More than 85% of men [1] and 55% of women [2] experience hair loss at some point in life. While this is a very common phenomenon, it can also be distressing, so scientists are always searching for new treatments and remedies. A few studies have been published recently regarding the effectiveness of probiotics for hair growth, with modestly positive results [3].
So could taking these dietary supplements really help your hair health? And if so, what are the best probiotics for hair growth? This article will tell you everything to know about the potential of this newly proposed hair remedy, such as:
Probiotics are scientifically defined as “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host” [4]. This means they are normally bacteria or yeasts which can help promote certain aspects of health, such as [5][6]:
However, not all these microorganisms have the same properties. Different probiotic “families”, or genera (e.g. lactobacillus, bifidobacterium, and saccharomyces [7]), can live in different parts of your body and produce different effects. Each genus also has several strains, depending on their source, habitat and function (for example, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus reuteri are both part of the lactobacillus genus).
Our main source of probiotics is our diet. They are mostly found in fermented foods, such as yoghurt, aged cheese, pickles, sauerkraut, kombucha and kimchi. However, they can also be taken as supplements (usually available as capsules or a soluble powder).
At this time, more large-scale clinical trials are needed to say for certain whether probiotics can really help your hair grow fuller or healthier. However, preliminary evidence is somewhat promising. Some studies have found that different strains of probiotics may help improve some hair properties in patients with hair loss conditions such as androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata [3][8][9][10].
For example, one study[8] found that after 4 months, 54.3% of patients showed mild improvements (of approximately 6.5% from baseline) in both hair count and thickness, 21.8% in hair count only and 17.4% in hair thickness only. See the study details below for more information.
However, the authors point out that the sample sizes are small, some of the included studies are in humans, others in animals or in vitro, and they use different probiotic strains and quantities. This can make it very difficult to draw unitary conclusions.
However, it should be kept in mind that there are only a handful of clinical trials which analyse the impact of probiotics on hair health [3]. They also differ significantly in everything from study design to the probiotic strains they use. Many use a combination of probiotic strains, which makes it difficult to isolate the individual effect of each strain.
These considerable study limitations make their results difficult to compare and group together in order to formulate a clear conclusion about the effects of probiotics on hair and scalp in general [3].
Scientists theorise that several mechanisms can allow probiotics to improve and support hair growth and scalp health. Here are some of the most important [3][11].
Some probiotic strains play a role in regulating our immune response. That is because they positively influence our gut microbiome (the ecosystem of bacteria living in our digestive system). The gut microbiome can interact with your immune cells, causing an immune response that impacts other parts of your body as well, such as your scalp [3].
Some hair loss conditions, such as alopecia areata or scalp psoriasis, are autoimmune, which means your white blood cells attack your hair follicles due to an overactive immune system. If probiotics can help regulate your response, this may reduce scalp inflammation and decrease symptoms of autoimmune hair loss.
Certain probiotics can reduce oxidative stress in your body. They produce antioxidant enzymes that help neutralise free radicals, by optimising the activity of antioxidant genes and helping produce short-chain fatty acids with antioxidant properties [12].
Oxidative stress plays an important role in hair weathering, and it can give you dry, brittle hair that looks lifeless and breaks easily. It can also worsen the symptoms of certain types of hair loss such as androgenetic alopecia. So, reducing oxidative stress can improve your hair quality and appearance and reduce unnecessary hair breakage.
In vitro [14] and animal studies [15] suggest that some probiotics may help stimulate and optimise the activity of specialised cells in your follicles that regulate hair production (the dermal papillae). This can have a positive impact on your hair growth cycle by encouraging hair follicles to leave the resting or shedding phases, then resuming and extending the growth phase.
Probiotics can help prevent or treat fungal infections that hinder hair growth [15][16]. They can do so by improving the scalp skin barrier, producing antifungal substances, regulating sebum (scalp oil) production (as too much of it can feed the fungi) and/or stimulating the immune system to fight infection better.
Some of the most common yeast infections on the scalp are dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. While dandruff has a mostly cosmetic impact, seborrheic dermatitis can cause hair loss on rare occasions, as it manifests with scalp inflammation. Both can lead to unnecessary hair breakage as they itch, making you scratch your scalp. Probiotics can help improve the symptoms of these kinds of fungal overgrowth [15][3].
A 2024 study [17] performed on 80 participants who received either a daily capsule of probiotics (Latilactobacillus curvatus) or a placebo revealed promising hair quality results after 24 weeks of treatment.
Patients in the test group experienced a 19% improvement in hair lustre compared to the placebo group, as well as a very small increase in hair strength and elasticity (1.68%). This shows that some probiotics may be able to make your tresses stronger and shinier.
While there is some preliminary evidence that certain probiotics may help modestly improve the course of some types of alopecia [8][9][10], it is not a good idea to rely on them alone for curbing hair loss. More evidence is needed to attest to their hair follicle-stimulating effects, and the existing research only shows mild improvements in hair count and quality.
If you are experiencing hair loss, it is best to see a trichologist and get your alopecia diagnosed and properly treated. This is especially true if you have a progressive type of hair thinning, such as androgenetic alopecia. You can also take probiotics alongside hair loss treatments for some extra hair growth support.
Only a handful of probiotics have been clinically tested in relation to hair growth and found to have some beneficial properties. While other strains may possess similar qualities, they need to be studied to reveal and quantify their properties. Here are some of the probiotics shown to provide some hair growth and health benefits [3][9][10][17]:
Most of the species above can be found in the composition of commercially available probiotic supplements. When reading the ingredient list on a probiotic supplement bottle, you should know that the probiotic genus is sometimes abbreviated to the first letter. For example, Lactiplantibacillus can simply be listed as L. (e.g. L. plantarum).
Moreover, what used to be a large and diverse lactobacillus genus was divided by scientists into 25 new genera in 2020 for better accuracy [18]. However, while some probiotic packagings list the new names (e.g. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum), others still list the old ones (e.g. Lactobacillus plantarum). This can be confusing for users, but a simple online search for alternatives to a probiotic name can clear it up (e.g. search for: “Lactiobacillus plantarum” + new name).
While most people might benefit from getting enough probiotics from their diet, some may need such microorganisms more than others to support their healthy hair growth. These are:
However, keep in mind that while probiotics may be of some help when taken alongside your regular hair growth treatment, they should never replace it. That is because evidence of their effectiveness is limited, and existing studies show only small hair growth improvements.
Taking probiotics for hair growth is normally very safe for healthy individuals [19][20]. In most cases, the worst that can happen is becoming a little bloated or gassy. This is confirmed by clinical trials, which reported no serious adverse events [9][10].
However, they can sometimes be dangerous for people with severe illnesses or compromised immune systems. If this is you, make sure to get your doctor’s approval before taking probiotic supplements, as they can overgrow and cause infections or increase your resistance to antibiotics [19][20].
Moreover, if you take probiotic supplements, be sure to buy them from a reliable, well-reputed manufacturer. In rare cases, supplements produced without respecting health and safety guidelines can become contaminated with additional microorganisms not listed on the label, which can be harmful to your health.
If you are experiencing hair loss, you may want to consider some of these scientifically proven treatments instead of or alongside your preferred probiotics.
This FDA and MHRA-approved hair loss treatment is highly versatile and can help treat many types of alopecia, such as male pattern baldness, chronic telogen effluvium, or alopecia areata. Minoxidil works by dilating the small blood vessels in your scalp, improving blood flow to your hair follicles. This additional nourishment helps them produce healthier hair.
Finasteride is the world’s most prescribed medication for male pattern baldness. It is very effective in lowering your dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels. DHT binds to your hair follicles, making them shrink and stop producing hair in people with androgenetic alopecia, so reducing its levels can curb hair loss and restore hair growth. Note that premenopausal women should avoid finasteride, as it can cause birth defects and hormonal imbalances that may affect the menstrual cycle.
If you are experiencing an autoimmune hair loss condition, such as alopecia areata, steroid creams for hair loss can help reduce scalp inflammation. This can reduce your symptoms and promote hair regrowth. If your alopecia is advanced or resistant to treatment, intralesional hair loss steroid injections can be more effective than topical creams.
PRP hair treatments involve harvesting a small quantity of blood from your arm, separating the platelet-rich plasma from the rest of the blood fractions and injecting it into the sparser areas on your scalp. The growth factors within PRP can help repair damaged hair follicles and rebuild small blood vessels that nourish them.
Red light therapy for hair growth is a form of low-level laser therapy that uses red or near-infrared light to stimulate your hair follicles for growth. The light is absorbed through your skin and increases blood flow to your scalp. It also optimises the function of your cell mitochondria, allowing more energy to reach your hair follicles.
Hair transplants are simple, safe and effective outpatient procedures. In just a few hours, the surgeon harvests healthy hair follicles from the back of your head and implants them into your balding areas. After healing, they will produce hair as though they had always been there.
If you are eligible for surgical hair restoration, it may be the most effective treatment for your hair loss. And the best part is that a hair transplant is permanent, which means you can enjoy it forever. If you would like to see what results you can expect, check out our hair transplant gallery.
If your hair is falling out and you’re not sure what remedy is most effective, we are here to help. Book a consultation with one of our dedicated trichologists and get personalised recommendations for your specific type of alopecia.
Our hair doctors will run all the necessary diagnostic trichology tests to get to the root of your hair problems. Then they will prescribe scientifically proven treatments to restore your hair health. Moreover, they will answer all your questions about available hair growth supplements and help you choose options that really work.
Take a moment to read the answers to these questions to get additional insight into the relationship between probiotics and hair health.
Research shows that taking probiotics can help reduce dandruff, especially if it is caused by the fungus Malassezia furfur, as some probiotics have antifungal properties [3][15]. They may also help reduce dandruff caused by a dry scalp by regulating sebum production.
However, if you have severe dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, you may want to try Nizoral shampoo, as it is medicated and specifically designed for these common scalp problems. If the problem persists, a dermatologist may recommend an anti-dandruff treatment, such as ketoconazole or piroctone olamine.
Probiotics themselves do not contain biotin, which is a vitamin (vitamin B7). However, some nutritional supplements can contain both. But keep in mind that unless you have a clinical deficiency, you don’t need to take biotin for hair loss, as it will not have any effect. If you do have a biotin deficiency, you can try a combined supplement or simply take some alongside your daily probiotics. Here are some of the best biotin supplements for hair growth.
At this time, there is not enough evidence that antibiotics can cause hair loss. However, it is still a good idea to take probiotics alongside them, especially if you are on a long course of treatment. They can help avoid digestive problems and fungal overgrowth that can stem from an unbalanced gut microbiome (the antibiotics kill the “good” and “bad” bacteria in your gut indiscriminately).
It is difficult to tell whether dietary probiotics alone can have a significant impact on your hair growth, but if they do, the effect is likely to be very modest. Clinical trials researching the properties of probiotics on your hair health normally select specific strain combinations and use very high concentrations of microorganisms (tens of billions).
It may be difficult for you to obtain similar quantities of the right probiotics from diet alone (especially since eating too many fermented foods on a regular basis can cause digestive problems and some – such as pickles – can also contain high amounts of salt).
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