How Nutritional Supplements For Your Hair Can Make You Happier

Introduction

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist, and you sure as heck don’t need a Ph.D. from Harvard to figure out that most people take hair vitamins, minerals, herbs, and amino acids for one purpose: to have a great looking head of hair. Recently, however, research has discovered another reason to indulge in this practice: It could raise your mood and make you happier.

Why B-Vitamins Rescue your hair as well as your mood

For starters, most hair vitamins contain a slug of B-vitamins. Since B-vitamins work best as a team you’ll generally see a number of them included in your hair supplements. Just ingesting a single B-vitamin in extra doses is generally counterproductive and is not recommended.

Even mainstream medical professionals (who tend to run for cover at the mere mention of vitamin supplements) often admit that an extra daily dose of B-vitamins can help a person suffering from depression. In fact, a number of conservative psychiatrists I have worked with routinely prescribe B-vitamins as part of the treatment process. Onward!

Vitamin B-5, more commonly referred to as pantothenic acid, not only fights premature gray hair but also often tends to raise one’s spirits. I remember seeing a report years ago that dubbed it as “the happiness vitamin.” Ditto for the nutrients PABA or Para-amino benzoic acid and inositol often included in hair supplements. Some experts would indeed classify inositol as a powerful natural anti-depressant. Put that in your Freudian pipe and smoke it.

A bee product known as royal jelly is also in the spotlight in the new mind/hair connection. For years, scientists believed that queen bees who live about 40 times longer than a worker bee were genetically different. It was then discovered that the difference was not genetic but rather the fact that the queen bee is fed royal jelly.

Royal jelly is a prolific source of pantothenic acid as well as yet undiscovered miracle nutrients. Royal jelly – a favorite of movie stars, royalty and athletes – has a reputation for keeping hair looking terrific. Many of my clients insist that it raises their mood, on occasion, better than prescription antidepressants.

Since any scientist worth his or her salt knows you can’t rely totally on anecdotal evidence, I wrote Dr. Roger J. Williams, to elicit his comments on this issue. Who is Dr. Williams? Glad you asked. Dr. Williams – who is now deceased – discovered pantothenic acid. He was, in fact, the premier expert on the subject. Moreover, his laboratory discovered more vitamins than any in the world!

Williams told me in a letter that securing the pantothenic acid you need from royal jelly would be much too expensive and thus he recommended B-vitamin supplements that contained this nutrient. (Quick, go check that label on your hair vitamins!) Does vitamin B-5 make you live longer and happier? In William’s own words: “I don’t know if it makes you live longer but I believe that everyone would be happier if they supplemented their diet with extra pantothenic acid.”

Remarkable Amino Acids Aids Hair Growth

A lot of hair products have added a free form amino acid called L-Arginine into their formulations. Although these supplements are generally in the form of a capsule or a liquid, some can actually be rubbed directly into the scalp. L-Arginine helps your circulation to aid hair growth. This boost in blood flow often makes people feel more alive, and may even help in the fight against heart disease.

But L-Arginine is popular for another reason that is perhaps even more important. The supplement tends to raise human growth hormone (HGH) levels in the body often causing people to feel up to 20 years younger! Moreover, some anecdotal evidence indicates that this remarkable amino acid can actually return graying hair to its natural color.

Since too much of a good thing (HGH) can cause serious problems, never take more than the manufacturer recommends.

Amazing Herb May Fight Gray Hair & Hair Loss

If you’re into herbs, He Sho Wu (translation: He got black hair), also called Fo Ti or polygonium multiflorium, has a long history of restoring beautiful tresses. Lots of folks insist that Fo Ti helps combat balding while it allows new hair growth to return to its original color. It has been recommended for individuals who need help coping with stress and on occasion will lower LDL or so-called bad cholesterol.

Now needless to say, I admonish you to use common sense. If you are feeling really down in the dumps, depressed, or have a medical condition, then I insist you see a physician and a therapist.

So if you want healthy hair and a great attitude, don’t forget to take your hair vitamins.

About Dr. Rosenthal

Therapists nationwide use Dr. Rosenthal’s materials to secure licensure and certification. Dr. Rosenthal’s book Help Yourself to Positive Mental Health is available for purchase for yourself or give it to a friend as a gift? Visit his web site at www.a-zuc.com/counseling. To read more on this expert check out: About Dr. Howard Rosenthal

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- Revised Publication Date: 05/03/10

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