Hair Health

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Hair health supplements are vitamins, minerals and protein products sold to support normal hair, skin and nails. This range includes collagen peptides, biotin, hair, skin and nails multivitamins, fish and flaxseed oils, vitamin E, MSM and inositol, from brands including Rule 1, Rapid Supplements, Horbaach, 21st Century and Life Extension.

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Hair Health: buying guide

What the evidence says

Hair needs a steady supply of nutrients, and a shortage of some of them, such as iron or biotin, can show up as thinning or shedding. That is where supplements make the most sense: correcting a gap. A 2019 review of vitamins, minerals and hair loss described deficiency as a modifiable risk factor, but concluded that large, well-controlled trials are still needed to clarify what supplements can do.

For people without a deficiency, the evidence is thin:

  • Biotin. Deficiency is rare. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says hair, skin and nail claims for biotin are supported, at best, by a few case reports and small studies.
  • Vitamin E. The 2019 review found no data supporting it for the most common types of hair loss.
  • Collagen. Collagen peptides are protein supplements that are widely sold for hair, skin and nails, but the hair research reviewed here does not cover them, so treat hair claims as unproven.

Check the cause first

Because shedding can have several causes, a visit to your GP and a blood test is a better first step than a long stack of products. If tests show low iron, your doctor may recommend an iron supplement; healthdirect advises taking iron only under medical supervision.

How to compare products

  • Dose against need. The adequate intake of biotin for adults is 30 micrograms a day. Check how much your product contains, because high doses can affect some blood tests (see the FAQ).
  • Overlap. If you take a multivitamin as well as a hair formula, add up nutrients such as selenium, zinc and vitamin E across both.
  • Collagen per serve. Compare grams of collagen per serve and the number of serves, and check the source (bovine or marine) if that matters to you.
  • Format. Powders mix into drinks; capsules and softgels are easier to take on the go.

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Related categories

Browse collagen, skin health, fish oil and vitamins and minerals.

Sources: Almohanna HM et al. The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review (2019); NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Biotin; healthdirect: Iron deficiency.

Order online with Australia-wide delivery, free on orders of $100 or more, or visit a Supps247 store in Melbourne, regional Victoria or Brisbane to compare products in person before you buy. Members can use our price match guarantee on full-priced items.

Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take regular medication, check with your doctor first.

Hair Health: questions and answers

Does biotin make your hair grow faster?
Not unless you are low in biotin, which is rare. A 2019 review of vitamins and hair loss found no evidence-based data that biotin supplements promote hair growth, and the NIH says hair, skin and nail claims rest on a few case reports and small studies at best. Biotin deficiency itself can cause thinning hair, which is where supplementing has a clear role.
Can biotin affect blood test results?
Yes. High-dose biotin can interfere with some laboratory tests and give falsely high or low results. The NIH reports that even a single 10 mg dose has interfered with thyroid function tests, and biotin has caused a falsely low result in a troponin test, which is used to assess the heart. Tell your doctor about any biotin, including hair and multivitamin products, before blood tests.
Can low iron cause hair loss?
It can be linked. A 2019 review found most authors agree on supplementing iron in people with iron deficiency or low ferritin who have common types of hair shedding. Women who have periods, pregnant women and people on vegetarian or vegan diets are more likely to run low. healthdirect advises seeing your doctor before taking iron, because too much can be toxic.
Can taking too many vitamins cause hair loss?
Some can. The 2019 review notes that selenium toxicity can cause hair loss, and that selenium intakes above about 400 micrograms a day may cause toxicity. Hair, skin and nail formulas, multivitamins and single-nutrient products can add up quickly, so total the amounts across everything you take and stay within the label directions.
Should I take biotin or a hair, skin and nails formula?
It depends on what your GP finds. Biotin is only likely to help hair growth if you are low in it, which is rare. Single biotin products range from Life Extension Biotin 600 mcg to NOW Foods Biotin 5,000 mcg and 10,000 mcg, far above the adult adequate intake of 30 mcg a day. Combined hair, skin and nails formulas add other vitamins and minerals, so if you also take a multivitamin, total each nutrient across everything you take. Tell your doctor about any biotin before a blood test.
Is biotin safe, and what are the side effects?
Biotin has a good safety record. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says no upper limit has been set because there is no evidence in humans that biotin is toxic at high intakes, and several studies at 10 to 50 mg a day found no adverse effects. The real risk is with blood tests, since high doses can give false results, so tell your doctor before any test. Most products here far exceed the adult adequate intake of 30 mcg, from Life Extension Biotin 600 mcg up to Nutricost Biotin 10,000 mcg, so more is not necessarily better.
Can biotin or hair, skin and nails vitamins cause acne?
Online claims that biotin causes acne are not well supported: a 2020 dermatology review of acne linked to dietary supplements did not list biotin. That review did find case reports of acne flare-ups with high-dose vitamin B12, and with B12 combined with vitamins B1, B2 or B6, which often settled two to three weeks after stopping. Many hair, skin and nails formulas and multivitamins contain B vitamins, so check the label if your skin breaks out after starting one. If acne persists, see your GP or a dermatologist rather than adding more products.
Should women take biotin or hair vitamins?
Only if there is a reason. The adequate intake of biotin is the same 30 mcg a day for adult women and men, rising to 35 mcg while breastfeeding, and deficiency is rare. The NIH notes that at least a third of pregnant women develop marginal biotin deficiency, so if you are pregnant, ask your doctor or midwife which supplement suits you rather than adding a high-dose biotin. Women who have periods are also more likely to run low in iron, which can show up as hair shedding, so a GP blood test is a better first step than a hair formula.
What are the benefits of hair, skin and nails vitamins?
They make the most sense when your diet is short of a nutrient your hair needs. A 2019 review of vitamins, minerals and hair loss described deficiency as a modifiable risk factor, but said large, well-controlled trials are still needed to show what supplements do for people who are not deficient. Formulas such as Horbaach Hair, Skin and Nails Vitamins, which pairs argan oil and hydrolysed collagen with vitamins and minerals, are convenient, but they overlap with multivitamins, so add up each nutrient across everything you take and stay within the label dose.
Which biotin or hair vitamins are best in Australia, and can I buy them online?
Match the dose to your needs rather than picking the biggest number. Life Extension Biotin 600 mcg is the lowest-dose biotin here, NOW Foods Biotin 5,000 mcg sits in the middle, and Nutricost Biotin is 10,000 mcg. For a combined formula, compare Horbaach Hair, Skin and Nails Vitamins with Life Extension Hair, Skin and Nails Collagen Plus. All of them can be ordered online with delivery across Australia, usually in 2 to 8 business days, or collected from many of our 18 stores.

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