Hair loss
Supplements for hair loss with zinc, biotin, selenium, iron and collagen, in capsules, tablets and gummies. We explain which forms and doses are worth paying for, and how long to use them before you judge the result.Read more →
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What supplements for thinning hair can realistically do
What nutrition can and cannot do for thinning hair
Hair follicles divide fast, so they react early when the diet falls short. That is why nutrients come up as soon as hair thins. Zinc, selenium and biotin each contribute to the maintenance of normal hair, and copper contributes to normal hair pigmentation. Those are the claims approved in Europe, and they mark the honest limit. A supplement can close a nutritional gap. It does not change a genetic pattern: up to half of men over 50 see pattern hair loss, and no capsule reverses it. If your goal is growth and thickness rather than shedding, our supplements for hair growth sit next to this page.
Forms and doses we look at closely
Zinc: we prefer bisglycinate or citrate over zinc oxide, which the body absorbs poorly. UK advice is to stay at or below 25 mg a day from supplements, because a lot of zinc lowers copper absorption over time.
Biotin: labels of 10,000 mcg are common. That is hundreds of times what the body uses, and a bigger number on the box is not a bigger result. High-dose biotin can also distort blood test results, including thyroid tests, so tell your GP before a test.
Iron: low iron stores are one of the most common nutritional reasons for shedding in women. Extra iron does nothing if your levels are already fine, so ask for a ferritin test before you start with iron products.
Collagen, saw palmetto and marine complexes: these carry no approved hair claim in Europe. We stock them because people ask for them, and we say plainly what the evidence does and does not cover.
Testing before buying is not overkill. Iron stores, vitamin D and thyroid function explain a large share of sudden shedding, and once you know, you can buy one targeted product instead of three broad ones. For all UK adults, 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D a day is advised in autumn and winter, which is worth having in place anyway.
How we choose what goes in this collection
We judge every product on three things: the form, the dose and whether the combination makes sense. So we favour well absorbed zinc forms over oxide, we keep single zinc products at 25 mg or below, and we are sceptical of biotin megadoses that look impressive and do little. Iron we list with the clear advice to test first. In more than ten years we have learned that outcome beats margin, so we only carry brands we stand behind. We buy directly from the brands, our compliance team checks every product before it goes live, we test ourselves and independent labs spot-check batches. How we select our brands.
Who this collection suits
Nutrients play the biggest part in a few clear situations:
- shedding after pregnancy or during menopause
- vegan or low-variety diets, where zinc and iron intake is often lower
- hair loss after illness, surgery or a stressful stretch
- hair that feels thinner and more brittle, without a receding hairline
Give any product three to six months. Hair grows roughly a centimetre a month, so a fresh growth phase needs that long to become visible. If skin and nails bother you too, Hair, skin and nails groups products by that goal.
Frequently asked questions
They are food supplements with nutrients that the hair follicle needs, usually zinc, selenium, biotin, iron, vitamin D and copper, often combined with collagen or plant extracts such as saw palmetto. In Europe, only a few hair claims are approved: zinc, selenium and biotin contribute to the maintenance of normal hair, and copper contributes to normal hair pigmentation. They are not medicines, and they are not a treatment for pattern baldness.
They help most when a nutritional gap is part of the problem. Correct a low iron store or a poor diet and shedding often settles. If your hair loss is hormonal or hereditary, nutrients will not change the pattern, and honest sellers say so. Stress, thyroid problems, medication and crash dieting are other common causes that a supplement cannot fix. That is why we suggest a blood test before you spend money on a formula.
Plan for three to six months of daily use. Hair grows about one centimetre a month, and a follicle needs to finish its resting phase before new hair appears, so nothing visible happens in the first weeks. Most people notice less hair in the brush before they notice more density. If nothing has changed after six consistent months, the cause is probably not nutritional, and it is worth speaking to your GP.
Choose on dose first, then on what you will genuinely take every day.
| Form | Practical points | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Capsules | Full doses, few additives | Most people |
| Tablets | Compact, can be split | Multi-nutrient formulas |
| Gummies | Lower doses, added sugar or sweetener | Trouble swallowing pills |
| Powder | Larger servings, mixes in drinks | Collagen |
| Drops | Easy to adjust | Vitamin D |
Gummies work if they keep you consistent, but check the label: the dose is often lower than the capsule version of the same brand.
Both are useful for hair and both have a clear ceiling. Too much selenium causes selenosis, which itself leads to hair and nail loss, so stacking a hair formula on top of a multivitamin is a real risk. High zinc intake reduces copper absorption over time.
| Nutrient | Adult daily reference intake | Upper guidance from supplements |
|---|---|---|
| Zinc, men | 9.5 mg | 25 mg |
| Zinc, women | 7 mg | 25 mg |
| Selenium, men | 75 mcg | 350 mcg |
| Selenium, women | 60 mcg | 350 mcg |
Our single zinc products stay within that ceiling.
We would recommend it, and it usually saves money. A GP can check ferritin, which shows your iron stores, plus vitamin D and thyroid function. Those three explain a large share of sudden shedding, especially in women with heavy periods. With results in hand you buy one targeted product instead of a broad formula that duplicates nutrients you already have enough of. Extra iron without a confirmed shortfall is not harmless.
No, and yes. Products with 5,000 or 10,000 mcg biotin are far above what the body uses, and no extra hair benefit is approved above the normal reference amount. More importantly, high-dose biotin interferes with several lab tests that use antibodies, including thyroid and heart marker tests, which can give a false result. Tell your GP or nurse that you take biotin, and follow their advice on pausing it before a blood test.
During pregnancy, avoid supplements containing vitamin A as retinol, and avoid liver, because too much vitamin A can harm the baby. Many hair and beauty formulas include vitamin A, so read the label. Postpartum shedding is usually temporary and settles within roughly a year. Around the menopause the driver is hormonal, so nutrients support the basics rather than reverse thinning. If you take medication, check for interactions with your pharmacist first.
