Vitamin D and Hair Loss | Is There a Link?

Although this fat-soluble vitamin is best known for supporting healthy bones, boosting immunity and protecting respiratory health, it’s also critical for less considered anatomy, like hair growth.

Healthy hair is linked to many factors including the nutrients your body receives. So, it makes sense that hair loss is one of the many common symptoms that show up with low vitamin D levels. If you’re dealing with hair loss or want to improve its quality, you won’t want to miss this info - let’s take a closer look at what vitamin D does for your hair and ways to boost your intake.

Since vitamin D stimulates hair follicles and maintains the hair growth cycle, you’re very likely to have stunted hair growth if you skimp on the sunshine vitamin. Considering that 1 billion people worldwide lack in vitamin D, hair loss is actually a common (and really undesirable) condition.

Less than optimum vitamin D levels are associated with:

• Weak hair shafts 
• Premature greying
• Receding front hairline
• Balding on crown of head
• Thinning at temples
• Excessive hair shedding
• Alopecia – the umbrella medical term for general hair loss

Even if you don’t suffer from hair loss, you can improve the look and feel of your hair with appropriate amounts of vitamin D.

Here are the top 5 ways vitamin D influences hair health:

1. Promotes the natural formation and regeneration of hair follicles
2. Preserves hair strands during the hair’s life cycle
3. Delays loss and aging of hair
4. Increases production of specific keratins – the protein that protects hair
5. Vitamin D receptors are necessary for the hair growth cycle and divide to create new hair fibers

Research has shown that vitamin D levels are closely associated with a hair loss condition known as alopecia. While there are many different types of alopecia affecting about 147 million people worldwide, one form called alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation around hair follicles on your scalp, beard, or anywhere on your body that hair grows. Even your eyebrows and eyelashes can be affected. 

One study in patients with alopecia areata concluded lower vitamin D blood levels were associated with more severe hair loss. Further research on vitamin D and hair loss in women indicated that supplementing vitamin D may especially benefit a form of alopecia called female pattern hair loss.

It’s no secret that vitamin D deficiency is a common denominator among a variety of autoimmune conditions. This prioritizes vitamin D as preventative and protective nutrient when it comes to autoimmune diseases – and your overall health.

Autoimmune defined: A normal immune system guards your body against bacteria and viruses by using specialized cells to attack these foreign invaders. An autoimmune disorder exists when your immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign cells and your own healthy cells, and then mistakenly attacks your cells. This disorder can target your entire body or just one part of it, such as an organ or your joints. 

A few factors associated with developing autoimmune diseases include:

➢ An inflammatory diet of sugar, unhealthy fat, grains and conventional dairy. Follow ananti-inflammatory diet!

➢ Lack of exposure to “germs” (known as the hygiene hypothesis). The overuse of vaccines, antiseptics and antibacterial products tend to decrease exposure to germs and lead to an immune system that inappropriately overreacts to harmless substances. 

➢ Exposure to chemicals - environmental toxins (mercury/lead/asbestos), BPA found in plastic, toxic ingredients in personal care products, and pesticides in our food supply

➢ Certain medications which are openly noted in this pharmaceutical journal.  

The good news is that getting your vitamin D level up is easy. You can do this with a combination of properly SUPPLEMENTING and altering your DIET and SUN exposure. 

The term vitamin D is a bit misleading. It’s really either vitamin D3 or D2. Foods rich in vitamin D3 come from animal sources and D2 come from plant sources. When you absorb sunlight, vitamin D receptor cells convert cholesterol into D3 for your body to use. Overall, vitamin D3 is more effective at improving the vitamin D status in your body.

Either way, natural vitamin D rich foods are few and far between. To get your fill, you’ll want to consume plenty of the flesh and oil of fatty fish, liver and egg yolks (choose pasture raised).

Allowing yourself 15-30 minutes per day of sun exposure (without any sunscreen of course) will nourish your body with the sunshine vitamin. While this may sound easy to do, many of us spend too much time indoors or live in places with limited sunshine. Do your best to spend time outside each day. 

Supplementing is often necessary for most people to increase or maintain an optimum vitamin D level in their body. I suggest taking 5,000 IU daily – always with vitamin K2 – and taken with a meal containing healthy fat to boost absorption. I’ve made it easy by combining these nutrients in my D3/K2 formula for optimum health. If you are under medical care, it’s a good idea to check with your treating physician first. 

Did you know? Vitamin D3 and K2 taken together works to improve heart health and much more! Check out my video, Vitamin K2 Benefits and why it’s Essential for Health.