The quest to find the most effective solution to hair loss is one that has the medical and scientific community the world over hard at work. And while there are certainly some very effective pharmaceutical type hair loss treatments available today, for many people looking to avoid the possible side-effects of prescription drugs and hair loss medications, natural vitamins for hair loss can provide an effective and healthy alternative.

Vitamin A is an antioxidant that promotes the production of healthy sebum found in the scalp. A good supply of this vitamin can be found in fish liver oil, meat, milk, cheese, eggs, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, apricots, and peaches. Limit your intake to around 5,000 IU. Consuming more than 25,000 IU a day is toxic and can aggravate hair loss instead of curing it and it can lead to other health problems as well.

While there are obviously many different causes of hair loss, a deficiency of certain nutrients and vitamins that have an influence on preventing hair loss, and a role in maintaining healthy normal hair, has been found to be one of the main causes of hair loss today.

The most important group of vitamins for hair loss, are the B vitamins, most notably B6, Biotin, Inositol, Folic Acid, B5 and B3. All of these vitamins are essential for normal hair growth and can be used in medicinal doses to help prevent hair loss where hair loss has already started and to help in the regrowth of hair that has already been lost.

Vitamin B3, or niacin also promotes circulation in the scalp. This vitamin is found in brewer's yeast, wheat germ, fish, chicken, turkey, and meat. Recommended intake is 15 mg, and it should be noted that taking more than 25 mg a day may cause a burning sensation due to blood cell dilation called niacin flush.

Research has shown that Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) and Folic Acid are especially important, with B6 being clinically proven to stimulate hair growth when taken in a sufficient dosage while long-term deficiency of Folic Acid has been shown to cause total baldness in some cases.

Vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid, prevents the graying of hair and hair loss. This vitamin is found in whole grain cereals, brewer's yeast, organ meats, and egg yolks. The ecommended daily dose is 4 to 7 mg.

However the "shovel approach" where mega doses of vitamins for hair loss are taken indiscriminately, with a more is better type of thinking can often cause more harm than good with overdoses of certain vitamins being known to actually cause hair loss.

Lentils, green peas, walnuts, sunflower seeds, carrots, soybeans, oats, brown rice, bulgur, cauliflower, brewer's yeast, bran, peas, nuts, eggs and beans are excellent sources of these essential vitamins for hair loss.

If you're having trouble figuring out the vitamins for hair loss maze, you may even consider getting some assistance from a dietician or nutritionist who will outline a hair loss treatment plan that will include adequate and safe doses of the specific hair loss vitamins that you need.