Vitamin D is known to help prevent hair loss according to the NIH for common causes like androgenetic alopecia (AGA), telogen effluvium (TE) and alopecia areata (AA), and according to Harvard Health, vitamin D has been shown to help create the cells that turn into hair follicles. Hair follicles are the organ that grows your hair. This same medically reviewed article also says that your doctor may recommend Vitamin D supplements if you suffer from hair loss.
And vitamin D has an impact on the regulation of the hair follicle cycle to ensure it is running smoothly, and with the formation of keratinocytes which are part of the process where your body forms hairs and controls hair growth. Keratinocytes are the proteins that are part of the formation of the keratin protein which is what your hair is made of.
So why would some people doubt that Vitamin D is effective in growing hair? Because the NIH also has studies like this one on AA with more than 55,000 participants and it says there was no significant association between dietary, supplemental, or total vitamin D intake and incident AA.
There is also this report from Sharon Keene, MD that says although there is no known correlation between vitamin D and AGA, some cases show that a deficiency in vitamin D may have a relationship to hair thinning. And this one at Wiley which says vitamin D is a part of growth and differentiation in the hair cycle, but more studies need done before it can be widely recommended.
This is why it all comes down to trusting your doctor as they are the ones that know your health history and can make a recommendation on supplementing vitamin D for your hair loss and hair growth needs.
In this case study a woman began losing hair and the only potential cause was a vitamin D deficiency. When supplementation began, her hair thinning reversed course. And the NIH also has this article about nonscarring alopecia and it’s link to a vitamin D deficiency. Once supplementation began it says the therapy helped promote hair growth.
It looks promising that vitamin D does have an impact on reducing hair thinning or promoting hair growth for some people, and what we do know is there are benefits to proper levels that may contribute to healthy hair. Especially when you combine vitamin D with other hair healthy nutrients, and it is easy to do by adding some foods rich in vitamin D to your diet.
According to the USDA, each of these foods are rich in vitamin D, and here’s how they may help with your hair issues.
- Salmon - is packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, biotin, and other hair healthy nutrients to keep your hair healthy and strong.
- Orange Juice - with vitamin C, fiber, and other nutrients, your hair and scalp will thank you with its antioxidant properties.
- Eggs - have folate, biotin, vitamins A and E, and other nutrients for healthy and shiny hair.
- Turkey - complete with zinc, proteins, selenium, and niacin, your hair is going to love you nourishing it with this healthy food.
- Beef (hamburgers too) - contains iron and proteins, as well as folate, B12, and other hair healthy nutrients.
