Can Vitamin D Deficiency Cause Hair Loss? Understanding vitamins is as easy as learning ABC – or is it? In total, there are vitamins that are essential for human life. They come from various sources and benefit the body in various ways. If you do not get enough vitamin A, you may get sick or get another disease. If you take too much, you may be at risk for harmful effects. So what if I ask you “can vitamin D deficiency cause hair loss”?
Vitamin D is a key nutrient that plays a role in many of the body’s functions. Vitamin D deficiency can cause many problems, including hair loss. In this article, we look at how vitamin D and hair growth are linked, whether a deficiency causes hair loss and whether it is reversible.
The basics
Despite its name, vitamin D is not a vitamin. Instead, it is a hormone that promotes the absorption of calcium in the body. The challenge is that, with the exception of a few foods such as fatty fish, vitamin D is difficult to find in the middle diet. However, in the presence of ultraviolet radiation, our skin can produce its own vitamin D from a common cholesterol.
There are two main types of D. The first is vitamin D3, which is found in animals including fish and is the type that the skin makes when exposed to sunlight. The second is vitamin D2, which comes from plant foods, including mushrooms. Many foods are fortified with vitamin D, such as infant formula, milk, breakfast cereals, orange juice and other foods. Lack of sunlight or not eating enough foods rich in vitamin D are the most common causes of vitamin D deficiency.
Can Vitamin D Deficiency Cause Hair Loss?
There is some evidence that vitamin D deficiency causes hair loss and other hair problems. Vitamin D stimulates hair follicles to grow and so when the body does not have enough vitamin D, hair can be affected. Vitamin D deficiency can also be linked to alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that causes broken hair loss. People with alopecia areata are less likely to have vitamin D than people without alopecia. Vitamin D deficiency also plays a role in hair loss in people without alopecia. Vitamin D levels are low.
How does vitamin D affect the hair?
Vitamin D affects the health of many parts of the body, including skin and hair, while vitamin D plays an important role in supporting the natural processes associated with hair growth. Vitamin D helps to create new hair follicles as part of the hair life cycle. Maintaining a healthy hair cycle is vital for thicker, fuller hair.
Some studies have found that vitamin D levels may be associated with hair loss in women, which is the most common cause of hair loss in women. However, more studies are needed to confirm this potential link.
More research is needed to confirm the benefits of vitamin D for hair growth.
Other symptoms of vitamin D deficiency
People with vitamin D deficiency may have no symptoms or their symptoms may not be specific and may change over time. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include:
- mood swings, including depression or anxiety
- slow wound healing
- loss of bone density
- muscular weakness
- new or worsening high blood pressure
- constant fatigue
- chronic pain
- infertility
- reduced strength
Prevention
A person’s first defense against hair loss caused by vitamin D deficiency spends 15 to 20 minutes a day outside and eating foods rich in vitamin D. A person may also want to add a vitamin D supplement to their routine to support goals. Vitamin D intake fragile or thinning hair requires gentle treatment, so anyone with hair loss can prevent further breakage by:
- do not pull your hair when brushing
- avoiding ponytails and other tight hairstyles
- using a gentle and natural emollient
- putting long hair in a loose braid before bed to avoid tangling
Hair Loss Treatment
Research shows that when a person does not have vitamin D, the most effective hair loss treatment is to take vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin D supplements should be taken with meals, especially those with a lot of healthy fats. Fat helps the body absorb vitamin D.
Good sources of dietary fat include:
- avocado
- eggs
- chia seeds
- Some fish include salmon, trout and sardines
- nuts
- cheese
Supplements are available in various forms. Some can be taken daily, once a week or once a month. When treating low levels of vitamin D, a doctor will do a blood test every few months to see if a person’s levels are rising. The Endocrine Society recommends that adults between the ages of 19 and 55 take 600 IU of vitamin D daily. “IU” means an international unit, which describes how powerful a vitamin or supplement is, despite its mass. The Endocrine Society recommends that adults over 55 receive between 600 and 800 IU per day of vitamin D. Finally, they recommended between 400 and 600 IU per day of vitamin D for children.
Summary
Vitamin D affects many aspects of a person’s health and well-being, including hair growth. Vitamin D deficiency makes people more likely to have hair loss and many other problems. People who are concerned about hair loss associated with vitamin D deficiency should consult a doctor who will likely suggest supplements, diet changes and spend more time outdoors to help fight the deficiency.
Understanding hair loss
Part of understanding hair loss is detecting it at an early stage. If we can deal with it early, we are more likely to slow down or prevent the whole process.
When to start hair loss treatment?
Can vitamin D deficiency cause hair loss, when should treatment be started? The sooner treatment begins, the better. This is because as soon as the hair follicles die, the hair can no longer grow despite the stimulation. Our clinics treatments can reverse baldness and also help prevent further hair loss. Laser treatments help maintain healthy hair and growth. Clinically proven devices fight hair thinning and really stimulate the hair follicle to regenerate hair.
