Jan 23, 2013

Vitamin D Deficiency Causing Hair Loss

Staring at the mirror if the person across with thinning hair is really you? It is a common practice to hunt for wrinkles, thinning hair, etc., first thing in the mirror every morning, and hair fall might just be one reason for your worry wrinkles. A majority of us suffer from hair fall. Losing some hair everyday is normal, but if you are losing more than average hair everyday that is visible, it is time to get into thought for the reasons and hair loss solutions.


There are many reasons for hair fall, right from unhealthy lifestyles to dietary deficiencies, besides others. Everybody has their own perceptions on hair loss. While some blame it on the genes, but the fact is that hair fall issues never get acquired only through genes, it has many possible reasons and causes. There is a lot of research and experiment on the exact cause for hair fall, but studies show that dietary and vitamin deficiencies are among the top contenders.

Findings show a high amount of vitamin D recipients in the hair follicles, but their exact function is not known and proved, yet it is evident that this vitamin helps in the growth and maturation of the hair follicle. Even though a definite conclusion cannot be drawn for hair loss due to vitamin D deficiency, it is observed that this deficiency is one of the contributing factors for hair loss.

About Vitamin D

The sunshine vitamin is a fat soluble vitamin that maintains calcium metabolism. It is also known as Calciferol, you can rather nickname it as the sunshine vitamin. Your body naturally produces this vitamin. This pro-hormone, fat soluble vitamin, helps in absorption of calcium and phosphorous. A little exposure to sunlight will produce vitamin D in your body. It is also found in certain foods. Almost 80 - 90% of this vitamin is produced due to sun exposure by synthesis in the skin. The two forms of vitamin D important for the human body are, vitamins D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol).

Hair Loss and Vitamin D

A lot of vitamins keeps your body functions and appearance healthy and working. In the case of hair, it is more or less the same. A lot of vitamins contribute to strong and healthy looking hair, specially vitamins for hair loss. Scientists and researchers are underway to understand the role of Vitamin D in hair loss. Study is done on a type of mice that are genetically programmed to be hairless.

The study results showed that when vitamin D3 was given to these mice, they showed improvement in hair growth with stimulation in the hair follicles. There is much more to do however in this research. Finding how will it affect the human genes, and would it really curb hair fall in people with low Vitamin D, needs more research. The right amount is required for good hair growth.

People who have been taking supplements with vitamin D have experienced a gradual decrease in the hair fall. Vitamin D helps in the development and growth of healthy hair and maturity of hair follicles. Certain fatty acids in this vitamin help in eliminating dandruff, scalp psoriasis, and also hair loss by regulating the flow of oils that nourish the collagen (a tissue that holds your hair beneath the skin). It helps in absorption of calcium, which is also important for hair growth.

Other Deficiencies and Causes for Hair Fall

As we discussed earlier, losing certain amount of hair is normal and is not a serious issue of hair fall. Human beings generally lose 50 - 70 strands of hair everyday. How will you check what amount of hair you lose? Simple, just take a 'pull test'. That is take about 60 - 80 strands of hair in your fingers, now gently but firmly pull the hair. Usually 5 - 10 strands will come out. Anything more than about 12 - 15 hair is not normal, and you may be suffering from hair loss.

Some of the common factors for reasons are, genetics, hormonal imbalance, stress (both emotional and physical), thyroid disorders, sudden weight loss due to crash or liquid protein diet, chemotherapy, harsh hair treatments, disease and disorders of the skin, certain medicines and surgery, vitamin deficiencies like vitamin A, vitamin D, dietary deficiencies like that of proteins, iron, copper, L-lysine, and zinc.

Sources of Vitamin D

The question that does vitamin D deficiency cause hair loss is well answered by all these facts. Now you know what to look out for when dealing with hair fall. A healthy diet and lifestyle, and adequate amount of vitamin D is essential. This vitamin can be found in cow's milk and soy milk, sardines, pink salmon, tuna fish, egg, liver, beef, cheese, ready-to-eat cereals fortified with DV for vitamin D, and pure cod liver oil. The most important is sunlight, so bask in the sunlight for 5-10 minutes (preferably between 9 - 11 in the morning) to get your dose of vitamin D. It is recommended to first take medical advice before taking supplements or medications for hair loss.

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