Taking L-cysteine for hair growth is a natural way to improve the health of your hair through nutrient intake.
L-cysteine is one of few amino acids found in the body that has the ability to make what are called disulfide bonds.
Such bonds are extremely important for giving hair its long, strong fibrous properties that hold in moisture, help maintain thickness and give each strand its shine.
By using dietary supplements and not just shampoos, it may be possible to improve the health of your hair from this inside out. What is the right way to take l-cysteine supplements for hair benefits and can this nutrient work to prevent hair loss?



- Promotes healthy skin, hair & nails
- Aids in the formation of collagen
- Supports protein structure for anti-aging
What is L-cysteine?
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L-cysteine is a conditionally essential amino acid manufactured in our bodies and found in the foods we eat. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and may be essential, semi-essential or non-essential.
Our bodies do not make essential amino acids therefore they must be consumed through our diets or supplemented. Non-essential amino acids are easily manufactured in the body and therefore it is not necessary for them to be present in the diet.
Lastly, conditionally essential amino acids, such as L-cysteine, are made in the body but in small amounts and only under certain conditions.
L-cysteine is manufactured in healthy adults and children when metabolic disorders are not a concern. In some infants, seniors and those with metabolic disorders, L-cysteine must be present in the diet or supplemented since it will not be manufactured in the body.
L-Cysteine for Hair Growth
L-cysteine is one of the key components to building the all-important hair protein called keratin. Keratin is a long fibrous protein manufactured in skin cells, nail cells and hair cells. Without L-cysteine and keratin, the body could not make hair fibers in the appropriate cells.
Hair consists of three layers, the cuticle, the cortex and the medulla. The cuticle is the outer layer that surrounds the inner cortex and medulla. The cortex surrounds the medulla and the medulla is found at the very center of the hair shaft and is partly responsible for the natural thickness of hair – through predetermined genetic signaling.
The cortex of the hair is the most prominent of all the three layers making up 80-90% of one stand of hair. It is the cortex that gives hair its strength through keratin molecules bundled together. These protein molecules bundled together make up a fibrous filament structure containing 75% L-cysteine.
How to Improve Hair Growth and Texture
There are several elements and factors that affect hair health such as sun exposure, chlorine, wind, blow drying and straightening that can damage strands. Some of these factors cannot be avoided and perhaps none of them can be avoided.
Therefore, our hair needs to be in the best health we can get it in, in order to give it a fighting chance. The consumption of nutrients like the amino acid L-cysteine should be considered when thinking about hair health.
What is true for humans is also true for cats and dogs. The condition of pet hair, like human hair, is often correlated to nutritionally dense foods they eat – such as eggs for dogs. There are certain foods you can feed your dog that will relieve dry hair leaving each follicle luxurious.
If a dog has beautiful fur or hair, another owner will often ask, ‘what do you feed your dog? Their hair is beautiful.’ Interestingly, we don’t often hear people asking each other this same question about their hair.
Marketing for hair products and shampoos is such a huge and powerful industry that we often forget that hair is part of our functional and structural body, made better or worse by the things we put inside us, not outside us. There is no better protection for our hair then to build its strength, thickness and shine from the inside out with building blocks like L-cysteine supplements.
How to Take L-Cysteine for Hair
L-cysteine is an essential part of hair growth and strength but of course it is not enough to sustain hair health on its own. It is the body and the cells within the body that utilize nutrients like L-cysteine and build them into structures like hair. Therefore, we must always be conscious of the things we eat and eat a well-balanced diet avoiding or limiting known toxins.
The minimum daily amounts of L-cysteine intake are 1,400 mg. Foods such as pork, chicken, salmon and eggs are all good sources of this amino acid. Sunflower seeds, soybeans and walnuts are suitable sources for vegetarians.
When purchasing L-cysteine capsules, it is common to buy the N-acetyl-cysteine version which has better bioavailability. Typical dosages are in the 200 – 500 mg per day range, but speak to your doctor to determine the correct amount.
Supplements should not be taken in place of healthy foods and instead should be taken with them as a safeguard to make sure we are getting enough of what we need. Using l-cysteine for hair can be a great way to ensure the body is getting enough of this amino acid in order to build a strong, durable hair shaft.
While we cannot eliminate all the damaging factors that the hair is exposed to, we can give it the nutrients it needs. Remember the next time you go to grab that bottle of hair shampoo – while it may clean away some damaging chemicals, it doesn’t build our hair from the inside out. Instead, think about how rich your diet is in amino acids like L-cysteine that help keep the body strong and safeguard it against the element.
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Article last updated on: May 12th, 2018 by Nootriment