Are Prenatal Vitamins Helpful for Hair Growth?

Although many people believe that prenatal vitamins may help for hair growth, there is no reliable evidence that this is true. Some vitamins can help with hair growth in people who have certain vitamin deficiencies, but a regular multivitamin is probably just as useful as a prenatal vitamin.

 

An Overview of Prenatal Vitamins for Hair Growth

Despite the popular belief that prenatal vitamins are good for hair growth, there is no evidence to suggest that this is true. While pregnant women often notice faster hair growth (along with fuller, thicker hair), this is probably due to pregnancy hormones, rather than the prenatal vitamins.
 

Prenatal Vitamins for Hair Growth: What Does the Research Say?

There is no reliable research to suggest that prenatal vitamins are helpful for hair growth. There is some evidence that vitamins can help with hair growth in people who have certain vitamin deficiencies, but a multivitamin is probably just as useful as a prenatal vitamin in these situations. If you already consume a nutritious and well-balanced diet, a prenatal vitamin (or a multivitamin) will probably not offer much benefit for hair growth.
 

Can I Take Prenatal Vitamins If I'm Not Pregnant?

For many people, prenatal vitamins will not cause any problems if you take them when you are not pregnant.
 Prenatal vitamins do not contain hormones or any other substances that are exclusively for pregnant women. Prenatal vitamins are very similar to multivitamins, except they usually have a little more folic acid and iron (and various other vitamins and minerals). Some people find that these high doses of iron can cause stomach upset or constipation (see Prenatal Vitamin Side Effects).
 
Some people need to limit their intake of certain vitamins and minerals due to various health reasons, such as kidney disease (including kidney failure). If you have any chronic health problems, it is probably a good idea to check with your healthcare provider before taking a prenatal vitamin (see Prenatal Vitamin Warnings and Precautions for more information). Also, children should not take prenatal vitamins, as the dose of certain vitamins may be too high.
 
(Are Prenatal Vitamins Helpful for Hair Growth? Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;