If there was one vitamin that was more important than all the other vitamins in the world, it would have to be vitamin B. The reason is simply that vitamin B isn’t just a single vitamin but a series of them. In fact, barring vitamin C, vitamin B complex refers to all essential water-soluble vitamins.
Within the complex, even though biotin and panthenol receive a lot more positive press than their cousins, every individual vitamin in the B complex of vitamins is important. One of those “other” vitamins that not many people talk about is niacin.
Known by its more common name of vitamin B3, this vitamin can be found in virtually every hair product available in the market, even if it is only present in trace amounts. Specifically speaking, you’ll find niacin to be present in products that are designed to slow down hair loss and increase the rate of growth of hair.
You see, while niacin is crucial in a wide array of bodily processes and offers multiple benefits to hair, its biggest benefits become evident in people undergoing hair loss. This is why we’ve created this guide on how to use niacin for hair loss.
| Supplement |
|---|
 |
| Now Niacin 500 mg Nutritional Health |
| 4.25/5.0 |
| Product Type: Dietary supplement |
| Volume: 250 Tablets |
| Cost per ounce: $0.56 |
| The best niacin supplement in the market because it offers the sustained release option, which ensures maximum effectiveness. |
| Check Amazon |
| Shampoo |
|---|
 |
| Ultrax Labs Hair Surge Caffeine Shampoo |
| 4.5/5.0 |
| Product Type: Shampoo |
| Volume: 8 ounces |
| Cost per ounce: $9.99 |
| A niacin-containing shampoo developed specifically for coping with hair that is widely recognized for its ability to make a huge difference against hair loss. |
| Check Amazon |
On this page, we’ll not only explain the relationship between niacin and hair loss but we’ll even share with you the best of those products that contain this critical vitamin. Whether you decide to take this vitamin as a supplement or use it topically through specialized hair products, we’ve got reviews of your best options.
Before all of that, though, we’ll start with the basics such as what exactly is niacin and what are its different names. Here’s everything you’ll find in this guide, laid out in a very easy-to-use and clickable navigation panel.
- What Is Niacin?
- Is Using Niacin for Hair Loss Effective?
- What Are the Side Effects of Niacin?
- How Do You Use Niacin for Hair Loss?
- Top 7 Niacin Products for Hair Loss Comparison Table
- Top 3 Niacin Supplements for Hair Loss: Detailed Reviews
- Top 4 Niacin Shampoos, Conditioners & Treatments for Hair Loss: Detailed Reviews
What Is Niacin?
As we mentioned earlier, niacin is more commonly known as vitamin B3. However, when it comes to supplements and hair products, it is known by other names too such as nicotinic acid, niacinamide, and inositol hexanicotinate. Nicotinamide is another name for niacinamide while inositol nicotinate is very similar to inositol hexanicotinate.
These are all different chemical compounds that release niacin in the body. However, they don’t have the same properties. Some are simply more effective than others. For instance, in most hair products and supplements, niacin is present in the form of either niacinamide or nicotinic acid.
However, some supplements do contain inositol hexanicotinate because it makes them flush-free. Unfortunately, it also makes them less effective against hair loss. Flushing is a side effect of niacin. It is something that we’ll discuss later in this guide.
The primary purpose of niacin in the body is to help convert carbohydrates directly into energy. As a result of this, niacin can prevent the conversion of carbohydrates into fat. This is one of the reasons why niacin supplements are used by people trying to fight excess cholesterol in their blood.
Niacin also makes it easier for the body to transport energy to individual cells. It does this by improving blood circulation which is the main reason why it is so helpful against hair loss.
Is Using Niacin for Hair Loss Effective?
Even though research into the efficacy of niacin towards countering hair loss and improving hair growth isn’t exhaustive, there’s still plenty of evidence pointing towards it.
The best of the studies pointing at the effectiveness of niacin against hair loss was published in 2005 by scientists from Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Department of Dermatology in the USA.
In the study, the researchers tested the effectiveness of niacin in 60 women suffering from androgenetic alopecia. Androgenetic alopecia’s common name is pattern baldness. In women, it is called female pattern baldness, while in men it is called male pattern baldness. The women being tested were divided into two groups of 40 and 20. The bigger group was given niacin-based derivatives while the smaller one was the placebo group
The study lasted for six months and the women were photographed at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of this period. After completing the study, the scientists found that the larger group showed a considerable increase in “hair fullness” when compared to the smaller, placebo group.
While the researchers stopped short of explaining why the niacin derivatives delivered such great results, the mechanism can be explained by understanding how niacin behaves in the body. In fact, niacin helps against hair loss from multiple directions. Let’s explore them.
Blood Circulation
The ability of niacin to improve blood circulation in the body is uncontested. Doctors and other types of medical practitioners often prescribe niacin supplements to people with severe blood cholesterol issues i.e., high fat concentration in their bloodstream. There are even lots of studies focusing on niacin’s ability to reduce blood viscosity through a variety of mechanisms.
What is less well-known, though, is the connection between hair loss and blood circulation. However, there’s a definite correlation between the two as proven by Danish scientists from the Department of Dermatology at the University of Copenhagen’s Gentofte Hospital.
In the study, the scientists compared the blood flow in the scalp of 14 men suffering from the early onset of male pattern baldness and 14 men of similar age profile but without androgenetic alopecia. What they found was that the men with male pattern baldness had about 2.6 times lower blood circulation in their scalps than the men without.
Even though these scientists couldn’t prove whether reduced blood circulation was the cause of androgenetic alopecia or the result of the problem, the connection between blood flow and hair loss was made.
The confirmation that lack of sufficient blood circulation is one of the causes of male pattern baldness came from another study conducted by Canadian scientists from the Crown Institute of Ontario.
The scientists wanted to research the efficacy of using botulinum toxin against androgenetic alopecia. Botulinum toxin, in case you didn’t know, is used to nullify wrinkles. The most common brand under which this toxin is used is Botox.
Essentially, the scientists took 50 people with male pattern baldness and injected them with the botulinum toxin over 60 weeks. The injections were administered in strategically chosen locations in the scalp.
The scientists found an improvement of about 18 percent in their subjects which is approximately the same improvement that finasteride, the most popular prescription drug used against hair loss, delivers. The results were evident in the form of an increase in hair count in the scalp and reduced breakage.
The rationale of these scientists was that the muscles in and around the scalp tense up which reduces blood circulation to the hair follicles. The botulinum toxin relaxes these muscles and allows better blood circulation which results in better performance of hair follicles.
In essence, the Canadian study along with the Danish study establishes lack of blood circulation as a cause of hair loss. Since medically niacin is well-known for its ability to improve blood circulation in the body, this makes it a viable solution for people trying to deal with hair loss.
Anti-Inflammation
Multiple scientific studies and clinical trials have proven the anti-inflammatory properties of niacin already. Most of these studies, however, focus on niacin’s anti-inflammatory properties from the perspective of cardiovascular health.
For instance, German scientists from the Technische Universität Dresden studied and found considerable evidence on niacin’s ability to lower high-sensitivity C-reactive proteins (hs-CRP) in the body. The decrease was considerable at 20 percent too.
Turkish scientists from the Baskent University School of Medicine’s Department of Biochemistry achieved the same results in a different study conducted in 2015. They split their subjects into two groups and only administered niacin treatment to one group. The active group showed significantly lower hs-CRP levels in their bodies in comparison to the placebo or non-active group.
Even though these and other studies have focused on hs-CRP levels in terms of cardiovascular health, hs-CRP levels are closely related to inflammation in any part of the body and not just the blood vessels. As a result, these studies establish niacin’s ability to counter inflammation. However, inflammation is closely connected to increased DHT levels as well as hair loss in the scalp.
For instance, it is a well-established fact that people who suffer from androgenetic alopecia have more DHT in their scalps than those that don’t. Similarly, DHT is a well-established inflammatory agent. In one study conducted by scientists from the University of Manchester in the UK, it was even found to be strong enough to inhibit the body’s natural rate of healing.
In effect, both niacin’s ability to counter inflammation and inflammation’s connection to hair loss are well-established, making it a great solution to restrict DHT’s anti-hair loss capabilities.
Keratin Synthesis
Since one of its primary tasks is to keep the epithelial cells in the region safe, keratin is typically produced by the body under the skin. However, as more of this fibrous protein is produced, it is pushed towards the surface of the skin where hair follicles turn it into hair strands. This process is called keratinization.
Even though the structure of hair comprises various proteins, the one protein that is present in overwhelmingly large quantities is keratin. In fact, it is considered to be the most basic building block of every hair strand. Therefore, any substance that can help your body produce a lot more keratin will automatically be good for hair growth.
Not surprisingly, one of the derivatives of niacin can do exactly this, as per a study conducted by German scientists, W Gehring of the Hautklinik am Klinikum der Stadt Karlsruhe.
Herr Gehring discovered that niacinamide can increase keratin production in the body resulting in keratinization occurring faster than before. Subsequently, this not only results in the natural strengthening of existing hair shafts but also the production of more hair strands.
DNA Repair
Even niacin’s ability to convert carbohydrates into energy can help slow down hair loss and promote hair growth.
This process, called oxidative phosphorylation, will give you more energy and make you spryer in your daily schedule. However, it will also help your body repair damaged DNA, as a collaboration of scientists showed in a 2016 study.
Since our DNA contains the blueprint that our bodily processes follow, repairing it has wide-ranging benefits. However, specifically in terms of hair health, repairing damaged DNA is important because hair loss has been connected with damaged DNA scientifically in another study conducted in 2016 by scientists from multiple countries.
The study, conducted by Japanese, American, and Dutch scientists showed how DNA damage can result in the shrinking of hair follicles and subsequent hair loss. They found that damaged DNA causes a reduction in specific proteins which, through a sequence of events, ends up in hair follicles losing keratinocytes.
Since keratinocytes are very important in keratin synthesis, their absence causes the hair follicles to shrink. This shrinkage along with an inability to produce keratin results in hair loss.
Therefore, as niacin works to convert carbohydrates into energy, it repairs damaged DNA in the process which, in turn, prevents hair loss by boosting hair follicular health.
What Are the Side Effects of Niacin?
Topical application of niacin has virtually no side effects unless you’re very sensitive to different substances. If you’re prone to allergies, you can get allergic reactions from applying niacin to your scalp. The main side effect of niacin occurs when you eat it.
As we’ve mentioned earlier, niacin supplements are typically prescribed to people with cardiovascular problems or blood lipid imbalance. The reason for this is its ability to improve blood circulation. The direct downside of this benefit is that niacin can result in the blood vessels near the skin’s surface opening up.
This causes a temporary condition called flushing where the skin takes on a red tinge and the individual starts feeling very hot. Normally, a flush will last for ten minutes but it can last longer if you’re particularly sensitive. Highly sensitive people may even experience flushing that is severe enough for them to need a shower to cool their skin.
The chances of you experiencing flushing go up when the dosage is particularly high or when alcohol is in your system. The best way to avoid experiencing flushing is to only take niacin supplements after meals and start with smaller doses before gradually increasing quantities.
In very large quantities, niacin ingestion can cause other side effects such as indigestion, stomach ache, glucose intolerance, and liver dysfunction. Sometimes, niacin overdose can also cause hair loss instead of preventing it. However, it is very difficult to overdose on niacin through a normal diet. It will only happen if you take enormous quantities of the supplement.
How Do You Use Niacin for Hair Loss?
As in the case of most things that help against hair loss, there are only three real ways through which you can use niacin. These are changing your diet to take more niacin-rich foods, taking niacin supplements in various forms, and using niacin topically. Let’s look at each of these ways individually.
Increase Niacin-Rich Food Intake
The easiest and safest way to get more niacin into your system is by identifying foods that are rich in this vitamin and adding them to your everyday diet. There are a few options available to you too. These are:
- Avocado
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Sunflower seeds
- Beef
- Green peas
- Nuts
- Liver
- Mushrooms
- Fish
- Dairy products
It is important to remember that increasing your intake of niacin-rich foods will never help against hair loss alone unless you have a distinct niacin deficiency. The reason is simply that taking enough of these foods regularly is unsustainable. Further, you can’t even accumulate niacin in your system because it is water-soluble and the moment it is present in excess quantities, your body will flush it out.
Therefore, you will need to support an improved diet with either supplements or topical applications.
Take Niacin Supplements
Taking niacin supplements can be helpful against hair loss but you need to be very careful about this because niacin overdose can cause health problems. The best thing would be to consult a medical practitioner before deciding on a dose.
There are multiple niacin supplements available in the market because it is often prescribed by doctors for cardiovascular problems. These supplements can be divided into two categories – flushing and flush-free.
The two are different because they contain niacin in different forms. In flushing supplements, niacin is present as either nicotinic acid or niacinamide while in flush-free supplements it is present in its inositol hexanicotinate form.
Flushing niacin supplements are more effective than flush-free ones but the flush-free ones don’t cause annoying side effects. The reason for this is that inositol doesn’t offer the same benefits that the other niacin forms do.
When prescribed for managing lipid profile in blood, doctors often recommend the sustained release or flushing niacin supplements instead of the flush-free options precisely because flushing supplements are more effective.
Use Niacin Topically
When it comes to using niacin topically, you’ll have two options to choose from. The first is to use DIY recipes for creating homemade hair care products such as masks and the other is to buy hair care products whose formulae include niacin.
If you plan on going with the homemade option, we recommend choosing recipes that are based on niacin-rich ingredients and then adding niacin supplements into the recipe.
One of the best ingredients for this kind of DIY niacin-rich hair mask is avocados. Take about half a ripe avocado and blend it with approximately two tablespoons of avocado oil, one tablespoon of honey, and either crushed niacin capsules or a liquid niacin supplement.
Make sure to blend this mixture till it is homogenous. Apply it, massaging it deep into the scalp and ensuring that all hair strands are covered. Let it rest for a minimum of 30 minutes before rinsing it off. You can also leave it overnight by using a hot towel or satin bonnet to keep your hair covered.
As to how much of the supplement you should use, start with one tablet or two drops before increasing it slowly in subsequent recipes.
You can also buy hair care products like shampoos, conditioners, and tonics that contain niacin. When doing so, we recommend evaluating products based on how much niacin they contain along with how effective they are delivering on their claims.
To find out how much niacin they contain, look at their ingredient lists. The higher it will be mentioned in the ingredients list, the more quantities there will be.
Alternatively, you can also add supplements to your favorite hair product to give it the niacin boost. We’ve reviewed the best supplements and hair products in this guide for your convenience.
Top 7 Niacin Products for Hair Loss Comparison Table
| Product Name | Product Type | Volume | Cost per ounce (*Approx.) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Now Niacin 500 mg Nutritional Health | Dietary supplement | 250 Tablets | $0.56 per tablet | Check Price |
| Nature’s Bounty Niacin Inositol Hexanicotinate 500 mg | Dietary supplement | 120 Capsules | $0.10 per capsule | Check Price |
| Mary Ruth’s Vegan B Complex Liquid Drops | Dietary supplement | 1 ounce | $25.95 per ounce | Check Price |
| Ultrax Labs Hair Surge Caffeine Hair Recovery Stimulating Shampoo | Shampoo | 8 ounces | $9.99 per ounce | Check Price |
| TruePure Caffeine Shampoo | Shampoo | 8 ounces | $2.87 per ounce | Check Price |
| Nioxin Full-Size System Kit 2 | Shampoo, conditioner & scalp treatment | 2 x 10.14 + 3.38 ounces | $1.90 per ounce | Check Price |
| Plantur 39 for Hair Over Forty Phyto-Caffeine Scalp Tonic | Scalp Tonic | 6.76 ounces | $2.51 per ounce | Check Price |
Top 3 Niacin Supplements for Hair Loss: Detailed Reviews
1. Now Niacin 500 mg Nutritional Health (Best Niacin Supplement)
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
Now is a very old family-owned and operated company that was founded in 1968. Their Niacin 500 mg Nutritional Health supplement is on this list because it happens to be one of the best options in the market especially when it comes to effectiveness.
The reason why this niacin supplement is considerably more effective than its competitors is that it contains pure nicotinic acid. Since nicotinic acid is one of the most active forms of niacin, it makes sense for this supplement to be incredibly effective.
However, along with effectiveness comes the problem of flushing. There’s no doubt that this supplement will make you flush, it is just a matter of how much. To reduce the severity of flushing Now has designed this to be a sustained-release supplement. This means that after you take this tablet, it slowly releases niacin into your system over an extended period instead of doing it all at one go.
This can reduce the intensity of flushing you feel, especially if you take the usual precautions of taking the supplement after a proper meal and gradually increasing the dosage over multiple days or even weeks. Unfortunately, the sustained release mechanism will also make flushing unpredictable.
Some people experience it within the first few hours, while in others, it builds up for days before becoming evident. This can make managing schedules uncertain as you can never know when you’ll be flushing.
Even so, the purity of this niacin supplement is beyond question. It is manufactured in a Good Manufacturing Practice or GMP-rated facility and is 100 percent pure along with being kosher certified.
The facility, of course, is located in the USA. Further, it is vegan and doesn’t contain any additives. As a result, it is suitable for most people with allergies and even those who are gluten-sensitive.
This niacin supplement is also priced competitively and most people will find it very affordable to use over long periods.
Who’s it for: If you want a more effective niacin supplement and don’t have a serious problem with flushing, get this product from Now.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Supplement |
| Product weight: 250 tablets |
| Active ingredients: Niacin |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Manufactured by a well-established company |
| Sustained-release to reduce flushing |
| Kosher certified and vegan |
| Suitable for people with celiac disease |
| Produced in GMP-rated facility |
| Made in the USA |
| Affordably priced |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Can still cause flushing at strange times |
2. Nature’s Bounty Niacin Inositol Hexanicotinate 500 mg
Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0
The Niacin Inositol Hexanicotinate 500 mg from Nature’s Bounty is the exact opposite of the Now niacin supplement that we’ve already reviewed.
It is designed specifically for people who either experience severe flushing on taking niacin or are so sensitive that they cannot handle the normal flushing that it creates. It doesn’t cause flushing because it neither contains nicotinic acid nor niacinamide. Instead, it contains inositol hexanicotinate.
Inositol hexanicotinate doesn’t behave in the same way as nicotinic acid i.e., it doesn’t open up the blood vessels to the same extent. This is why it doesn’t cause flushing. However, this also means that it isn’t as effective as nicotinic acid-based niacin supplements.
Therefore, if you decide to go the way of this flush-free niacin supplement, you’ll need to downgrade your anti-hair loss expectations considerably. Additionally, you should also be mindful of the fact that this supplement isn’t vegan because it contains bovine gelatin.
The purity of the product, though, is still without question. Nature’s Bounty says that it produces its products at facilities that are approved by independent dietary supplement quality evaluation firms such as the United States Pharmacopeia and STR (Specialized Technology Resources).
This is also an incredibly pocket-friendly product. It is much cheaper than most of its competitors.
Who’s it for: If you want to avoid flushing altogether and are fine with the reduced efficiency of the supplement itself, get this product from Nature’s Bounty.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Supplement |
| Product weight: 120 capsules |
| Active ingredients: Niacin and inositol hexanicotinate |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Designed to be flush free |
| Produced in facility audited by the United States Pharmacopeia and STR |
| Made in the USA |
| Very pocket-friendly |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Less effective than normal niacin |
| Contains bovine gelatin |
3. Mary Ruth’s Vegan B Complex Liquid Drops
Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0
While you can take niacin supplements in tablet or capsule form, another way would be to take go with the liquid form. Liquid vitamin supplements are particularly beneficial for people who don’t like to or have trouble swallowing pills and tablets.
Amongst liquid niacin supplements, the one product that stands out is the Vegan B Complex Liquid Drops from Mary Ruth’s. As the name suggests, this is a vitamin B complex supplement instead of a pure niacin supplement. However, this isn’t something that should bother you because it means that you’ll get the benefits of other vitamins along with niacin.
This liquid supplement contains niacin in the niacinamide form which means that it will help against hair loss and hair thinning problems. Moreover, this supplement doesn’t cause flushing issues because other vitamins in the blend balance it out. Besides, compared to standalone niacin supplements, this blend contains lesser concentrations of the vitamin.
Along with niacinamide, this blend also contains pyridoxine or vitamin B6, biotin or vitamin B7, folate or vitamin B9, and methylcobalamin or vitamin B12. This liquid vitamin B complex supplement is also rated to be non-GMO and vegan. Further, it doesn’t contain any gluten which makes it suitable for people coping with celiac disease.
In terms of taste, like most liquid vitamin supplements, this one also has a sweet taste. The company describes the flavor as tart cherry. People who have used this product agree with that but also say that it is cloyingly sweet. Even though it is super-sweet, the sweetness doesn’t come from sugar making it suitable for people with blood sugar problems too.
Taking this vitamin B complex supplement is easy enough because each bottle comes with a dropper. You’re supposed to take 15 drops of the syrup every time to get the standard dose but we recommend consulting a medical practitioner to be sure.
Incidentally, you might have trouble figuring out how much of the dropper you need to fill to get 15 drops. The company specifies that about a third of the dropper will give you 15 drops.
Like all the supplements we’ve selected in this guide, this one is also manufactured in a Good Manufacturing Practice or GMP-rated facility.
The biggest flaw of this niacin-containing vitamin B complex supplement is its cost. It is unbelievably expensive, especially if you compare it to standalone niacin pills.
For someone only interested in niacin benefits, spending so much money might prove to be unnecessary. However, many of the vitamins it contains do help against hair loss and hair growth, so the argument can be made in favor of this product too.
Who’s it for: If you like your niacin sweet, liquid, and need other B complex vitamins too, get this one from MaryRuth’s.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Supplement |
| Product weight: 1 ounce |
| Active ingredients: Niacin, vitamin B6, biotin, vitamin B9, vitamin B12, and cherry extract |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Comes in liquid form |
| Combination of multiple ingredients |
| Contains biotin and other B complex vitamins |
| Tastes of tart and sweet cherries |
| Rated to be vegan |
| Suitable for people with celiac disease |
| Without sugar too |
| Comes with a dropper |
| Produced in GMP-rated facility |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Exorbitantly priced |
| Its taste is a bit too sweet |
Top 4 Niacin Shampoos, Conditioners & Treatments for Hair Loss: Detailed Reviews
4. Ultrax Labs Hair Surge Caffeine Hair Recovery Stimulating Shampoo (Best Niacin-Containing Hair Product)
Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0
Most shampoos focused on improving hair health, these days, contain niacin in one form or another. The only problem is that the vast majority of these shampoos don’t contain niacin in large enough quantities. However, we’ve managed to find one that contains niacin in decent quantities, if not in large concentrations.
This is the Hair Surge Caffeine Hair Recovery Stimulating Shampoo from Ultrax Labs. While niacin is not the most abundant ingredient in this shampoo’s formula, it is only behind three other ingredients. Two of these ingredients are cleansers while the third ingredient is menthol.
This shampoo was designed specifically to approach the problem of hair loss from multiple directions. In addition to depending on the anti-hair loss benefits of niacin, it relies on cleansing the scalp of buildup and blocking DHT with natural ingredients.
For blocking DHT’s abilities, this shampoo uses several ingredients. According to the company, this shampoo incorporates a proprietary blend of niacin, peppermint oil, and mango butter along with an Advanced CaffinoPlex blend comprising caffeine and saw palmetto.
For cleansing, this shampoo contains ketoconazole along with a combination of sulfates and coconut-based cleansers. This combination allows this shampoo to thoroughly clarify the scalp of all detritus and buildup. However, these cleansers are unable to produce a lot of lather, which a lot of people see as a flaw. On the flip side, this also makes this shampoo gentler.
In fact, it is gentle enough to be used daily. Its gentleness is also a result of the fact that other than sulfates, there are no artificial ingredients in this shampoo such as parabens and silicones.
The fact that this shampoo approaches the problem of hair loss from multiple directions means that this shampoo can deliver the results it promises but only over prolonged periods of use.
In terms of its scent, this shampoo has a mixed smell of citrus and coffee. While the gender-neutral nature of the scent makes it equally suitable for men and women, its uniqueness does take some time to get used to.
Using this shampoo should be without qualms even for environmentally conscious individuals. It is rated to be cruelty-free and every bottle comes with a dispensing pump even though the shampoo is very thick in consistency.
The biggest issue with this shampoo is its cost. It is exorbitantly priced because of two reasons. The first is that it uses proprietary blends in the formula and the other is that it is manufactured exclusively in the USA.
Who’s it for: If you want an effective anti-hair thinning shampoo that has more niacin than other similar shampoos, then get this one from Ultrax Labs.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo |
| Product weight: 8 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Coconut-derived cleansers, sulfates, menthol, niacin, vitamin B5, saw palmetto extract, ketoconazole, peppermint oil, and mango butter |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Contains a good amount of niacin |
| Developed specifically to counter hair loss |
| Has a citrus scent with notes of caffeine |
| Doesn’t contain parabens and silicones |
| Rated to be cruelty-free |
| Comes with a dispensing pump |
| Made in the USA |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Exorbitantly priced |
| Contains sulfates |
| Doesn’t produce a lot of lather |
| Can take time to deliver results |
5. TruePure Caffeine Shampoo
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
TruePure’s Caffeine Shampoo works in the same way that the previously reviewed Ultrax Labs’ Hair Surge shampoo does. The only difference is that this shampoo isn’t based on proprietary blends and has a completely natural formula. This means that while you won’t be exposed to synthetic chemicals and compounds, you may have to wait a little longer to get the results that you desire.
This shampoo is based on coconut-derived cleansers and aloe vera juice but also contains other key ingredients such as red clover blossom extract, rosemary leaf extract, caffeine, niacin, sage leaf extract, and orange peel oil. There are no artificial ingredients such as sulfates, silicones, and parabens.
Even though it doesn’t contain sulfates, it still manages to create lather that is comparable to mainstream shampoos. This is because of the coconut-based cleansers it contains. Similarly, although it doesn’t contain silicones, it isn’t incredibly drying because it contains aloe vera.
The natural ingredients it contains work well together and are reasonably effective against hair loss and hair thinning because they contain powerful DHT blockers in addition to niacin. Caffeine is the foremost of these ingredients but red clover, rosemary leaf, and sage all play a role in restricting DHT’s effects.
This shampoo is also supposed to be unscented, as per the company. However, when it comes to using it, you can sense a slight orange scent from it because of the amount of orange peel oil it contains. Fortunately, the scent is gender-neutral and fairly tolerable even for people with extremely sensitive noses.
This product is also rated to be cruelty-free and comes with a dispensing pump. It is manufactured in California, USA, which is one of the reasons that it is priced so expensively. However, an effective and natural hair loss shampoo with niacin that has no negative impact on the environment and is manufactured in the US is typically priced expensively these days anyway.
Who’s it for: If you’re looking for a DHT blocking, niacin-containing shampoo that barely has a scent, try this one from TruePure.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo |
| Product weight: 8 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Coconut-derived cleansers, organic aloe vera leaf juice, red clover blossom extract, rosemary leaf extract, caffeine, niacin, sage leaf extract, and orange peel oil |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Developed specifically to counter hair loss |
| Has a very mild orange scent |
| Produces a good amount of lather |
| Free of sulfates |
| Doesn’t contain parabens and silicones |
| Rated to be cruelty-free |
| Comes with a dispensing pump |
| Made in the USA |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Only contains niacin in small quantities |
| Expensively priced |
| Can take time to deliver results |
| Supposed to be unscented |
6. Nioxin Full-Size System Kit 2
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
This set from Nioxin is a full-fledged hair care regime with each product in the set incorporating niacin in the formula. The set comprises a shampoo, a conditioner, and a treatment, making it a one-stop solution for someone who wants to integrate niacin into every aspect of their hair care regime.
It also helps that this is an award-winning set. It has been chosen to be the Behind the Chair Stylist Choice Winner in the Favorite Thinning Haircare category. In fact, it hasn’t just won this award once. It has won it for 16 years in a row.
The company says that it formulated this set specifically for people who are trying to deal with hair thinning. It is designed as a hair thickening treatment and delivers visible hair density.
The individual products in this set work well together too. The cleansing shampoo removes buildup of all kinds and the conditioner balances hydration while the treatment further improves volume and body.
They combine to strengthen existing hair strands, slow down hair loss, and in some cases, even boost hair growth. The only problem is that this set is a little inconsistent and doesn’t always deliver positive results every time. There are a few issues with these products’ formulae too.
For instance, while the shampoo does well to produce a tone of lather and cleanse the scalp, this is only because it contains sulfates which can be drying for the hair. Because of its drying nature, you’ll always be attached to the treatment in the set.
It is only the silicones content of the treatment that allows it to counteract the drying properties of the shampoo. However, because silicones buildup in the scalp, you need the clarifying properties of the shampoo in return. In effect, they’re interdependent resulting in you becoming dependent on both of them.
The shampoo and conditioner further contain parabens. Many people believe that prolonged exposure to parabens can be damaging to hair, scalp, and general health.
Finally, niacin is only present in smaller quantities in the shampoo and conditioner. On the other hand, the treatment contains niacin in huge quantities making it very good for hair loss. Moreover, the shampoo and conditioner contain peppermint oil, wild mint extract, and menthol. This not only gives them strong anti-DHT properties and a pleasant minty scent but also the ability to make your scalp tingle.
There are three variants of this set available in the market right now and they’re all affordably priced. The available variants are System 2 for natural hair, System 4 for color-treated hair, and System 6 for chemically-treated hair. All the systems are for “progressed thinning” hair types.
The shampoo and conditioner come in squeezy bottles while the treatment comes with a dispensing pump in all the variants.
Who’s it for: If you’re looking for a haircare regime based on multiple products containing niacin, try this combo from Nioxin.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Shampoo, conditioner & scalp treatment |
| Product weight: 2 x 10.14 + 3.38 ounces |
| Active ingredients (shampoo): Sulfates, coconut-derived cleansers, salicylic acid, peppermint oil, wild mint leaf oil, menthol, parabens, tea plant leaf extract, biotin, niacin, vitamin B5, vitamin E, grapefruit peel extract, common hop flower extract, nettle leaf extract, sugar maple extract, lemon peel extract, saccharum officinarum extract, European blueberry leaf extract, and orange fruit extract |
| Active ingredients (conditioner): Parabens, peppermint oil, wild mint leaf oil, biotin, niacin, vitamin B5, vitamin E, grapefruit peel extract, common hop flower extract, nettle leaf extract, sugar maple extract, lemon peel extract, saccharum officinarum extract, European blueberry leaf extract, and orange fruit extract |
| Active ingredients (treatment): Niacin, caffeine, silicones, coconut-derived cleansers, peppermint oil, menthol, wild mint leaf oil, tea plant leaf extract, biotin, vitamin E, grapefruit peel extract, common hop flower extract, nettle leaf extract, silica, sugar maple extract, lemon peel extract, saccharum officinarum extract, European blueberry leaf extract, and orange fruit extract |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Award-winning set |
| Developed specifically to counter hair thinning |
| Shampoo and conditioner have a minty scent |
| Produces a good amount of lather |
| Makes the scalp tingle |
| Produces a good amount of lather |
| Three variants available |
| Rated to be cruelty-free |
| Shampoo and conditioner come in squeezy bottles and treatment with a dispensing pump |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Only contains niacin in small quantities |
| The shampoo contains sulfates and parabens |
| Conditioner contains parabens |
| Treatment contains silicones |
| Doesn’t produce results for everyone |
7. Plantur 39 for Hair Over Forty Phyto-Caffeine Scalp Tonic
Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0
Plantur is a company that specializes in products for menopausal women. In fact, the entire 39 series is designed for such women with the “39” being a reference to the age at which most women undergo menopause.
The products in the 39 series were developed by the company for women who are experiencing hair damage, hair weakness, hair thinning, and even hair loss due to the hormonal changes that are taking place in their bodies. The series contains a shampoo, a conditioner, and a hair tonic. We’ll be focusing on the hair tonic in this review.
The formula in this hair tonic aims to boost hair follicles and hair quality with the use of a proprietary Phyto-Caffeine Complex. The complex comprises multiple natural ingredients such as wheat protein, castor oil, and white tea extract.
The formula also relies heavily on niacin to deliver the promised results even though this vitamin is not present in huge quantities. Another ingredient worth mentioning is soybean seed extract because it helps nourish and volumize the hair.
Unlike most hair tonics available in the market, this one is specifically developed to be lightweight because hair above 40 cannot handle excess oil. As a result, this tonic has a thin, watery consistency and will neither weigh down your hair nor make it greasy.
To apply the hair tonic, the company has provided a built-in dosage tip. Essentially, you unscrew the cap of the bottle and touch the dosage tip to your scalp to allow the tonic to transfer.
You have to make sure that the tonic is spread uniformly by massaging it into the scalp. And then, you simply leave the tonic to dry in your hair. As soon as you apply this tonic, you’ll sense a strong scent but the scent is not offensive since most people end up liking it.
The cost of this product is more of a problem than the strength of its scent. Since this hair tonic doesn’t deliver instantly and results take some time to become visible, you’ll be using it over an extended period. This means buying the bottle a few times. The high list price of this product can make that a little difficult.
Who’s it for: If you want a hair tonic with niacin and are menopausal with thin hair, try this product from Plantur.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Product Type: Scalp Tonic |
| Product weight: 6.76 ounces |
| Active ingredients: Vitamin B5, hydrogenated castor oil, caffeine, soya seed extract, and niacin |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Developed specifically to counter hair loss in menopausal women |
| Has a likable scent |
| Free of sulfates |
| Doesn’t contain parabens and silicones |
| Comes with a built-in dosage tip |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Only contains niacin in small quantities |
| Expensively priced |
| Can take time to deliver results |
| Its smell is a bit too strong |
Contents
- What Is Niacin?
- Is Using Niacin for Hair Loss Effective?
- What Are the Side Effects of Niacin?
- How Do You Use Niacin for Hair Loss?
- Top 7 Niacin Products for Hair Loss Comparison Table
- Top 3 Niacin Supplements for Hair Loss: Detailed Reviews
- Top 4 Niacin Shampoos, Conditioners & Treatments for Hair Loss: Detailed Reviews
