcium that you also need Vitamin D and Magnesium in order for the calcium to be absorbed properly. Most multivitamins will contain Vitamin D and Magnesium.

Now for the vitamins that promote healthy hair, skin, and nails.




Hair Vitamins: I like a good hair vitamin to start my program. There are several out there but GNC's Ultra Nourishair is probably one of the best I have seen. It is what I take and is the absolute heart of my program. I am a firm believer in this vitamin since it contains all the necessary vitamins needed for healthy hair.

Note: I do not like the vitamins that state that they are specifically for hair, skin, and nails. They generally have fewer vitamins than you really need for healthy hair, skin, and nails. I am not sure why but they do. If you take a good hair vitamin, your skin and nails will automatically benefit.

MSM: This vitamin is very important for healthy hair, muscles, and joints. It helps to decrease hair fall out by assisting in lengthening the growth stage of the hair. The longer you are able to retain the root, the longer your hair will grow. You may take up to 2000mg/day. Note: Ultra Nourishair contains 500mg of MSM. I take an additional 1000mg/day.

Silica: It will help increase the shine of your hair and is also a very valuable antioxidant. It assists in a lot of other areas other than just helping your hair be soft and shiny. Since Ultra Nourishair already contains silica, I take an additional 500mg/day.

Evening Primrose: There is so much to say about this essential fatty acid that contains Omega-6 Fatty Acid (Gamma-Linolenic Acid). This is a good Omega-6 Fatty Acid. It has several benefits of which I will only name a few: reducing PMS, clearing up eczema, helping your skin glow, minimizing fine wrinkles, reducing cholesterol, helping with your metabolism, and curing hair and nail problems. It helps nourish straw-like hair. You only really need 480-960 mg of GLA to reap wonderful benefits. I personally take 500mg/day. You should see results with Evening Primrose as early as two weeks after commencing daily consumption. Your scalp should feel less dry and the hair growing in should feel softer and more nourished.

Flaxseed Oil: This is wonderful in the sense that it contains both Alpha-Linolenic Acid (Omega-3 Fatty Acid) and Gamma-Linolenic Acid (Omega-6 Fatty Acid). Omega-3 is very important in our bodies, too. We need both to help maintain a healthy body. Omega-3 has been known to help people with ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder). It is also essential for healthy hair, skin, and nails. It helps hair in the same way that Omega-6 does. Why take both? Because the cells of the body need both in order to work properly. Our bodies do not make either of the fatty acids; we must supplement. Taking both will help the cells of the body to work more efficiently. This, in turn, will help hair growth as well as overall health of hair and body. I take 500mg/day. I really don't think you need more than that but you should experiment. You might find that your body does need more.

Biotin: This is what really can boost your hair growth. Skin, nails, and hair rely on biotin to grow. Therefore, if we feed our bodies more biotin, our skin will look better, our nails will be stronger, and our hair will grow faster and be stronger. Ultra Nourishair contains 1200mcg of biotin. I take an additional 2400mcg/day. I have played with the dosage a little and have found that my hair definitely grows faster with the total biotin of 3600mcg/day. You might need to play with this too. You might need more or less than I do for results.

Protein: I can't scream enough about protein! We need it and I don't care if it comes from a plant or from an animal. Truthfully your body can absorb and utilize plant protein better than animal. This is why vegetarians are incredibly healthy. I drink a protein shake everyday with my vitamins. I drink it with milk; it tastes better and I get extra calcium and protein. Vegans can make a protein drink with soymilk. If you buy soymilk with calcium added, you have the benefits of extra vegetable protein as well as calcium. Adding protein to your diet will help your body all the way around. It will function better and you will not be as hungry all the time. I suggest a protein drink of at least 22gr. of protein. I recommend at least one serving a day. If your diet is really poor, you can drink more. The extra protein will also help your hair grow. It is protein, too, after all.

With all this said, everyone is DIFFERENT! You might need more of something than I do; you might need less. Vitamins are personal things. You need to play with them in order to get the correct dosage for you. They are not a cure all. They can help your body in ways about which you normally wouldn't think. I have tried to keep the above information brief although I could write pages about each vitamin and why you should take it. The above program works very well for me. My hair grows at the speed of 1 ½" per month. One thing to always remember: when starting a vitamin program, don't expect results overnight. It will take your body between two and six weeks to benefit from vitamins. This time period depends on how depleted your system is. The average time is four weeks. If you are recovering from a serious illness, it may take longer.

One word about prenatal supplements: I personally do not think they will boost hair growth any more than a good multivitamin. There are a lot of good over-the-counter prenatal supplements out there. I like Natrol probably the best. However, when I sat down and actually compared the ingredients in prenatal vitamins to multivitamins, the multivitamin actually had more than the prenatal vitamins did. Prenatal vitamins do contain extra iron (for anemia), folic acid (for birth defects), and potassium (to help with muscle cramps). However, none of those ingredients will boost hair growth. I have had three pregnancies and I have NEVER taken prenatal vitamins. When I presented my vitamin program to my OB-GYN, she stated that she could not have put together a better vitamin program for overall health during and after pregnancy. I have never had a prenatal supplement prescribed for me; there really was no need.

If you wish to take a prenatal supplement in addition to a good multivitamin, by all means do. I think that the only reason doctors have stated that there is a boost in hair growth when taking prenatal vitamins is that, generally, women don't take vitamins until they are pregnant. A woman takes a prenatal vitamin and her hair starts to grow making her think that it is because of the prenatal vitamin. In fact, the accelerated hair growth is simply because she is getting some good vitamins into her system. It is also as a result of pregnancy itself. Pregnancy can cause your hair to grow faster because your body is renewing things a lot faster.

I take so many vitamins! Maybe that's why many people have told me that there is no way my hair can grow 1 inch a month give or take. So I cut it right where it barely touched my shoulders. That was four years ago. Now it's just about to my tail bone. I last had it trimmed about 9 months ago. But I would trim it every 6-8 weeks taking off 1/2 inch each time.

Lill

My local GNC sells something called Men's Ultra NourishHair. Is it a good idea for me to use it?

Okay, I picked up GNC Women's Hair, Skin, and Nails Formula. Is this a good supplement, anyone?

Do you have any suggestions for someone that has trouble swallowing pills? I have found a multivitamin that is small enough for me to swallow without too much difficulty. So many of the liquid vitamins out there have things in them I don't want ... like ginseng. I cannot take stimulants of any kind. They bother my heart. Anyway, the multivitamin has the following:



About your troubles swallowing pills, I also had the same problem, but then someone told me to put the pill in a spoonful of applesauce/jello/etc. worked for me, and now I can swallow pills like a real professional, lol... HTH

I take the GNC Womens Ultra NorishHair AND the GNC Hair Skin and nails. This (both together) helped me meet the higher Biotin levels suggested on Bargello's Vitamin Regimen. This combo also gave me higher levels of other nutrients that I personally needed.
I also take the GNC Womens Multi, and pretty much follow Bargello's Vitamin Regimen to the "T" - I have noticed increased hair growth.

I also noticed less shedding in about two weeks of use. I shed about 10 hairs a day or less now, from about 50 before.

Been on it about three weeks, and have had 1/4 inch growth in a weeks time, starting from last week. Normally I am at about 1/2 inch a month, and slower in winter.

The Womens Ultra Norish Hair is higher on some things, then the mens. But the Mens has 800 mcg more Biotin, and also has more silica and Cayenne pepper. The Cayenne is good for hair growth, which helps with thickening.

So I guess it depends on what you need, and what other suppliments you also take.

It also depends on the levels you are aiming for, for your personal situation/needs. The Bargello's Vitamin Regimen post gives you good info on what people need, and why, and can help you decide what you do or don't need.

Men vs. Womens RDA levels also differ, Though the RDA is the barest minium anyone needs just to survive without nutrional related disease. Not the best level for good hair growth though.

And men metabolise some nutriants differently then women, which is another reason the products differ. Plus men have "baldness" issues to deal with, not normally the case with women.

I will post a side by side comparrison in just a min.

Mens Ultra Norish Hair:

Vitamin A (100% as beta-Carotene)20%
1000 IU

Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid)50%
30 mg

Vitamin E (as Mixed Tocopherols)33%
10 IU

Thiamin (B1) (as Thiamin Mononitrate)100%
1.5 mg

Riboflavin (B2)100%
1.7 mg


Niacin (B3)125%
25 mg


Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride)100%
2 mg


Folate,Folic Acid,Folacin100%
400 mcg


Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin)100%
6 mcg


Biotin 666%
2000 mcg

Pantothenic acid (as Calcium d-Panthothenate)500%
50 mg

Iodine (as Kelp)33%
50 mcg

Magnesium (as Magnesium Gluconate)3%
15 mg

Zinc (as Zinc Gluconate)100%
15 mg


Copper (as Copper Gluconate)50%
1 mg

Silica (as Silicon Dioxide)
2 mg*

Boron (as Boron Gluconate)
1 mg*

L-Cysteine
100 mg*

Choline (as Choline Bitartrate)
250 mcg*

Inositol
50 mcg*

Hydrolyzed Gelatin
25 mg*

Natural Amino Complex (Lactalbumin)
50 mg*

Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum frutescens)
10 mg*


Womens Ultra Nourish Hair:


Vitamin A 20%
1000 IU

Vitamin C 100%
60 mg

Vitamin E 100%
30 IU

Thiamin (B1) 100%
1.5 mg

Riboflavin (B2) 100%
1.7 mg

Niacin (B3) 100%
20 mg

Vitamin B6 200%
4 mg

Folate,Folic Acid,Folacin 50%
200 mcg

Vitamin B12 100%
6 mcg

Biotin
1200 mcg

Pantothenic acid
20 mg

Iodine
50 mcg

Magnesium
40 mg

Zinc
30 mg


Copper
2 mg

Boron
3 mg*

Silica
1 mg*

MSM
500 mg*

Natural Amino Complex
500 mg*

L-Cysteine
200 mg*

L-Methionine
100 mg*

Choline
250 mcg*

Inositol
50 mcg*

The GNC Womens Ultra Noursh Hair is better overall then the GNC Hair Skin and Nails.

If you can only take one or the other, go with the Ultra Nourish Hair. Drugstore.com has excellent reviews of both, but the Ultra Nourish Hair is the better product.

The two products (from Bargellos recomendation) you should take, if you want to help with hair growth would be extra Biotin, and GNC Womens Ultra Norish Hair. This is if you are limiting yourself to the minium, for personal or budget reasons.

If you can throw in a GOOD Multivitamin that would be even beter.

Thank you tangal! Reason I asked is because my GNC doesn't seem to have the one for women, only men.. maybe I just overlooked it..

They may just be out at the moment, it is a very popular product. If you look at www.gnc.com (http://www.gnc.com) or www.drugstore.com (http://www.drugstore.com) you will see a picture of the box, which may make it easier to find.

They should have more in within a week or so I would think.

The first week of every month GNC has 20% off for all Gold Card members, so they are iusually well stocked at that time also, as all the Gold card owners flock in. ;)

I think I HAD overlooked it - I just ran up there and found some :D
OMG, those are a b**** to swallow... I also picked up some primrose oil.

hmmm ive been wanting to get my hands on GNCs ultra nourish hair for a while. i am currently just taking a multivitamin (centrum) because i am on birth control and i have a lot of irregular bleeding/ ovarian cysts, so my doctor told me to take a good multivitamin. i finally found a birth control pill that works good for me (yasmin) and i was wondering if any of these hair supplements interfere with birthcontrol. anyone here no anything about this? or have any experiance with it?

There are Drugs, antibiotics, and herbals that can effect how low dose birth control products work. A listing is here. http://www.drugs.com/cons/yasmin.html

UltraNourishHair is simply a multivitamn suppliment however, containing the "normal" multivitamon activities. Though in higher dosages then the standard multivitamins. I personally would recomend you take it in addition to your normal multi vitamin for best results.

Ultra Nourish Hair ingreidants are here" (scroll to page bottom)
http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=69208&catid=11345&trx=PLST-0-SRCH&trxp1=11345&trxp2=69208&trxp3=1&trxp4=0&btrx=BUY-PLST-0-SRCH

There is nothing in it that should effect the performance of your birth control products. It does not contain any herbals or drugs that are know to effect the performance of birth control pills.

There are some things, like St. John's Wart, that might mess with your BC pills, but I don't think vitamins can hurt ya. You could always ask your doctor if you're nervous!

This is great information, I never knew vitamins could affect hair growth ::doh::

I'll definately be taking my multivitamins from now on! :)

thanks for your help! ill definately start taking the GNC supplement :)

Sexyblondehoney, I'm taking Ultra Nourishhair, Hair Skin & Nails, Centrum, Calcium, and Evening Primrose Oil. I'm also taking Yasmin, and I haven't noticed any interference. Everything is still behaving as it should :D

Wow, this is a lot of good information. My only bit of input is to exercise caution with vitamins. I'm an avid label reader and have found that many "specialized" vitamins for enhancing specific things like hair or nails or skin contain many of the same vitamins and in the same dosage as a good multivitamin. I take a women's one a day and have not had any reason to take anything else because of the overlap. Vitamins can be tricky, research ahead of time which can be dangerous if taken in too great of quantities. I personally prefer to take one good quality multivitamin and maybe an herbal supplement to avoid any accidental overdose of a specific vitamin.

This link is quite helpful in showing the maximum levels (which is not the same as the much lower RDA)

The RDA is not the min. toxic level. Rather it is the level one must have at a minium to prevent nutritional related disease. There is still quite a bit of play past that level that is safe and benificial. And thropeudic vitamin levels, to "treat" conditions are much higher then the RDA.

http://www.acria.org/treatment/treatment_edu_springupdate2002_vitachart.html

This gives you the "toxic" levels and food sources. You will see that even taking a two a day multi and a hair vitamin and added individual suppliments in your light areas, you are still in many cases below the max levels.

I have all my vitamins listed individually on a spreadsheet and add up all the levels of each together. And I have never reached the max on any, and am still in a good midrange. Then adding in my diet consumption, I am still ok.

The main issue are the fat solubles, which the body stores, others the body excretes into the waste/urine system. So buildup is not an issue. (though an imbalance can still cause other problems, if you take a bunch of some things without a balancing partner - but mullti's pair the balanceing suppliment when needed) (Zinc and copper is one example)

Fat- Solubles to watch: (for average adult)

Vit A - Max 20,000 IU (unless you are over age 50 and then aim for less then 6,600, 5,000 or less if trying to get pregnant)- at least 20% should be in the form of beta carotene
Beta Carotene sources don't need to be counted as part of this max out level as they don't build up in the same way, most vitamins use Beta Carotene as part of the mix to lessen OD buildup concerns (most mulits have around 5,000 IU)

Vitamin D - Max 1000 -1200 IU (from suppliments and food only) (most multis contain about 400 IU)

Vitamin E - Max 1000 - 1500 IU ( doses over 800 IU can interfere with Vit K and A levels) (400 IU or less is a good range for general health)

Vitamin K - Max 80 mcg ( not concidered toxic) (most mulis are 80 mcg or less)

Other Vitamins are Water Soluble, so not concidered toxic at higher levels. Though to high a level, such as "mega-dose" amounts can cause imbalance in other areas. But the levels are still pretty high. The link above lists those, and levels.

This gives you good info on each individual vitamin and what it does, can interfere with, food sources, suggested doses, other drug use precautions, etc. (From Health Notes)

http://www.drugstore.com/templates/hnotes/default.asp?catid=42374&trx=HN-IN&trxp1=0&trxp2=10&trxp3=2&trxp4=42374 (http://www.drugstore.com/templates/hnotes/default.asp?catid=42374&trx=HN-IN&trxp1=0&trxp2=10&trxp3=2&trxp4=42374)

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/items_index/1,1538,HS,00.html

http://www.berkeleywellness.com/html/ds/dsSupplements.php

Obviousely your individual diet, weight, lifestyle, health, stress levels, absorption rates, other medications/drugs taken, etc. all are part of the equasion. And one needs to taylor a suppliment program for their individual needs.

Good health, and hair, incluides many things, such as diet, exercise, lifestyle choices and habits, water consumption, genetics, stress, body and hair care choices, etc. All are part of the big picture, and there is no one quick fix.

I certainly agree, take what you need, based on your situation. And not everyones needs are the same.

For me suppliments do help, along with other things. Others may find they are completely useless.

But be willing to research and see what works best for you. Diet or Whole food sources only, herbals only, added suppliments, a mix of all, or nothing.

Everyone will have their own comfort level, and place that gives them the best results.

And thats all good and beautiful. ;)

I've been taking a women's multi, GNC Ultra Nourishair, and extra biotin for about a month, and then realized how close I was to this regimen. So I just added evening primrose, flaxseed oil, silica, and an extra 1000 of MSM.

One part I'm confused about - it says in the article an addition 500mg of silica, but I can only find silica in 11mg pills. I'm thinking it's a typo, and should actually read 50mg, not 500. Because taking 50 pills doesn't sound right... :bigeyes: Any thoughts on what the dose should be?

NOW Brands makes a Silicia Complex that is 500 mg. I ordered it online.

http://store.yahoo.com/iherb/silicacomplex.html

Heres some other brands-
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?hl=en&btnG=Search+Froogle&q=Silica++500+mg

Okay, so there is higher mg silica out there, I just need to look more. And now at least I have a better idea of how much is safe to take.

Thanks! :flowers:

I swear by Country Life Maxi-Hair Supplements. The ingredients are similar to GNC Hair supplements.

I am a firm believer in taking the fatty acids. For anyone worried about taking large amounts of fatty acids: I have taken large amounts of Evening Primrose (3 1300 mg capsules) for years to combat my severe eczema. I also take large amounts of Flax Seed Oil (3 1000 mg capsules) to combat migraines. By the way, I have not had a migraine since I started taking Flax Seed Oil. I have read research that says taking both evening primrose and flax seed oil together converts these valuable fatty acids to a DHA (?) form that some of the pricier fish oils claim is the superior form of fatty acid.

Another beneficial side effect of evening primrose that I have experienced is that I am never cold anymore unless I'm ill. I used to be cold all the time--needed a sweater, please turn off the air conditioner, etc. Then I realized after a year or less of taking evening primrose that I was never cold. I am also rather thin (5'8", 125 or less lbs). I have told this to several people who usually roll their eyes. My younger son always complains about being cold. He actually went as far as to go to a pharmacy to pick up evening primrose but the pharmacist told him it was for regulating female cycles. I don't think he's forgiven me for that yet! He won't listen to anything more about evening primrose.

That's really interesting about flax seed and migraines! Although my migraines have been greatly reduced since stopping the pill, it's still good to know. And it gives me another valid explanation for the handful of vitamins I take. :lol:

This is a cheapskate question. I am travelling for three months soon and need to save every penny. However, I don't want to completely destroy the results of the vitamin regime.

Which vitamins are the most essential? I have a large supply of GNC UltraNourishair, flaxseed oil and my multivitamin so I'm not worried about those but I don't have a three month supply of everything else. I've budgeted to buy one or two of the other supplements but I don't know which ones are most effective.

I assume you mean for hairgrowth?

MSM, Biotin and Silica probably would be ones you want to really concentrate on. But you can look at all the vitamins listed, and see what each does specifically, and where you may be short, and finetune from there.

I assume you mean for hairgrowth?

MSM, Biotin and Silica probably would be ones you want to really concentrate on. But you can look at all the vitamins listed, and see what each does specifically, and where you may be short, and finetune from there.


Thank you! Yes, I meant for hairgrowth. After reading this thread, I see that you are really knowledgable about this. What brands do you recommend for each of the supplements?

I started taking silica last week (£10.99 for 120 tablets, 1 a day, from Holland and Barrett- expensive!) after reading about growth benefits on a UK beauty forum. I've broken out in so many spots! But hopefully this is just temporary.

I also take 1100mg of cod liver oil for omega 3, and 1000mg of evening primrose oil for omega 6 a day. I got the cod liver oil capsules for about €4 in Tescos for 180 (2 a day) when I still lived in Dublin (which was 8 months ago now- I haven't exactly been taking them every day :lol:) and the evening primrose oil for about £2.50 in Superdrug for 90 capsules (2 a day). I also take a multivitamin a day, they're about £1.99 for 180 in Superdrug (one a day).

try taking less silicia if you are breaking out from it. It is probably more then you need. Drop your silica dose down to every otherday, or so and see if that helps you out.

It is more common to see this type of reaction from extra Biotin though - did you increase your Biotin levels recently? Biotin is excellent for skin and hair, but there can be an adjustment curve to find the correct level for you personally.

Brands will depend on availability and your budget.

I personally Like the GNC Ultra NourishHair for my hair suppliment. I also use the GNC Womens Ultra Mega for my Multi. Not the best out there, but the best I can presently afford.

NSI is an excellent brand, available at www.vitacost.com (http://www.vitacost.com). If you can go with them I would. They are better formulated, and the nutrient concentration is a better assemulated form for most people. But they are only available at Vitacost I think.

They have good multis, and carry all the other individual suppliments mentioned.
I can give you exact link to their recomended multis if you want, but they are about $30/$40 a month, just for the multi. So not something I purchase myself. Though people that are nutrional scientists have recomended them to me as one of the "best" out there.

Vitacost has a powdered MSM, if you don't need another pill, that very good.
http://www.vitacost.com/TriMedicaMSMPowder
1/4 a teaspoon added to your juice gives you 1000 mg of MSM. You can easily add more or less as you need. To much MSM can cause headachs in some people, so this is a very easy way to get the amount that is right for you.

Heres another MSM powder source.
http://bio-alternatives.net/msm.htm

Solgar and Twinlab are also good lines, not as good as NSI on some things, but still ok, and also an option.

Personally though, I spring for the GNC products mentioned above, then pick up my other suupliments at Walmart. They are not quite as bioavailable, but since most are products that are normally well absorbed with less "bioavailability issues in general" they are fine for me.

If my budget allowed I would get the NCI whenever possible, but my budget does not allow this.

I buy the MSM powder when I can, when I can't I get the capsules at Walmart.
You can also get them at Target, Wallgreens, Kmart, whatever stores you go with. ;)

I did need to buy my Silica online, as I was unable to find it locally.

Don't buy everything at once. Rather get one or two different things, this is easier on your budget, and you can adjust dosage as you go.

This way if you have a reaction to something, you know which item caused it. So you can very easily adjust your dose and see if your reactions lessen.
Then, when you see how you handle everything, gradually add on your next thing if you need it.

I would start with a good Multi, then something like the NorishHair. Then add other extras you feel you need them for your situation, and diet and lifestyle.

I do recomend you go with Fish oil if you can, instead or Flax for EFAs. (Essential Fatty Acids, Omega Fatty Acids)
Because most data does indicate that Fish oil is a better absorbed version of EFAs then Flax. Fish oil already has the Omegas EPA and DHA in a easily absorbed form.
Flax does not contain EPA or DHA it must make it from the ALA present in Flax. The conversion is limited though, and less effective, so for many people, you get less benifit from Flax vs Fish oils.

But if you are a vegitarian, then flax maybe your only option for moral reasons. So you can go with that then.

I just take the one's from Wal-Mart that say Skin,Hair & Nails! Don't know if there doing me any good because I forget to take them everyday!!!

Do you have any suggestions for someone that has trouble swallowing pills? I have found a multivitamin that is small enough for me to swallow without too much difficulty. So many of the liquid vitamins out there have things in them I don't want ... like ginseng. I cannot take stimulants of any kind. They bother my heart. Anyway, the multivitamin has the following:
Vitamin A 3000 IU
Vitamin C 150 mg
Vitamin D 100 IU
Vitamin E 30 IU
Vitamin K 25 mcg
Thiamine 15 mg
Riboflavin 17 mg
Niacin 75 mg
Vitamin B6 10 mg
Folate 800 mcg
Vitamin B12 20 mcg
Biotin 300 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 18 mg
Calcium 250 mg
Iron 18 mg
Phosphorus 65 mg
Iodine 150 mcg
Magnesium 200 mg
Zinc 15 mg
Selenium 100 mcg
Copper 3 mg
Manganese 2.5 mg
Chromium 120 mcg
Moly??? 25 mcg

Please forgive any misspellings ... it was very, very tiny and hard to read.

In addition to my multivitamin I also drink 8 oz of a fortified juice from Trader Joe's. It doesn't give actual measurements, but it give the following info:
Vitamin A 100% Vitamin C 100%
Calcium 33% Iron 4%
Thiamine 100% Riboflavin 100%
Niacin 100% Vitamin D 100%
Vitamin E 100% Vitamin B6 100%
Folate 100% Biotin 100%
Pantothenic Acid 100% Vitamin B12 100%

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
what is the name of this multi that you take? i'd really like to know.
tia

Do you have any suggestions for someone that has trouble swallowing pills? I have found a multivitamin that is small enough for me to swallow without too much difficulty. So many of the liquid vitamins out there have things in them I don't want ... like ginseng. I cannot take stimulants of any kind. They bother my heart. Anyway, the multivitamin has the following:
Vitamin A 3000 IU
Vitamin C 150 mg
Vitamin D 100 IU
Vitamin E 30 IU
Vitamin K 25 mcg
Thiamine 15 mg
Riboflavin 17 mg
Niacin 75 mg
Vitamin B6 10 mg
Folate 800 mcg
Vitamin B12 20 mcg
Biotin 300 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 18 mg
Calcium 250 mg
Iron 18 mg
Phosphorus 65 mg
Iodine 150 mcg
Magnesium 200 mg
Zinc 15 mg
Selenium 100 mcg
Copper 3 mg
Manganese 2.5 mg
Chromium 120 mcg
Moly??? 25 mcg

Please forgive any misspellings ... it was very, very tiny and hard to read.

In addition to my multivitamin I also drink 8 oz of a fortified juice from Trader Joe's. It doesn't give actual measurements, but it give the following info:
Vitamin A 100% Vitamin C 100%
Calcium 33% Iron 4%
Thiamine 100% Riboflavin 100%
Niacin 100% Vitamin D 100%
Vitamin E 100% Vitamin B6 100%
Folate 100% Biotin 100%
Pantothenic Acid 100% Vitamin B12 100%

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

I have this stuff at home that has lots of vitamins.. It is a powder, and you add it to your drink, I usually add it to orange juice. I use that when I dont feel like gagging on pills. Even though it tastes like you drank the left over grass from mowing your lawn . I cant think of what this is called, but once I get home from school tonight I will find out and post it on here! :smile:

Has anyone used Bio-Sil for the silica supplement in Bargello's regimen? Supposedly it is more bioavailable than other forms of silica. For the liquid form it recommends you take 6 drops equalling 6mg silica total and the tablet form is 1 per day for 5mg silica. Is this enough when taken in conjunction with GNC ultrahair? I can find plenty of 5mg silica supplements but none that are 500mg like listed in Bargello's post. Does anyone know if the correct dose is 500 or 5mg?

Thanks!

Now Food Brand carrys a 500 mg Silica Complex, which has 500 mg of Horsetail Extract, which is a common form of Silica.

http://froogle.google.com/froogle_cluster?q=silica+500+mg&pid=2251647944145273990&oid=10569094669830891272&btnG=Search+Froogle&scoring=mrd&hl=en

A few more brands are here:
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=silica+500+mg&hl=en&btnG=Search

Thanks Tangal!! I've googled but never froogled, cool!

this is great help for me...i actually have started taking most of the vits just need to add evening prim. to my su[pplements

Hi everyone,

has anyone tried "hairtopia" ? My nails seem stronger but hair growth is slow.. It consists of taking 6 amino acids per day and 2 vitamins.. just curious.. you can find it on hairboutique.com

I have read about it, and based on the reviews I read it did not seem better then other products I researched for me.

When I read the breakdown of the ingrediants, vs. the cost, I personally felt that GNC Ultra Nourish Hair, and a Very good Multi vitamin, and additional Biotin, MSN, Silica, etc. were both cheaper and more effective in the long run.

Personally I have noticed a doubling of growth, fullness, and less shedding. So I am happy with my current routine.

Thanks so much.. yeah, they are expensive my hair is truly frustrating... Grows slow and is completely fried from all the highlights over the year.. I look ridiculous... Natural from the ears up and then blonde and frazzled to my shoulders.. It has been a year and i think my hair has grown about 2 inches.. rrrrghhh...

Hi!

I'm new here and I find LHC fascinating! I have been reading a lot of great suggestions and tips on this community. Very eye opening!

I've always been a big believer in vitamin supplements and I have been taking them for most of my life (Mom was a big beliver as well).

Anyway, My question is, what is MSM? Forgive me if this has been asked before.

Thanks in advance!

MSM is Methylsulfonylmethane. It is water soluable, and is the third largest ingredient in the human body. MSM is a natural form of organic sulfonyl sulfur compound that is found in all living organisms.

It is present in many foods, but easily lost in the cooking and storage process.

It helps normalize other body functions, and assists with rebuilding of collegen and keratin, needed for healthy hair, skin and nails.
It helps other supplements and vitamins and amino acids work effectively. It is an anti-oxidant. Some people feel it helps in clearing the body of toxins from allergens to foods and pollens.

MSM that is unused passes from the body in 95 to 100 hours, So it is important to replenish. (the largest overage amount leaves in the first 12 hours, if the body cannot use it immediately it disposes of it - thats why breaking doses into 12 hour intervals is more bio-available)

It has a very low toxicity, similar to water. Many studies have been done on long term supplementation at 2000 mg, with no long term negative effects or damage. Larger doses are also used to treat allergies and pain. (With no side effects)

Some people do get headaches from MSM, so they should adjust their dose to lower levels.

I like the powder forms, it is simple to add to juice, tea, or water twice a day, and simple to adjust your dose. Its also cheap. $8 for a lb, that will last at least a year or longer. It is a white unscented powder with a slight bitter taste. But 1/4 teasppon give 1500 mg, and in 8 ozs of juice or sweeten drink, the bitterness is unnoticable.

I take 3500 mg daily, I have noticed skin texture, and firmness changes, and lessening of pain related to an old back and neck injury.
I also feel it is beneficial to my hair.

More info here:
http://www.kroger.com/hn/Supp/MSM.htm

Fascinating, thank you tangal! I'll have to look for this today.

BTW, I love that song "The Way I Was Made"! :0)

You are welcome...:)

tangal, please tell me what brand of biotin you are taking? BTW, is biotin the same as vit B complex??

Tangal...

Where did you purchase your MSM from?

:grin:

Something that was mentioned to me in the past few days and I thought I'd bring up here:

Some of the amounts of vitamins recommended in this particular regimen have been LOWERED since this vitamin-regimen came out. At the time that the lady who came up with this particular regimen took them, the amounts she mentions were "acceptable", or within the realm of what was considered a safe range. Since the more-current vitamin-amount recommendations have lowered for some of the vitamins (Vitamin A, for example), this vitamin-course may be worth checking-out with your healthcare practitioner to see if the recommended dosages are still within that realm of being "considered safe". Fast growth is certainly coveted by many, but should be done safely; your health is far more important than the length of hair you are sporting.

Wishing you all every good thing as you grow, and good health besides,
LJ

MSM powder comes from www.bio-alternatives.net (http://www.bio-alternatives.net), its about $8 for 1 lb, which will last a very long time.

www.vitacost.com (http://www.vitacost.com) also carries and MSM powder which is NSI Brand I believe.

There is some good information here definately, but one thing I would like to point out is that if you have health problems of any kind, especially if you are taking prescription medicines, do not take additional vitamins until you talk to your doctor. Also, while protein comes from both plants and animals, there are different amino acids that our bodies need, and only animal proteins are complete. Certain plant combinations need to exist to make sure all types of amino acids are present. For example, rice, corn, and beans all combine to get them all.

As far as the crushing them up into a smoothie, this could be a bad idea. It depends if the vitamins say they are time release or not...if they are, then this is a very bad idea indeed.

I would advise being careful with the calcium. 90% of kidney stones are calcium based, and if you already drink a lot of milk (more than a quart a day for me at one point) then you shoudl definately not supplement. From experience I can say that a kidney stone is not something you want to have. Also, excess calcium can lead to calcium deposits in the skin which are unsightly.

Vitamin B12 is a vitamin found only in dairy, meat, and eggs. For this reason many vegans and quite a few vegetarians become deficient in this vitamin. In this case a supplement may be necessary. Signs of B12 anemia are similar to iron anemia. If you do experience iron anemia and take an iron supplement, be aware that it can cause tooth decay. I went several years without cavities, took iron for a few months and then got three cavities.

All in all, my advice is to use caution and if you have any questions about possible interactions or side effects, talk to a doctor or pharmicist. All of the information I give is a combination of research and self-experience (also I am a biochemistry major).

Very well put SQUASHCULLS, those are good points you have made. I always say talk to a Pharmicist or a Doctor when qestions come up on drug dosage or any therapeutic agent.

hmmm thanx for all of the advice.. i should probablly take more vitamins right now i'm taking great hair vitamins they have 3mg of biotin or 3,000 mcg. Is that enough?

yes, thanks for the vitamin advice. I have to be careful about taking my vitamins at a certain time b/c I can't take them with my prescriptions.
I use a multivitamin from whole foods, just a basic multi. I stay away from the ones with extra iodine (breakouts) and stay away from speedy herbs too for the same reason as another in the beginning of this thread. I can't tolerate ginseng like herbs due to heart condition. Before though, I could never tell the effects of herbs like that at all. Funny how your body can change.
I take an extra B12 and drink lots of protein shakes for vitamins as well.
I am not so good at taking calcium which I really should be. It just seems I never get to it.
I will look more into msm and silica, though. Those sound great for hair. I have been taking biotin as well but am afraid of how people have been saying they have breakouts from it...I haven't noticed much but I also hadn't been taking biotin for very long.

Question about GNC Hair Skin and Nails: I have experienced extra shedding since taking this product 2 weeks ago. Is this normal? I am taking this as opposed to the Ultra Nourish Hair as it is available and the UltraNourishair is not. Could it be the 2500mg of biotin which is making me shed?

great thread! :) im just curious about the Vitamin B's? are they good for hair?

basketcase, personally, I have been taking Vit B complex for over 6 months now and haven't seen any improvements in my hair:( That's why I'm trying the Bargello Vit Regimin now.

This is really a very informative thread. I wanted to add few things:

When I began adding vitamins I added them one at a time. So if I noticed something 'off' I would have a good idea what it was.
When I was at my Gyn last year I gave him my run down of vitamins also my reg Doctor. Make sure you let your health care professional know what your taking. I have taken Birth Control with no effects but it's good to check and make sure.
They actually sounded please to know I was taking supplements.

Multi am/pm
biotin am/pm
evening primrose am (out of)
garlic am
silica am (out of)
msm am/pm or pm
flax seed pm (out of)


I have found it best to break them up twice daily if I can.

Second:
I really like Puritan Pride vitmains. http://www.puritan.com
Very inexpensive and I believe the best biotin (1000mcg not the 5mcg tablets), msm, and silica I have found. If I cant get my order in then I will stop in my Vitamin World store. I can get the same vits there also. Then I use the GNC UM for Women and Vitaminshoppe http://www.vitaminshoppe.com for other vits.

HTH

Hmm.. I just started taking many of these vitamins and I've noticed that some of you divide up the times that you take them into morning and night. Does anyone know if it is better to take certain ones at a certain time of day? As far as taking with food etc.? I have noticed before just from taking the normal vitamins I take daily (a multiple, vitamin C and vitamin E) that if I take them without food I get nausea. However I have not noticed that with the supplements.

Another question - the biotin that I got says to only take one a day but I noticed several people take it twice a day - can that cause any problems?

where can I find Silica?

I've check almost all the whole food markets, as well as GNC and VitaminneShop and Trader Joes.. none have Silica in pure form..

Also.. There is a GNC NourishHair for women and men, and I'm a guy.. But I compared the two.. and in the men's formula almost all the ingredients are doubled, but they took out MSM and I think Silica as well. Also, the Men's formula is more expensive, so I ended up getting the women's formula. Still works right?

where can I find Silica?

I am taking Horsetail Extract which has high silica content.

I've check almost all the whole food markets, as well as GNC and VitaminneShop and Trader Joes.. none have Silica in pure form..

Also.. There is a GNC NourishHair for women and men, and I'm a guy.. But I compared the two.. and in the men's formula almost all the ingredients are doubled, but they took out MSM and I think Silica as well. Also, the Men's formula is more expensive, so I ended up getting the women's formula. Still works right?

Hi BHS, I take the Horsetail herb too, natural silica. I use the Solaray brand from Whole Foods.

I used to take Ultra NourishHair but found it hard to swallow. Switched to GNC Women's Formula, the tablets are a bit smaller (I usually try to find capsules, those I don't have a problem with).

Anyway, then I found One Source Hair, Skin & Nails vitamins at WalMart - they have the exact same formulation as the GNC Women's. And are exactly the same size. But way less expensive.

Marking it Women's or Men's is a marketing ploy, good for you for seeing through it. No worries about becoming what our Governator calls a "girlie man" -- whatever that is!!!

(No offense intended by that comment, just meant to be silly :silly: as I noticed BHS and I are both Californians!!)

he says girlie man? Sounds familiar but I don't remember where he says it.

btw.. are there any supplements you can take to reduce/reverse white hairs?

Also, I don't break up my pills because it makes it jagged and very hard to swallow.. I can swallow the large pills whole very easily. So since I can't break em up.. I just take my pills at night, when I'm about to sleep. I figure that it's when my body will be replenishing itself so it would be most effective? Or is this logic wrong and I should find a way to take the pills in the morning and at night..

Marking it Women's or Men's is a marketing ploy, good for you for seeing through it. No worries about becoming what our Governator calls a "girlie man" -- whatever that is!!!

(No offense intended by that comment, just meant to be silly :silly: as I noticed BHS and I are both Californians!!)

As is ctate -- by all means, mock Arnold whenever you feel like it! :jestor:

Some mens' hair vitamin products on the market contain saw palmetto. This is a plant extract that acts to inhibit the formation and binding of DHT, a key hormone related to male-pattern hair loss. Its action is apparently similar to the drugs Proscar and Propecia, and many people seem to have good results taking it regularly to halt the progression of male-pattern baldness. These are "mens'" formulations because women do not go through the same kind of typical DHT-driven hair loss that men do, and saw palmetto does not act in womens' biochemistry the same way.

There are some things you need to be aware of if taking saw palmetto, though. It has not been well studied in pregnant/lactating women, and the prescription drugs with similar behavior have strong danger warnings for such women (as in, do not even plan to become pregnant while your partner is taking Proscar!). Saw palmetto is most often used as a prostate-inflammation regulation supplement, so its users aren't generally thinking in terms of procreation, so the potential issues there don't come up. Finally, saw palmetto's activity of lowering DHT and related prostate-activity hormones can hide some of the early chemical warnings of prostate cancer, so if you're of an age to need regular prostate screening, you must tell your doctors that you're taking it, so they can take that into account.

All that being said, I'm really jazzed to have learned about saw palmetto here on TLHC recently, I've done some research, and I'm going to start taking it. Good luck (to me and everyone else)!

hmmm ive been wanting to get my hands on GNCs ultra nourish hair for a while. i am currently just taking a multivitamin (centrum) because i am on birth control and i have a lot of irregular bleeding/ ovarian cysts, so my doctor told me to take a good multivitamin. i finally found a birth control pill that works good for me (yasmin) and i was wondering if any of these hair supplements interfere with birthcontrol. anyone here no anything about this? or have any experiance with it?

Hi

I take Yasmin and a store brand multivitamin too. It does not affect the efficacy of birth control as far as I can tell. When you are on birth control, you actually end up with some B vitamin deficiency and other stuff. Plus with irregular bleeding, it helps to take a multivitamin. You might want to take iron and calcium too. My OBGYN recommended that I take all these. I also take fish oil supplement 1200mg to help with hair, skin.

I was wondering if anyone here takes any vitamins other than from GNC? Does anyone take store brands or Nature Made or something like that, or is GNC the only brand that is good?

Do you all think it makes a difference if you take all your vitamins at once, or should you space them out throughout the day? Would it help with absorption? I take all mine at once, but was thinking of spreading it out.

it depends which vitamins. some vitamins, like calcium, you want to spread out a bit because you body can only absorb so much at one time. (i.e. 500 mg Calcium).

has anybody tried "head start" vitamins? i just bought these, the three-phase pack, which include vitamins, minerals, and proteins. results are supposed to show up in a few weeks, so my fingers are crossed...
http://www.headstartvitamins.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=hsvp&Product_Code=123&Category_Code=1

I'm getting googd results from the bargello's regimen.

Hi, just discovered this thread, thanks to Moe! I wanted to ask, has anyone taken GNC Silica? I noticed when I went to my local GNC they had Silica which i couldn't find anywhere else, so i was wondering has anyone tried it.


I purchased GNC Women's Skin, Hair and Nails, and Women's Iron suppliement, and the Women's Multi-vitamin. Couldn't find NourishHair anywhere, so I may have to order online. I did notice however that online, there are some speacials going on for you GNC fans.

I am bumping this thread to ask if anyone on here has ever or is currently taking Viviscal?

It is supposed to make your hair grow SUPER fast but it is very expensive; about AUD80 for a one month supply...

Very sage advice. I love my meat, so I am sure I am getting enough protein, but I didn't know about silica and calcium and all that.

I thought my biotin and hair and nail supplements would be enough, ah well.

Thanks :) I am going to buy some more vitamins soon.

Has anyone ever felt more tired as a result of taking all these vitamins? I've felt a lot more tired and slightly ill since roughly the same time I finally completed my "set" of vitamins. The change was: flax oil, the multi, nourishhair, calcium, and silica. I'm wondering if maybe I'm allergic to any of these, or taking too much, or what. I'm going to cut out the calcium and see if that does it...things like tums always make me feel ultra-gross, anything calcium-containing does that's not a natural source of it does, really. I'm not quite sure why.

btw.. are there any supplements you can take to reduce/reverse white hairs?


I've been taking Fo-ti (a Chinese herbal), as well as Copper and Tin (liquid minerals), all reputed to help with retaining natural hair color and reversing greys. So far, so good. I've only got a handful of greys -- there are even a few that are white but are more darkly pigmented at the roots, so I guess something must be working!

good thread. Will have to get some multivitamins soon.

I take iron and zinc. I read somewhere hair needs lots of iron and zinc helps with regrowth. But too much iron can be dangerous and it's odd because they say you should only take about 15mg but the pills I have are 60mg...???...so i break them in half and only take them every other day.

I take a multivitamin from Source Naturals called Life Force Multiple, which I get at a local health food store (not a commercial one, but a privately owned whole foods-type called Farmers Natural Foods). It is EXCELLENT!

Also, I definitely have to agree with the MSM, biotin, silica, omega-3 combination. Not only has my hair grown in stronger, shinier, and thicker, but I have seen a slight increase in the growth rate, and I have tons of new hair popping up. YAY! :)

I am bumping this thread to ask if anyone on here has ever or is currently taking Viviscal?

It is supposed to make your hair grow SUPER fast but it is very expensive; about AUD80 for a one month supply...

You're right, Shari, Viviscal is very expensive, overpriced and overrated in my professional opinion. The ingredients are not that unique -- you can get the marine protein, Vitamin C and silica for waaaaay cheaper at lots of other places. There are also a number of other things that you may want to consider if you're not already taking them including biotin, MSM, maybe a protein powder, etc. With everything I take (and buy for my hair), I try to be as frugal as I can with everything so I'm not running up a big monthly bill. Happy growing!

I've taken Viviscal and did notice increased growth. It is a bit expensive, but as I'm from Finland where it was created it's not QUITE as expensive here. But anyway, I'm currently taking similar ingredients, not Viviscal. I think the maind ingredient is shark cartilage and other marine protein, and then it has acerola for vit- C. I also take multi's and some other stuff, but they DO WORK. Last month my growth was at a complete stall (due to medication), and as soon as I started taking my supplements it grew a lot, I mean in a matter of days! I got approximately 1 cm in a week. I'd buy Viviscal again, in sale as it often is here, or if something else with similar inredients is cheaper then I'll take that. Actually I'm getting more of the active ingredients with my current supplements, for less money.

Hey!! im new here! Hi 2 all of u!! I need help!!!! im having breakge problems with my hair and i wan't to color my hair because i have roots PLEASE tell me what can i do???

Simba, if your hair is already so dry it is breaking, then maybe you should hold off on coloring it until you get it in shape. You don't want to color it and then have it breaking off! I read this whole thread yesterday and it seems if you aren't taking a multivitamin, that's a good place to start. And if you are already taking a multivitamin then taking a good hair-skin-nails vitamin with plenty of MSM, Biotin, and Silica (in the form of horsetail probably) is the next step in addition to your multi is the next step. You could take one in the morning and the other in the evening. Also taking 500 mg each of evening primrose oil and flax seed oil (or fish oil) will help, especially for you the evening primrose oil which is supposed to make hair softer.

I have two hair, skin, and nails pills I take alternating them. They contain a lot of the same things, but one contains certain things the other one doesn't and the other one contains certain things the first one doesn't. After reading this thread completely and visiting the website that says how much of what we are allowed without hurting ourselves, I see that I could take both in the same day without a problem and that would increase the biotin, msm, and silica levels I would get in a day too. The only thing is, together both pills have 4,500 mcg of biotin and Bargello doesn't go higher than 3600. Is it safe to take so much biotin?

-Shilpa

Hello everyone, I finally found this thread again. I started taking vitamins in Feb.07 and it has been one month now with I feel healthy improvement. I am taking GNC mega woman, nourish hair and evening primrose oil. Does this sound right? Should I add anything else at this point or let it be for a couple of more months?

I've been taking Ultra NourishHair since December and Horsetail for the past week. After reading this last night, I ran out today I bought Flaxseed, Evening Primrose, MSM, and Biotin. Thanks!

Well, after one month of taking my vits faithfully ( I take them twice a day and only missed two times) my hair grew a whole inch. It's very noticeable, it went from lip length to under chin length (from side view). My "normal" rate without supplements is also slightly above average, but 1" is definitely more than usual, and the real kicker is that I went from only 1/10" growth the previous month to this. Also, I was stll taking the same medication all last month, otherwise I would have thought stopping the meds had a part in the fast growth.

Hello !!

(I'm french so excuse-me for my poor english ...)

I found today a product for maximizing hair growing which name is "maxi hair".

The site that I found is : http://www.swansonvitamins.com/ProductDisplay/catalogId/1005/productId/11013/R/15287&SourceCode=INT999&saleCatalogId=1005

The official site is : http://www.country-life.com/moreinfo.cfm?Category=5&Product_ID=75

The composition seems to me to be really good and I would like to know if someone has already tested it.

I think I will buy 6 bottles of maxi hair next month (the shipping charge is 36.99 $ so I prefer buy several bottles than only one of course). I can't buy on the site of Puritan's because they don't sell to people who live in France and Germany. So I searched another site and I found "Maxi Hair" product and I'm really glad ! ^^

tell me what you think about this product ! Thanks ! :flowers:

Yes, this is my hair vitamin. I take one in the morning, and another at 2 pm, and then my multivitamin at night before bed. Others here take it too, and it is similar to the GNC Ultranourish Hair vitamin pills.

-Shilpa

Yes, this is my hair vitamin. I take one in the morning, and another at 2 pm, and then my multivitamin at night before bed. Others here take it too, and it is similar to the GNC Ultranourish Hair vitamin pills.

-Shilpa

And have you notice something with your hair growing thanks to maxi hair ?

Has anyone experienced the 1.5" monthly due to this regime? It seems most people get an increase, but I'm wondering who has Bargello's exact rate of growth.

Has anyone experienced the 1.5" monthly due to this regime? It seems most people get an increase, but I'm wondering who has Bargello's exact rate of growth.

I'm wondering too. I would like so much to improve my hair growth !! ^^:grin:

Actually the increased hair growth in pregnant women is due to the increased overall blood and blood flow which carries additional nutrients to the scalp feeding the follicle for increased hair growth.

I am bumping this, right after un-stickying it. I have made a compilation list ( http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=1142928#post1142928) at the top of the Mane Board, with the link to this thread in it, so it will NOT be lost -- you can always find it again.

This was done in an effort to de-clutter the tops of the boards, as there are many requests for threads to be stickied. This way, we can have a master-list at the top of each forum with all the former-stickies in it, and more new-threads will show up on page-one.