Vitamin D Deficiency And Hair Loss
Vitamin D and Thinning Hair
Vitamin D-deficiency is very common, not only in northern climates.
So is hair loss. If you feel you are losing more hair than usual, there are many causes. Want to know what it can be for you?
One of the reasons for hair loss is a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D stimulates hair follicles to grow, and so when the body does not have enough, the hair may be affected.
Vitamin D levels are measured through blood tests and are considered to be inadequate if they are below 30 ng/mL. The ideal range is much higher. Vitamin D deficiency and hair loss are more likely to occur if your levels fall below 30 ng/mL.
The best way to know is to get a Vitamin D-Blood Test
Generally the lower your Vitamin D levels, the more your hair is falling out. Vitamin D deficiencies are most commonly seen in women who are experiencing female pattern baldness or thinning at the crown, and those who have alopecia areata (patches of hair loss).
Risk Factors For Vitamin D Deficiency
- Staying indoors (office workers....)
- Having dark skin.
- Being elderly.
- Being overweight or obese.
- Living far from the equator where there is little sun year-round.
- Always using sunscreen when going out.
Other Signs Of Vitamin D Deficiency
- Getting sick often - One of vitamin D's most important roles is keeping your immune system strong so you're able to fight off viruses and bacteria that cause illness.
- Fatigue and tiredness - Both can have many causes, and vitamin D deficiency may be one of them. Unfortunately, it's often overlooked as a potential cause. Read more about fatigue HERE
- Depression - Some controlled studies have shown that giving vitamin D to people who are deficient helps improve depression, including seasonal depression that occurs during the colder months. Learn more about it HERE
- Slow wound healing - Slow healing of wounds after surgery or injury may be a sign that your vitamin D levels are too low.
- Bone loss - A diagnosis of low bone mineral density may be a sign of vitamin D deficiency. Getting enough of this vitamin (and other nutrients) is important for preserving bone mass as you get older.
- Muscle pain - There is a link between chronic pain and low blood levels of vitamin D, which may be due to the interaction between the vitamin and pain-sensing nerve cells.
- Bone Pain - Low blood levels of vitamin D may be a cause or contributing factor to bone pain and lower back pain.
How Vitamin D Affects Hair
Vitamin D affects the health of many parts of the body, including the skin and hair.
Vitamin D plays a role in the creation of new hair follicles. Hair follicles are the tiny pores from which new hairs grow. New follicles may help hair maintain thickness and prevent existing hair from falling out prematurely.
Because of this link, getting adequate amounts of vitamin D can support hair growth and regrowth.
Ways to supplement Vitamin D
- Research suggests that when a person lacks Vitamin D, the most effective treatment is for them to take vitamin D3 supplements. Vitamin D3 supplements should be taken with meals, particularly ones with plenty of healthful fats. Fat helps the vitamin D3 to be absorbed into the body.
- The most natural way to get vitamin D is by exposing your bare skin to sunlight (ultraviolet B rays). Sunlight spurs the body to make vitamin D. Because of the skin-cancer risk, do not get so much sun that you get burnt. However, a small amount of sun exposure without sunscreen can do the trick.
The Takeaway
Vitamin D affects the health of many parts of the body, including the skin and hair.
Vitamin D plays a role in the creation of new hair follicles. Hair follicles are the tiny pores from which new hairs grow. New follicles may help hair maintain thickness and prevent existing hair from falling out prematurely. Because of this link, getting adequate amounts of vitamin D can support hair growth and regrowth.
People concerned about vitamin D deficiency-related hair loss should consult a doctor who will likely suggest supplements, dietary changes, and spending more time outdoors to help combat the deficiency.