Does Vitamin D Deficiency Cause Hair Loss?
Vitamin D stimulates hair follicles to grow, and so when the body does not have enough, the hair may be affected. A vitamin D deficiency may also be linked to alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that causes patchy hair loss. Research shows that people with alopecia areata have much lower levels of vitamin D than people who do not have alopecia.
Vitamin D deficiency can also play a role in hair loss in people without alopecia. Other research shows that women who have other forms of hair loss also had lower levels of vitamin D.
1. Vitamin A
All cells need vitamin A for growth.
Diets deficient in vitamin A may lead to several problems, including hair loss While it’s important to get enough vitamin A, you don’t want too much. Studies show that too much vitamin A can also contribute to hair loss Sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, spinach, and kale are all high in beta-carotene, which is turned into vitamin A. Vitamin A can also be found in animal products such as milk, eggs, and yogurt. Cod liver oil is a particularly good source.
Can Vitamin D Deficiency Cause Hair Loss?
Vitamin D is metabolized in the skin by keratinocytes.
These are skin cells that process keratin, a protein in hair, nails, and skin. “There is a link between vitamin D deficiency and alopecia, and it is often one of the common causes of thinning hair or hair loss in men or women,” Arielle Levitan, MD, an internal medicine physician in Chicago, tells WebMD Connect to Care.
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And hormone, plays an important role in dermatology and dermatotherapeutics, due to its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, and regulation of keratinocyte differentiation and proliferation.
Most studies show an inverse relationship between serum vitamin D levels and non-scarring alopecias such as telogen effluvium, androgenetic alopecia, alopecia areata, and trichotillomania. However, conclusive studies to demonstrate the benefit of vitamin D administration in correcting hair loss and managing these conditions are lacking. Hence, further studies are needed before vitamin D can be routinely recommended as a treatment modality in these condition.