Key Vitamins and Minerals for Healthy Hair, Skin, and Nails

At Nature Made®, we understand that looking and feeling your best go hand in hand. After all, beauty comes from within, so feeling good about yourself is important for overall wellness. While eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly are important ways to look and feel your best, there are certain nutrients that are needed to support healthy hair, skin and nails. That’s why we’ve created a daily supplement containing vitamins for healthy nails, skin, and hair for those low in biotin. We’ve answered some common questions about each of these nutrients below.

What Vitamins are Considered “Beauty Supplements”? 

Don’t know what vitamins are good for hair and skin? You may know that vitamins and minerals are essential for cells and tissues within the body, and are required for proper functioning of your immune system, nervous system, and bone and muscle health. But what you might not know is that some of these vitamins may also be beneficial for parts of your body that are associated with ‘beauty.’ The vitamins that are often contained in beauty supplements helps support the hair, skin and nails. Nutrients often referred to as hair skin and nails vitamins and minerals  may include:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Biotin, or Vitamin B7 (for those low in biotin)
• Zinc

In addition to discussing the benefits of these vitamins for your skin, hair or nails, we’ll also explore some key minerals that are associated with beauty. 

How Does Biotin Support Hair, Skin and Nails?

Biotin may help support healthy hair, skin, and nails in people who are biotin deficient.† 

Biotin is a member of the family of B vitamins and supports carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism. Biotin also plays a role in the cellular processes involved in the formation of hair follicles and skin cells.1 Due to its many benefits, biotin is often used in supplements providing vitamins for healthy nails, hair, and skin for those with low biotin.

What Foods Contain Biotin?

Some foods containing biotin include whole wheat bread, eggs, milk, cheese, salmon, avocado, almonds and raspberries. If you don’t eat these foods, a biotin supplement such as Nature Made Biotin 2500 mcg Liquid Softgels can help fill that nutrient gap. For a tasty option, try Nature Made Biotin Gummies which provides 3,000 mcg biotin in 2 gummies. The recommended daily intake of biotin is 30 mcg for men and women, and there is no upper limit defined for this water-soluble vitamin. 

Learn More: Are Gummy Vitamins Effective?

How Does Vitamin C Support Healthy Skin?

Did you know that Vitamin C is a great vitamin for skin? Vitamin C plays an important role in collagen synthesis.† Vitamin C is an antioxidant and helps neutralize free radicals.† 

Learn More: What do Antioxidants Do? and Benefits of Vitamin C

National survey data shows that about 45.9% of Americans do not eat enough of this water-soluble vitamin,2 and if you smoke, your needs are even greater. Aging also causes a decline of Vitamin C in the epidermis and the dermis of the skin.3 Taking a daily Vitamin C supplement may help fill nutrient gaps missing in your daily diet. 

What Are Good Sources of Vitamin C?

Some good sources of Vitamin C include orange juice, broccoli, strawberries, cauliflower and watermelon. Consider Nature Made Hair, Skin, Nails Gummies, with 100 mg of Vitamin C per serving. The recommended daily intake of Vitamin C per day is 90 mg a day for men and 75 mg a day for women, but adults can consume up to 2,000 mg of Vitamin C in a day. 

Learn More: How Much Vitamin C Should You Take?

How Does Zinc Support Healthy Skin?

Zinc is an essential mineral that is required in many processes throughout the body. Zinc plays an important structural role in connective tissue during collagen formation. 4 

What are Good Sources of Zinc?

Good food sources of zinc are red meats, shellfish, and some nuts and legumes. Some strict vegetarians may consume inadequate amounts of zinc and should consider taking a zinc supplement or multivitamin/mineral containing zinc to close this potential nutrient gap.† For a convenient option, consider Nature Made Zinc 30 mg tablets. The recommended daily intake for zinc is 11 mg/day. 

How Does Copper Support My Hair and Skin Health?

Copper is an essential trace mineral needed for different enzymes in the body. Like zinc, copper is needed for the formation of strong connective tissue in collagen synthesis.5 Copper is also required to make melanin,6 a pigment in your hair and skin. Zinc and copper are two nutrients that are often used in supplements for nails, skin, and hair. 

What’s a Good Source for Copper?

Copper can be found in foods such as shellfish, meats, nuts and seeds. The recommended daily intake of copper is 900 mcg per day. You can also find copper in Nature Made Hair, Skin, Nails Liquid Softgels.‡ 

What Role Does Vitamin A Play in the Health of My Skin?

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient and along with its other roles in the body it may help supporthealthy skin.† It supports cell growth and differentiation, playing a critical role in the formation and maintenance of skin cells.7,† 

What Foods are Good Sources of Vitamin A?

The daily recommended intake of Vitamin A is 900 mcg per dayBeta-carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A, can be found in green leafy vegetables and orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, apricots, and mangoes. Beta-carotene can also be found in Nature Made Hair, Skin, Nails † Liquid Softgel vitamin supplement.

This information is only for educational purposes and is not medical advice or intended as a recommendation of any specific products. Consult your health care provider for more information.

‡May help support healthy hair, skin and nails in those that are biotin deficient.†

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References:

1. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA); Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to biotin and energy-yielding metabolism (ID 114, 117), macronutrient metabolism (ID 113, 114, 117), maintenance of skin and mucous membranes (ID 115), maintenance of hair (ID 118, 2876) and function of the nervous system (ID 116) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on request from the European Commission. EFSA Journal 2009;7(9):1209. [17 pp.]. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2009.1209.
2. NHANES 2005-2016 Nutrients 2020, 12, 1735
3. Rhie G, Shin MH, Seo JY, et al. Aging- and photoaging-dependent changes of enzymic and nonenzymic antioxidants in the epidermis and dermis of human skin in vivo. J Invest Dermatol 2001;117:1212–1217.
4. Seo HJ, Cho YE, Kim T, Shin HI, Kwun IS. Zinc may increase bone formation through stimulating cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity and collagen synthesis in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. Nutr Res Pract. 2010;4(5):356-361. doi:10.4162/nrp.2010.4.5.356
5. Jane Higdon, Ph.D. Linus Pauling Institute. Copper. 2001. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/copper#connective-tissue-formation-function
6. Turnlund JR. Copper. In: Shils ME, Shike M, Ross AC, Caballero B, Cousins RJ, eds. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. 10th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2006:286–299.
7. Ross CA. Vitamin A. In: Coates PM, Betz JM, Blackman MR, et al., eds. Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. 2nd ed. London and New York: Informa Healthcare; 2010:778–91.