It has been said that pregnancy is the most critical stage of a woman's life. Thus, many preparations must be made to ensure the giving of birth to a healthy child. One of those preparations is nutrition that is specifically tailored for the well-being of both the pregnant woman and the child she is about to give birth to. Prenatal vitamins are one manifestation of this special nutritional need.
However, people who have nothing to do better in life conjure rumors from just about any piece of information they can get their hands on and then spread them like nothing happened. One of those rumors is the theoretical use of prenatal vitamins for hair growth.
Before dissecting the supposed justification for prenatal vitamins for hair growth, one must first know the composition of a typical prenatal multivitamin supplement and how it is different from the vanilla unisex multivitamin supplement.
Prenatal vitamins usually come in pink or light-pink packaging, while typical unisex vitamins just go with any other color. Besides the difference in packaging, the two types of vitamins basically have the same formulations. The only difference lies in some nutrients that compose the supplements. Those nutrients are critical to both the welfare of the pregnant woman and the stable development of the unborn child; and as a result, they come in greater amounts in prenatal vitamins than in unisex vitamins.
Folic acid helps prevent miscarriage and neural tube defects. This way, the unborn child will have a healthy nervous system when he or she grows up. Other birth defects that can be prevented with adequate folic acid include congenital heart defects, cleft lips and palates, limb defects, urinary tract defects, low birth weight, and growth retardation. It also assists in cell regeneration, ensuring that the bodily organs are strong enough to resist invaders.
Iron lends a hand in the formation of new cells, especially the cells of the unborn child. It also facilitates in the creation of a fresh supply of blood from the bone marrow. A stable amount of blood means the proper transportation of other nutrients, as well as oxygen, to all parts of the body – even to the developing body of the unborn child. Pregnant women are not just the only ones who need iron the most; women undergoing menstruation as well as other people who suffer from blood loss due to diseases such as dengue fever also need higher amounts of iron.
Calcium is the strengthener of bones. The mother needs it to prevent osteoporosis; while the child needs it to ensure healthy bones when he or she grows up. The mother also needs calcium to help soothe her nerves and to help regulate her muscle contractions, which are both important for the successful birth of her child. It also prevents high blood pressure and acts as a messenger in the processing of hormones and neurotransmitters.
Vitamin B12, or cyanocobalamin, is important in the processing of nucleoproteins and proteins. These two nutrients are vital to the development of millions of cells that compose the unborn child. It is also used to treat cyanide poisoning.
Vitamin C is the enhancer of the body's immunity to diseases, regardless of gender and age. It is especially important for the strong defenses of both the mother and the child, and also lends a hand in improving blood circulation and strengthening the blood pathways. However, an excess of vitamin C will lead to miscarriage due to the suppression of the production of progesterone, which is the hormone that stabilizes pregnancy.
Vitamin D helps with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and thus assists in the secure development of the child's bones. A vitamin D deficiency will result in rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults, and the following ailments in pregnant women: gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and a small infant size. Gestational diabetes is simply a spike in blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-related disorder characterized by high blood pressure and a spike in the amount of protein in the woman's urine.
Vitamin E helps fight free radicals that damage the body's cells. This is especially critical when the pregnant woman needs to keep the cells of her reproductive system strong in order to have a worry-free birth. The vitamin will also prevent other pregnancy-related problems such as pre-eclampsia, premenstrual syndrome, painful periods, menopausal syndrome, hot flashes, and breast cancer and cysts. A pregnant mother who has vitamin E deficiency will result in premature birth as well as the infant that is born having a much lower weight than normal. The infant will also develop neurological problems.
An optional nutrient found in prenatal vitamins is the omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA helps the unborn child in many departments as he or she grows up. These departments include improved eyesight, cognitive development, multiple intelligence improvement, and added protection against the common cold.
Some of those nutrients do assist in making hair soft and smooth by enhancing the hair follicles that actually produce the hair. For example, adequate amounts of iron will prevent anemia; and one of the symptoms of anemia is hair loss. Vitamin E helps slow down the effects of aging, and hair loss is usually associated with aging. However, their impact will be minimal at best. Taking a multivitamin supplement, alongside a healthy diet and eight to ten glasses of water a day, will ensure healthier hair regardless of gender and age.
So what is the real reason for pregnant women having faster-growing, healthier, and shinier hair? The answer is simple: pregnancy hormones. Those hormones enhance blood flow to every needed part of the body, including the skin. Biologically speaking, the hair is considered as a part of the skin. As stated above, improved blood flow means better transportation of nutrients and oxygen. Furthermore, one of those hormones, the fabled estrogen, will lengthen the hair growing (anagen) period compared to the hair shedding (telogen) period. The contents in prenatal vitamins help increase the amount of estrogen. Therefore, the persistent rumor of prenatal vitamins for hair growth has at least some scientific basis behind it.
A word of warning: pregnancy hormones are still an uncharted territory in terms of their effects on non-pregnant women. Until the FDA has the final say on how those hormones affect non-pregnant women, do not trust some companies that sell products that purportedly have pregnancy hormones.
For now, one can enjoy prenatal vitamins for hair growth, but only if the doctor has given her, or even him, the go signal. There are disorders that are associated with the excessive intake of nutrients that are contained in prenatal vitamins such as iron poisoning. To balance things out, drink more water for the flushing of excess vitamins and minerals.
There are alternatives to taking prenatal vitamins. A biotin supplement can be taken to deliver the same beneficial effects on the hair. Biotin is a B vitamin that enhances cell growth, especially the cells of hair follicles. It also enhances the growth of cells that comprise the nerves and the digestive tract. Another alternative method is buying the required hair vitamins in gel form and mixing them into the shampoo of choice. The best alternative is to eat foods that are rich in the nutrients of focus. These foods include eggs, milk, cheese, leafy vegetables, okra, asparagus, bananas, lemons, melons, beans, mushrooms, livers and kidneys, and tomatoes.
However, people who have nothing to do better in life conjure rumors from just about any piece of information they can get their hands on and then spread them like nothing happened. One of those rumors is the theoretical use of prenatal vitamins for hair growth.
Before dissecting the supposed justification for prenatal vitamins for hair growth, one must first know the composition of a typical prenatal multivitamin supplement and how it is different from the vanilla unisex multivitamin supplement.
Prenatal vitamins usually come in pink or light-pink packaging, while typical unisex vitamins just go with any other color. Besides the difference in packaging, the two types of vitamins basically have the same formulations. The only difference lies in some nutrients that compose the supplements. Those nutrients are critical to both the welfare of the pregnant woman and the stable development of the unborn child; and as a result, they come in greater amounts in prenatal vitamins than in unisex vitamins.
Folic acid helps prevent miscarriage and neural tube defects. This way, the unborn child will have a healthy nervous system when he or she grows up. Other birth defects that can be prevented with adequate folic acid include congenital heart defects, cleft lips and palates, limb defects, urinary tract defects, low birth weight, and growth retardation. It also assists in cell regeneration, ensuring that the bodily organs are strong enough to resist invaders.
Iron lends a hand in the formation of new cells, especially the cells of the unborn child. It also facilitates in the creation of a fresh supply of blood from the bone marrow. A stable amount of blood means the proper transportation of other nutrients, as well as oxygen, to all parts of the body – even to the developing body of the unborn child. Pregnant women are not just the only ones who need iron the most; women undergoing menstruation as well as other people who suffer from blood loss due to diseases such as dengue fever also need higher amounts of iron.
Calcium is the strengthener of bones. The mother needs it to prevent osteoporosis; while the child needs it to ensure healthy bones when he or she grows up. The mother also needs calcium to help soothe her nerves and to help regulate her muscle contractions, which are both important for the successful birth of her child. It also prevents high blood pressure and acts as a messenger in the processing of hormones and neurotransmitters.
Prenatal Vitamins for Hair Growth
Vitamin A helps in the development of the unborn child, strengthens the mother's reproductive system, and also helps in breastfeeding. Its most famous role is keeping the eyesight sharp and preventing night blindness. Other important roles that vitamin A plays include helping the skin retain its smoothness and hydration.Vitamin B12, or cyanocobalamin, is important in the processing of nucleoproteins and proteins. These two nutrients are vital to the development of millions of cells that compose the unborn child. It is also used to treat cyanide poisoning.
Vitamin C is the enhancer of the body's immunity to diseases, regardless of gender and age. It is especially important for the strong defenses of both the mother and the child, and also lends a hand in improving blood circulation and strengthening the blood pathways. However, an excess of vitamin C will lead to miscarriage due to the suppression of the production of progesterone, which is the hormone that stabilizes pregnancy.
Vitamin D helps with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and thus assists in the secure development of the child's bones. A vitamin D deficiency will result in rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults, and the following ailments in pregnant women: gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and a small infant size. Gestational diabetes is simply a spike in blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-related disorder characterized by high blood pressure and a spike in the amount of protein in the woman's urine.
Vitamin E helps fight free radicals that damage the body's cells. This is especially critical when the pregnant woman needs to keep the cells of her reproductive system strong in order to have a worry-free birth. The vitamin will also prevent other pregnancy-related problems such as pre-eclampsia, premenstrual syndrome, painful periods, menopausal syndrome, hot flashes, and breast cancer and cysts. A pregnant mother who has vitamin E deficiency will result in premature birth as well as the infant that is born having a much lower weight than normal. The infant will also develop neurological problems.
An optional nutrient found in prenatal vitamins is the omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA helps the unborn child in many departments as he or she grows up. These departments include improved eyesight, cognitive development, multiple intelligence improvement, and added protection against the common cold.
Some of those nutrients do assist in making hair soft and smooth by enhancing the hair follicles that actually produce the hair. For example, adequate amounts of iron will prevent anemia; and one of the symptoms of anemia is hair loss. Vitamin E helps slow down the effects of aging, and hair loss is usually associated with aging. However, their impact will be minimal at best. Taking a multivitamin supplement, alongside a healthy diet and eight to ten glasses of water a day, will ensure healthier hair regardless of gender and age.
So what is the real reason for pregnant women having faster-growing, healthier, and shinier hair? The answer is simple: pregnancy hormones. Those hormones enhance blood flow to every needed part of the body, including the skin. Biologically speaking, the hair is considered as a part of the skin. As stated above, improved blood flow means better transportation of nutrients and oxygen. Furthermore, one of those hormones, the fabled estrogen, will lengthen the hair growing (anagen) period compared to the hair shedding (telogen) period. The contents in prenatal vitamins help increase the amount of estrogen. Therefore, the persistent rumor of prenatal vitamins for hair growth has at least some scientific basis behind it.
A word of warning: pregnancy hormones are still an uncharted territory in terms of their effects on non-pregnant women. Until the FDA has the final say on how those hormones affect non-pregnant women, do not trust some companies that sell products that purportedly have pregnancy hormones.
For now, one can enjoy prenatal vitamins for hair growth, but only if the doctor has given her, or even him, the go signal. There are disorders that are associated with the excessive intake of nutrients that are contained in prenatal vitamins such as iron poisoning. To balance things out, drink more water for the flushing of excess vitamins and minerals.
There are alternatives to taking prenatal vitamins. A biotin supplement can be taken to deliver the same beneficial effects on the hair. Biotin is a B vitamin that enhances cell growth, especially the cells of hair follicles. It also enhances the growth of cells that comprise the nerves and the digestive tract. Another alternative method is buying the required hair vitamins in gel form and mixing them into the shampoo of choice. The best alternative is to eat foods that are rich in the nutrients of focus. These foods include eggs, milk, cheese, leafy vegetables, okra, asparagus, bananas, lemons, melons, beans, mushrooms, livers and kidneys, and tomatoes.
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