Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin stored in the body and responsible for helping to keep bones strong. In the United States, vitamin D insufficiency is a major health risk affecting three out of four Americans, according to U.S. News and Health Report. Beyond a risk for low bone mineral density and muscle problems, the vitamin is now thought to be linked to different types of cancer, high blood pressure, depression and secondary symptoms like hair loss.
Balding and Vitamin D
Hair loss and balding are not typically associated with women. Some hair thinning, however, is normal in seniors, affecting about 10 percent of premenopausal women and up to 75 percent of those over the age of 65. Excessive hair loss, on the other hand, could be indicative of a more serious problem, according to Dr. Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN. Some of the most common causes of hair loss are a hormonal imbalance, genetics, an immune system abnormality and a nutritional deficiency -- especially of vitamin D.
Treatment
Researchers from the University of Texas investigated the role of vitamin D and skin cells responsible for strengthening hair, skin and finger and toenails. The study, published in 2010 in Dermatology Online Journal, found that vitamin D receptors in the outer layers of skin play an important role in the life cycle of hair growth. More studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D deficiency effects or vitamin D supplementation could treat hair loss disorders.
Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency is ,ptr common than previously thought, which isn't surprising since symptoms include those that could be caused by a variety of conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia and normal signs of aging. Also, many doctors just aren't trained, or don't know to look for, a vitamin D deficiency, reports Dr. Pick. The only way to know for sure if your blood levels are low is to be tested. A good indicator, however, is if you eat few fortified foods, such as milk, cereal, orange juice and eggs. Also, if you do not get at least 15 to 20 minutes of direct sunlight a day or take a vitamin D supplement, you may well have a deficiency.
Considerations
Once you find out that you are deficient in the sunshine vitamin, it could take anywhere from three to six months for your body to restore its blood levels. While there are some reports that taking vitamin D supplements could prevent hair loss, there's no evidence that by treating your deficiency, you can reverse hair loss. In fact, if after your diagnosis your symptoms persist, it's possible that you're not getting enough of the vitamin. For one thing, wearing sunscreen can block your cells from absorbing the vitamin, and only in 2010 did the Institute of Medicine release new intake recommendations. The recommended daily allowance, or RDA, of vitamin D is 600 international units, or IU, for adults and 800 IU for seniors over the age of 65. If you're taking a supplement from before this date, not only might it be expired and less potent, but also it may only contain a fraction of the RDA.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin D
- The Washington Post: Vitamin D Deficiency Called Major Health Risk; May 2004
- Scientific American: Vitamin D Deficiency Soars in the U.S.; March 2009
- U.S. News & Health Report: Americans Fall Short on their Vitamin D; March 2009
- Dermatology Online Journal; Karrie T Amor, MD; February 2010
- MSNBC.com: The Fallout of Hair Loss: Suffering in Silence; September 2008
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