Thanks Nonie. Good info. Just to clarify, you think taking a multi w/additional supplements like msm, biotin, silica is better than a hair vitamin like Nioxin or UltraNourish? That's really what I'm asking.
Yes, I do. But in my previous post, I was referring specifically to a hair multi being better than individual vitamins.
But because personally I'm all about health--total health--when I was taking hair supplements, I preferred to get the best multi possible and then supplement that with the additional hair specifics like MSM, silica, biotin. But if you don't care about total health and are just after hair growth, then I'd recommend a hair multi (eg UltraNourish) over getting individual nutrients.
You could also make your life easier by getting a regular multi
and a hair multi like
Vitol Great Hair or
Twinlab Hair Factors which have the hair essentials but don't repeat many other vitamins that could be in a regular multi. You can take up to 25,000 IU of vitamin A w/o risking ODing on the vitamin, so combining say Great Hair with something like
One-A-Day would ensure you're getting a good supply of antioxidants (A, C, E) (from a combination of both) and a lot of other things your body needs, while also supplying your hair with all the good things it needs for great health. And because your body takes what it needs first before it shares with your hair, the fact that you're getting a multi for total health, means the hair essentials will make it to where you want them.
BTW, I'm a big fan of Great Hair because it's "time-released" meaning you don't pee away all the water-soluble vitamins like C but actually might be able to get most of it to cells where they are needed. And I'm a fan of Hair Factors because it doesn't repeat a lot of the supplements you find in multis so you're not risking ODing in oil soluble ones.
Just do your research so you're not leaving out a supplement you may need at the expense of another. People that take so much biotin but may not be eating well or taking other supplements to balance things out may find they do not get the results they need...and may break out. But if you're getting your supps in good balance, I think you should be pleased with how you feel and look.
If your diet is healthy and well-varied, you probably could get away with just taking a hair multi to boost your growth, but just know your organs get first dibs so make sure they're content or your hair will be deprived of what you're trying to give it.
ETA: I also believe that if you're taking a hair supp and not seeing any improvement in your hair growth and eat fairly well, it doesn't necessarily mean the vitamin is crappy; it could just be that your body is already getting enough of what it needs so your hair follicles are well-nourished and just have no use for all the extra stuff. Now if you know for sure that your hair could do better, or if you're noticing negative changes that signify a need for a nutrient (and have eliminated disease), then you may be taking a supp that isn't being assimilated well. Enzymes could help sometimes, or you just may have to try another brand.
