Looking a little thin up top? Hair loss can occur for a variety of reasons, the most common of which is hormonal hair loss caused by male pattern baldness. Show
Other common causes of hair loss include stress and, in some cases, deficiencies of important vitamins and minerals. If you’ve searched online for information about vitamins and hair loss before, you might have heard of a link between vitamin D and hair loss. Although research is somewhat limited, there’s evidence that vitamin D deficiency can affect healthy hair growth, potentially resulting in shedding, thinning and patchy hair loss that affects certain parts of your scalp. Below, we’ve discussed what vitamin D is and how it fits into the hair growth process. We’ve also explained how vitamin D deficiency may affect your hair, as well as what you can do to make sure you have optimal vitamin D levels throughout the year. According to the National Institutes of Health, Vitamin D is an essential, fat-soluble vitamin that plays a role in numerous biological processes within your body. Unlike most vitamins, vitamin D isn’t commonly found in foods. While some foods, such as milk, soy and certain types of fish, contain vitamin D, most vitamin D is produced endogenously when UV rays from sunlight come into contact with your skin. In its natural form, vitamin D is biologically inert. To use vitamin D, your body needs to convert it into a usable form using the liver and kidneys. This complex, multi-step process is referred to as hydroxylation, and allows your body to use vitamin D for a variety of important processes. Vitamin D plays a role in countless biological processes within your body. It’s responsible for:
Vitamin D also plays a key role in preventing certain diseases. People with low levels of vitamin D have an increased risk of developing rickets and osteomalacia — two diseases that can affect the health and integrity of your bones. Low levels of vitamin D are also linked to certain forms of hair loss — a topic we’ve discussed in more detail below. Vitamin D Deficiency and Hair LossResearch has shown that people who are deficient in vitamin D often experience some degree of hair loss. For example, one study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information of women aged between 18 and 45 found that low levels of vitamin D2 were associated with two common types of hair loss. A separate study published in 2014 by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that vitamin D deficiency is linked to hair loss, specifically alopecia areata — a form of patchy hair loss that’s caused by an autoimmune disorder. Although the precise role of vitamin D in hair growth isn’t well understood, more National Center for Biotechnology Information research shows that vitamin D receptors play an important role in the anagen phase of the hair follicle cycle — the phase in which new hairs grow from the follicle to their full length.
buy finasteride more hair... there's a pill for thatOther Potential Causes of Hair LossIn short, vitamin D deficiency definitely appears to be associated with hair loss. However, being deficient in vitamin D isn’t the only reason you may lose hair – male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia) and stress (telogen effluvium) can play a role. Learn more about common causes of hair loss in our guide. Are You Vitamin D Deficient?If you’re shedding more hair than normal and think that you could be deficient in vitamin D, the best thing to do is to talk to a healthcare professional. Your healthcare provider will be able to diagnose vitamin D deficiency via a 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test. This is a type of blood test that checks for 25-hydroxyvitamin D — a common form of vitamin D that circulates in your blood. Vitamin D deficiency is surprisingly common. According to the book, Vitamin D Deficiency, up to one billion people worldwide, approximately 13 percent of the world’s entire population, are deficient in vitamin D. If you’re severely deficient in vitamin D, you may notice certain symptoms other than hair loss. According to the Cleveland Clinic, common symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include:
Certain factors, such as your age, ethnicity and habits, may increase your risk of being deficient in vitamin D. You may have a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency if you:
Vitamin D deficiency is also common in breastfed infants. If you have an infant who is breastfed, your healthcare provider may recommend providing them with a vitamin D supplement to avoid developing a vitamin D deficiency. “I tried several different options before but Hims combined approach of all four methods by far created the best results.” “Hims has been the greatest confidence boost, no more bald jokes! I look and feel so much younger!” “When I show my barber my progress, he is always in disbelief. I have to recommend Hims to any guy who’s experiencing thinning.” “Cost effective and affordable. My hair keeps growing thicker, fuller, and at a fast rate.” “I noticed a huge change in the overall health and fullness of my hairline.” “Now after 5 months I’m able to style waves first time in 10 years!” “I decided to jump right in and I'm so glad I did. I definitely feel ten years younger!” “In just as little over two and half months, I can really see the difference in thickness and in color.” “4-months strong and my confidence boosted back up to 100% using Hims, future me really does thank me.” “I’m a 34 year old father of two and have been using Hims for over a year now. My hair is back to what it was in my mid twenties.” How to Treat Vitamin D DeficiencyIf you’ve been diagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency, your healthcare provider will likely recommend the use of a vitamin D supplement. They may also recommend making some changes to your diet and habits to increase the amount of vitamin D you consume via food or produce naturally. You can get more vitamin D by: Using a Vitamin D SupplementThe Harvard School of Public Health says the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin D is 600 IU daily for adults 19 years and older. For adults 70 and up, it’s 800 IU daily. If you don’t get much vitamin D naturally, using a supplement such as vitamin D3 may be helpful. Vitamin D supplements are inexpensive and widely available. If you have a high risk of vitamin D deficiency due to a health condition or other factor, your healthcare provider may suggest using a larger dosage of vitamin D than the typical recommended dietary allowance. For optimal results, follow your healthcare provider’s instructions and use your vitamin D supplement only as recommended. Do not take excessive amounts of vitamin D from a supplement, as this may cause health problems. Eating Foods That Contain Vitamin DSome foods are rich in vitamin D, making them a good natural source of this vitamin. Foods that contain vitamin D include fatty fish, such as tuna, avocado, nuts, salmon or mackerel, cheese, egg yolks, mushrooms and beef liver.Fortified foods may also contain vitamin D. Certain types of milk, yogurt and other dairy products, as well as soy drinks, breakfast cereals and orange juices, may contain added vitamin D. You can often find this information on the product’s nutrition facts label. Spending More Time in SunlightYour body produces its own vitamin D naturally in the skin when it’s exposed to UV radiation from sunlight. Spending too much time in direct sunlight isn’t good for your skin, but a small amount of sun exposure can help to produce vitamin D naturally. According to the Harvard Medical School, 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure a few times a week is normally enough to maintain healthy levels. And remember — always wear sunscreen. What Happens if You Have Too Much Vitamin D?Although it’s important to take in a certain minimum amount of vitamin D for optimal health, it’s definitely possible to get too much vitamin D. Your body limits the amount of vitamin D that it will produce due to sun exposure. This means that there’s no real risk of you “overdosing” on vitamin D if you spend too much time outside on a sunny day, although there are obviously other risks involved in excessive sun exposure. However, overusing vitamin D supplements can cause something called vitamin D toxicity — a potentially harmful condition that can cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, weakness, weight loss, reduced appetite, heart rhythm problems and even damage to your kidneys. To avoid vitamin D toxicity, only use vitamin D supplements as recommended by your healthcare provider or other healthcare professional. Vitamin D Hair Loss: What to DoIf you’ve noticed your hair shedding or looking thin and think that it could be due to a vitamin D deficiency, talk to your healthcare provider. They will be able to test you for a vitamin D deficiency and, if appropriate, may recommend using a vitamin D supplement. You may also be able to increase your vitamin D levels by changing your diet to include more foods that contain vitamin D, or by spending 10 to 15 minutes outside during sunny weather a few times each week. There are numerous reasons that you might lose hair. While a vitamin D deficiency could be a cause of your hair loss, it may also be due to male pattern baldness, stress, use of medication or many other factors. Topical FinasterideIf a pill feels like an overwhelming way to treat male pattern hair loss, this spray with finasteride & minoxidil could be for you. Minoxidil SolutionGeneric for Rogaine®, this FDA-approved over-the-counter version of topical minoxidil is used for regrowth on the crown of the head. Finasteride & MinoxidilThis is the FDA-approved dynamic duo. When used together, men saw better results in clinical trials compared to using either alone. Oral FinasterideIf you’re looking for something effective but don’t want too many steps in your routine, this once-a-day pill could be right for you. Minoxidil FoamClinically proven to regrow hair in 3-6 months, no pills required. Learn More About Treating and Preventing Hair LossDealing with hair loss can be a stressful experience. Luckily, several science-backed hair loss treatment options are available that can help you slow down or stop hair loss. Some might even help you with hair regrowth in areas of your scalp where your hair has started to thin. Our guide to minoxidil and finasteride goes into detail on the science behind two of the world’s most effective hair loss treatments to explain how they work and how you can use them to take control over your hair for good. 10 SourcesHims & Hers has strict sourcing guidelines to ensure our content is accurate and current. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We strive to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here. Does vitamin D Help hairloss?“Supplementing vitamin D can often be helpful since most people are deficient—along with other key nutrients, typically iron, vitamin C, and biotin—in restoring hair loss. It certainly helps thicken existing hair,” Levitan says.
Is hair loss due to vitamin D deficiency?“Both vitamin D deficiency, as well as vitamin D excess, may cause hair loss,” Chacon explains. A 2020 study in the International Journal of Dermatology found that vitamin D deficiency may also play a role in the development and severity of androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness.
Will hair grow back after vitamin D deficiency?Damage from Vitamin D deficiency is often proportional to the deprived deficiency. Make sure your Vitamin D is normal, not too high or not too low. Keep it within normal limits (30-100). Potentially your hair should grow back within 6-8 months, all other factors being normal.
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Vitamin d deficiency can cause hair loss
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