The speed of beard hair growth is largely determined by your genes. All the hair on your body follows a certain cycle of stages where the hair grows back, falls off, and re-grows until one day it stops growing completely. This often happens when you are older.

Beard hair growth is determined by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme converts your body’s natural testosterone stores into another hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT then attaches to receptors in each follicle of your beard to grow.

But this does not mean that extra testosterone means more beard hair. Beard hair growth is actually largely determined by how your follicles are sensitive to DHT. And this is largely based on your genes.

No synthetic testosterone supplement or any other ingredient has been proven to help beard hair grow – and any other body hair, for that matter. And taking DHT can also make your hair grow a little longer.

Let’s take a look at natural ways you can help grow your beard, what you can expect from your beard growth after trying some of these natural methods, and where you should see a doctor for hair growth problems. Here are some natural remedies that can help you grow longer or thicker hair and keep it healthy for longer.

Food and beard-growing foods

Some vitamins may be able to help follicles that have already stopped growing hair to function again.

Try to get plenty of vitamin D in your diet. It may activate receptors in hair follicles that do not grow hair. Sources of vitamin D include:

fish

eggs

condensed plant milk

Vitamin B is also linked to a Reliable Source for Healthy Hair Growth, which includes:

biotin in whole-grain loaves of bread, milk, and nuts

B12 in meat and fish

Exercise

There are no studies suggesting that exercise can directly affect hair growth.

But exercise, especially high-intensity interval (HIIT) training, can raise testosterone. This can help to promote hair growth.

Sleep quality

Inadequate sleep or high levels of sleep deprivation have been linked to a decrease in the body’s natural testosterone production.

This means fewer DHT receptors in your beard hair, making your beard grow slower.

Bathing and moisturizing

Clean, moist skin allows for healthy hair growth.

Wash your face with a mild, natural soap. Rub your face with lotion or oil, such as castor oil or coconut oil, after washing.

Quitting smoking

Smoking has been linked to hair loss. Many of the chemicals in cigarette smoke cause inflammation and damage to the DNA in the blood vessels that nourish hair. Quitting smoking may allow your beard to grow by reducing the damage to blood vessels and inflammation. Quitting may be difficult, but a doctor can help you to make a plan that works for you.

Micro needling

Microneedling is done by drilling small holes in your face with very small needles. Micro needling is said to help with hair growth by increasing blood flow to your follicles and promoting healthy hair.

A 2013 study A reliable source found that combining micro-needling with the use of minoxidil (Rogaine) could help reduce male pattern baldness by about 12 weeks. It can also work on beard growth.

Genetics

The type of beard you grow is clearly tied to your genes. In fact, it is one of the most important factors in why your beard does what it does (or does not do). Although you may not grow a beard exactly like your father, grandfather, or great-grandfather, the genes that determine the hardness, color (or colors) of your beard come from your ancestors.

Age

Your age helps determine the growth rate of your beard. Men begin having facial hair at the age of 13. True, there is always one high school kid with a full beard, but usually, the most abundant and fastest hair growth occurs between the ages of 25 and 35. That growth rate usually slows down as men get older.

Testosterone

High testosterone levels lead to a better chance of growing long hair on the face and body. The flip side, however, is that men with high testosterone levels are more prone to baldness due to dihydrotestosterone. If you wonder why most men with long beards are also bald, DHT is probably the culprit. Science is unclear as to what causes low testosterone levels with some research showing genetics, as well as specific studies showing that the baby’s environment is involved.

Exercise

Exercise — direct weight training — helps raise testosterone levels. An extensive, active, integrated movement that acquires multiple muscle groups is very effective. Pusks, push-ups, squats, deadlifts, lines, and chest compressions, and tops are all good. If you are new to lifting weights, spend time with a coach or trainer. A bad form will delay your results and lead to injury. If you have been inactive, consult your doctor before starting any new form of exercise.

Food

A well-balanced diet rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals helps maintain your beard while enhancing its growth potential. Hair contains a lot of protein, so it is important to make sure you get enough of it in your diet. Lack of protein can make the beard brittle and brittle. Vitamins B, C, and D, as well as zinc and iron, also help keep your beard healthy and grow slowly.

Sleep

Getting eight full hours of sleep each night improves the quality of your beard, as well as the growth rate. Body temperature decreases during sleep, leading to increased blood circulation — including the circulation of hair and its roots. The more nutrients that can reach the hair follicle and its roots, the better.

Depression

It is not really a joke when someone says that stress has caused their hair to fall out. Depression, in fact, can alter the growth of both beards and scalp because they weaken the immune system — and a weakened immune system means slower hair growth. So become less depressed to have beard growth.

Eating Sweet Potatoes

High in beta-carotene, this will help the growth of cells in your beard. What happens is that beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A, and this will lead to the growth of more cells within the hair follicles.