The Best Vitamins for a Healthy Scalp and Hair(Vegan Options)
- Cordina Hair
- Aug 4
- 5 min read
Updated August 2026 with the latest research. General information, not medical advice.
A healthy scalp is the foundation of healthy hair, and the nutrients you eat play a real part. Your follicles are always building new hair from the nutrients in your body, so a shortfall often shows up in your hair first. The strongest evidence points to vitamin D, iron and vitamin C, alongside enough protein, zinc, B12 and omega-3. Most people get these from a balanced diet, and supplements only help if you are genuinely low, so more is not better. Here are the key vitamins and minerals for your scalp and hair, with vegan food sources for each.
One honest note first. For everyday scalp and hair health, food comes first. But if you are experiencing real hair loss, nutrition alone rarely reverses it, so it is worth seeing a GP or trichologist to check your levels and talk through your options.
1. Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps regulate the hair growth cycle and switches on the follicle stem cells that start new growth. Recent research links low vitamin D to around half of people with the common types of hair loss, which makes it arguably the most important nutrient on this list, and the one most worth getting tested. It is also hard to get enough from food alone, especially in winter.
• Vegan sources: sunlight is the main one, plus fortified plant milks and cereals and UV-exposed mushrooms. Many people, vegan or not, benefit from a vegan D3 supplement (look for lichen-derived).
2. Iron
Iron carries oxygen to the hair follicle, and low iron is one of the most common causes of shedding, especially in women. Vegans and vegetarians are more prone to running low, so it is well worth keeping an eye on.
• Vegan sources: lentils, chickpeas, beans, tofu, spinach, kale, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, dried apricots, dried figs and fortified cereals. Tip: eat them with a source of vitamin C to boost absorption.
3. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that supports collagen and, importantly, helps your body absorb iron from plant foods, so it works hand in hand with the iron above.
• Vegan sources: peppers, blackcurrants, strawberries, kiwi, oranges, guava, broccoli and sweet potato.
4. Zinc
Zinc supports the follicle and the oil glands around it, plus tissue repair, and a deficiency is linked to hair loss. One caveat: too much zinc can actually cause hair loss and block copper absorption, so do not over-supplement.
• Vegan sources: pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, cashews, tofu, oats and wholegrains.
5. Vitamin B12
B12 helps form the red blood cells that feed your follicles, and it is the nutrient vegans are most likely to be short on, because it is not reliably found in plant foods.
• Vegan sources: fortified foods (plant milks, cereals, nutritional yeast) or a B12 supplement, which most vegans are advised to take.
6. Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids support the scalp's natural oils and help keep hair hydrated. Your body cannot make them, so they need to come from your diet.
• Vegan sources: flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts and hemp seeds, plus an algae-based omega-3 supplement, which is the vegan equivalent of fish oil.
7. Protein
Your hair is mostly keratin, a protein, so too little in your diet leaves it dry, weak and brittle and can slow growth.
• Vegan sources: beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, edamame, nuts, seeds and wholegrains.
8. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects the cells of your scalp and supports blood flow to the follicles, helping deliver nutrients where they are needed.
• Vegan sources: sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, avocado, spinach and wheatgerm.
9. Vitamin A
Vitamin A helps produce the sebum that keeps your scalp and hair moisturised. The catch: too much vitamin A, usually from high-dose supplements, can trigger hair loss, so get it from food rather than megadoses.
• Vegan sources (as beta-carotene): carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, spinach and kale.
10. Biotin (Vitamin B7), with an honest caveat
Biotin is the one everyone reaches for, but the evidence is weak. Supplements only make a difference if you are genuinely deficient, which is rare, and the best-quality study found no benefit over a placebo. High-dose biotin can also skew some blood tests, including thyroid and heart tests. The good news is that it is widely available in food, so you are likely getting enough already.
• Vegan sources: nuts, seeds, sweet potato, oats and legumes. Bottom line: eat it, do not bank on the pills.
What Bryan Johnson's work tells us
Bryan Johnson, who documents his anti-ageing 'Blueprint' protocol, includes many of these same nutrients in his hair stack, including vitamin D, vitamin E, iron, zinc, vitamin C, omega-3, protein and biotin, which lines up neatly with the research above. But it is worth being clear about what actually regrew his hair. His visible results came mainly from clinical treatments, such as prescription topicals and oral medication, along with daily red-light therapy, not from vitamins alone. The honest takeaway is a fair one: good nutrition builds the foundation for a healthy scalp, but if you are dealing with genuine hair loss, vitamins on their own rarely reverse it, and a professional can talk you through the medical options.
The honest truth about hair supplements
• Food first. Supplements only help if you are actually low in something.
• Get tested before you supplement, especially vitamin D, iron (ferritin) and B12.
• More is not better. Too much vitamin A, zinc or selenium can cause hair loss.
• If you are vegan, the ones to watch are vitamin D, B12, iron and omega-3.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best vitamin for hair growth?
There is no single magic one. The strongest evidence is for vitamin D, iron and vitamin C, and it is correcting a deficiency that helps, not loading up when your levels are already fine.
Does biotin really work for hair?
Only if you are deficient, which is rare. In people with normal levels, studies show no real benefit over a placebo.
Which vitamins do vegans need most for hair?
Vitamin D, B12, iron and omega-3, as these are the hardest to get from a plant-based diet.
Can taking too many vitamins cause hair loss?
Yes. Too much vitamin A, zinc or selenium can trigger shedding, so more is genuinely not better.
Will vitamins regrow lost hair?
For shedding caused by a deficiency, correcting it can help. For pattern hair loss, vitamins alone rarely regrow hair, so it is best to see a GP or trichologist.
A balanced, varied diet is the best foundation for a healthy scalp and strong hair. If you are worried about hair loss, or thinking of taking supplements, please get your levels tested and speak to your GP or a trichologist first. This article is general information and not medical advice.
