Scientific evidence shows that fish oils also known as omega 3 fatty acids can help with hair growth. I did some digging to find out if they are helpful for the beard as well. Here is what I found.
Does fish oil help beard growth? Fish oil or omega 3 fatty acids do help with beard growth by boosting beard growth hormones. Fish oil can moisturize your beard, add shine, and act as an antioxidant. Fish oil will also provide essential proteins and nutrients, prevent facial hair follicle inflammation, and improve blood circulation all of which may promote beard growth.
Fish oil will not, however, promote the growth of a beard where there is none. If you cannot grow a beard naturally the best bet for growing a beard is using rogaine or minoxidil that has been proven to help grow a beard among men who naturally struggle to grow a beard.
No research has been done on fish oil for beard growth, however, we can use the already existing research plus what we know affects beard growth and see whether fish oil affects beard positively or negatively.
Table of Contents
Benefits of omega-3 for facial hair
Boosting testosterone levels
Research studies
, based on animals show that consumption of fish oil aka Omega-3 fatty acids increases the levels of serum testosterone which is the testosterone found in the blood.
While naturally, men have almost the same levels of testosterone, there are some men who do not have enough testosterone in their bodies.
If these men have beard growth genes, but lack enough testosterone they may not be able to grow a beard.
Fortunately, there are several ways to boost testosterone levels in the body by either eating the right diet with foods that have been proven to increase testosterone levels such as omega-3, zinc, eggs, nuts, avocado oil, and so on.
Reduce inflammation
Fish oils have been proven through research to help reduce inflammation. Inflammed hair follicles will not be able to grow and develop facial hair properly.
Applying or taking fish oil as supplements will help reduce or fight inflammation which in turn will promote the health of your facial hair follicles hence promote beard growth as a result.
Moisturizer
Keeping your beard is very important if you want to keep your beard healthy and help with its growth. Moisturizing your beard will keep it strong, and soft.
Studies show that some of the ingredients in natural oils include monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fat.
Among the three ingredients, monounsaturated and saturated fats penetrate hair strands and skin much better. Oils that are rich in monounsaturated fats such as coconut oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil have great moisturizing properties.
Given that fish oil has a high amount of monounsaturated fats, applying it to your beard will keep it moisturized.
However, you should be wary of the scent of fish if you are going to be applying fish oil into your beard.
Fish oils have been proven to boost hair growth
Various studies conducted on both human beings and animals have shown that consumption of fish oils or Omega-3 and topical application of the same promotes hair growth.
This study conducted on women showed that they experienced increased hair growth and decreased hair loss when they consumed fish oil supplements.
Another study conducted on mice showed that when fermented mackerel-derived fish oil was topically applied on the mice it stimulated the growth of hair.
Lastly, this study conducted on women showed that when women in the study took omega-3 and 6 supplements together with antioxidants they experienced increased hair density and reduced hair loss.
Anecdotal evidence also proves that topically applying fish oils to your hair adds shine and luster. However, you should note that applying fish oil to your hair will leave it smelling fishy.
Related: How to stimulate beard growth
Caution
Based on this study, men with high levels of Omega-3 in the blood are at high risk of contracting prostate cancer. It is therefore important to check the levels of supplements you are taking from a doctor.
Fish rich in Omega -3 include
- Trout
- Herrings
- Sardines
- Salmon
- Atlantic mackerel
Frequently Asked Questions
Do fish oil pills increase testosterone? Yes, research has proven without doubt fish oil pills do increase the levels of serum testosterone in the body but prevents it from being converted into DHT.
Does fish oil make hair grow? Yes, research shows that fish oil promotes the growth of hair, but there is no research to show that fish oil promotes the growth of the beard.
Conclusion
Fish oil will not stimulate beard growth if you cannot grow a beard naturally. However, if you have been diagnosed with low levels of testosterone including fish oil in your diet with other testosterone boosting foods will help you grow a beard. Using it topically will help you keep your beard moisturized. However, you might want to put into consideration the scent of the fish oil.
