This is why hair experts often recommend collagen or biotin supplements.* Collagen supplements are made of hydrolyzed collagen peptides—which are basically just short chains of amino acids.* Amino acids are the building blocks of keratin, the protein that makes up your hair. By supplying your body with adequate nutrients, you encourage scalp health and, ideally, overall hair health.* (Check out our all-time favorite collagen supplements here.)
Biotin, an essential B vitamin, also plays a few key roles in the health of your hair.* (Actually, thinning hair and hair loss are very common symptoms of biotin deficiency and can be supported with a supplement, although biotin deficiency in the U.S. is rare.*) See, it is believed to naturally promote healthy hair growth because it is also involved in the production of keratin.* In one small study, women with thinning hair reported significant regrowth when supplementing with biotin as compared to those given a placebo.*
As for taking them together? Well, the two nutrients play nicely with each other. “Collagen and biotin are both safe, well-tolerated cosmeceutical bioactives, supporting hair, skin, and nail health,”* says Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, director of scientific affairs at mindbodygreen. “But they have their own unique and individual mechanisms for structurally and functionally doing that, hence the reasonable potential for synergy in combining them. Both collagen- and biotin-containing foods and supplements provide key nutrients or building blocks for our body. Collagen provides macronutrient—protein—nourishment and critical amino acid building blocks. Biotin provides an essential water-soluble B vitamin (B7), which acts as a versatile cofactor in a variety of bodily functions.”* Learn more about taking them together in our guide to biotin and collagen.
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