Vitamin E is an essential hair health nutrient. That’s why eating vitamin E-rich foods like mango, avocado, and almonds is often recommended to improve the strength and shine of your hair.
Vitamin E deficiencies are rare in the Western world. But they still affect many people who have health conditions like cystic fibrosis. Plus, it’s estimated that almost 90% of people over the age of 4 have low levels of vitamin E [1].
So how can you get enough vitamin E to keep your hair in great condition? Find out:
- the effects of vitamin E for hair
- what types of hair loss it works for
- how fast vitamin E works
- how much you need for healthy hair.
- Is vitamin E good for your hair?
- What does vitamin E do for your hair?
- Which types of hair loss can vitamin E treat?
- Can taking vitamin E supplements reduce hair loss?
- How fast does vitamin E work for hair growth?
- How much vitamin E should you take for hair growth?
- Vitamin E-rich foods
- Other vitamins for hair growth
- Are you getting enough vitamin E for your hair?
Is vitamin E good for your hair?
Yes! Vitamin E is vital for hair growth. Its main function is as an antioxidant. Antioxidants like vitamin E, vitamin C, and selenium can prevent oxidative stress, which has been linked to alopecia areata [2].
The causes of alopecia areata aren’t yet fully understood. It’s often considered to be an autoimmune condition in which white blood cells attack the hair follicles. But evidence also suggests that low levels of vitamin E are a potential trigger for this type of hair loss [3-4].
Conditions like cystic fibrosis, pancreatitis, and liver disease can lead to a vitamin E deficiency. These conditions make it more difficult for the body to absorb vitamin E, causing patients to experience hair loss [5].
What does vitamin E do for your hair?
As an antioxidant, vitamin E neutralises free radicals that damage follicle cells. Free radicals are a type of atom or molecule containing an odd number of electrons. This makes them highly reactive and unstable, leading to destructive reactions in your body known as oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can cause cellular damage that manifests as alopecia [6].
Not all free radicals are harmful. Some help your immune system fight disease. So for your health, your body must have a good balance of free radicals and antioxidants. That’s where vitamin E comes in.
Vitamin E scavenges loose electrons from free radicals, breaking the chains that can cause cell damage and preventing oxidative stress [7]. This protects your hair follicles, potentially preventing or reversing some hair loss conditions.
Which types of hair loss can vitamin E treat?
The only type of hair loss that has been conclusively linked with successful vitamin E treatment is alopecia areata [8]. There’s no evidence to suggest that vitamin E can treat other types of non-scarring hair loss like androgenetic alopecia or telogen effluvium [9].
That’s why it’s important to establish the reason why your hair is falling out before starting any course of treatment.
Can taking vitamin E supplements reduce hair loss?
One study has found that taking a vitamin E supplement can improve hair growth in patients with alopecia areata [8]. Since alopecia areata is linked with oxidative stress, it’s unsurprising that vitamin E helps treat this condition.
| Supplement | Hair count change (%) | Patients reporting hair count improvements (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin E | +15.2% to +34.5% [36] | 100% of 21 patients [36] |
That said, it is unusual for a supplement to stimulate hair growth in people without a deficiency. Our vitamins for hair growth research found that vitamin E is the only supplement that has any significant association with hair regrowth. And these results were only shown in one study, so this treatment may not work for everyone.
How fast does vitamin E work for hair growth?
In the study, researchers analysed hair growth at two intervals: 4 months and 8 months after the initial treatment. They found that hair numbers were significantly greater at 8 months than at 4 months [8]. This suggests vitamin E supplements should be taken daily for longer than 4 months to see results.
How much vitamin E should you take for hair growth?
The NHS recommends a daily vitamin E intake of 4mg a day for men, and 3mg a day for women [10]. Most people can store vitamin E in their body for future use, so there’s usually no need to exceed this recommended amount.
In the study, participants took a much higher daily dose of vitamin E (100mg). But there are risks involved in taking too many vitamin supplements. High doses of vitamin E supplementation may lead to vitamin E toxicity, which can cause serious conditions like blood clots and stroke [11-12].
Not only that, but vitamin E toxicity can actually increase hair loss [13]. This is similar to the effect of taking too much vitamin A for hair loss. So it’s important to discuss any course of treatment with a doctor before you take more than the recommended amount of vitamin E — especially if you have an underlying health condition.
Vitamin E-rich foods
There’s no evidence that you can overdose on the vitamin E found naturally in foods [14]. So this is the best place to start if you want to increase your vitamin E intake.
Here are a variety of foods that are rich in vitamin E, so they’ll help you naturally boost your nutrient levels [14].
- Sunflower oil
- Sunflower seeds
- Almonds
- Peanuts
- Peanut butter
- Collard greens
- Spinach
- Pumpkin
- Red bell pepper
- Asparagus
- Mango
- Avocado
See more hair growth foods to promote strong, healthy hair, and the foods that can contribute to hair loss.
Other vitamins for hair growth
Vitamin E is the only supplement that’s proven to have a positive effect on hair growth in patients without a nutrient deficiency. But many other nutrients can also help or hinder hair growth, depending on how you take them.
Are you getting enough vitamin E for your hair?
Unless you have alopecia areata, you probably have enough vitamin E for healthy hair. Even if you do have alopecia areata, lack of vitamin E is just one potential cause of the condition — so it’s not necessarily the right treatment path.
The best way to find the right course of action is to speak to a professional trichologist. They can diagnose the cause of your hair loss and create a tailored treatment plan for you.
Book a free consultation with the Wimpole Clinic to learn more.
- Micronutrient Inadequacies in the US Population: an Overview
- Oxidative stress in alopecia areata: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- The antioxidant role of paraoxonase 1 and vitamin E in three autoimmune diseases
- Antioxidants and lipid peroxidation status in the blood of patients with alopecia
- Hair Loss and Cystic Fibrosis
- Oxidative Stress in Ageing of Hair
- The Relationship Between Dose of Vitamin E and Suppression of Oxidative Stress in Humans
- Effects of Tocotrienol Supplementation on Hair Growth in Human Volunteers
- The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review
- Vitamin E | NHS
- Vitamins E and C in the prevention of cardiovascular disease in men: the Physicians’ Health Study II randomized controlled trial
- Effects of random allocation to vitamin E supplementation on the occurrence of venous thromboembolism: report from the Women’s Health Study
- Diet and hair loss: effects of nutrient deficiency and supplement use
- Vitamin E | Harvard School Of Public Health
Talk to a specialist ☎ 020 7935 1861.
Book a consultation
Simply fill in your details in the form below and we'll get in touch with you shortly.