Vitamin D Supplements: How Much Is Too Much
It is possible to get too much of a good thing, though. Constipation, kidney stones, and changes to your normal heart rhythm are possible if you are consuming too much Vitamin D. The risks are relatively low though. Youd have to take more than 10,000 IU of Vitamin D3 every day to see any evidence of toxicity.
A good course of action is to have your doctor order tests for your Vitamin D levels during your annual physical. That will ensure you dont exceed healthy levels.
Youre Losing Bone Mass
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for bone health. You need enough of it to maintain bone density and integrity as you age. Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption, as well as bone metabolism. Loss of bone mass is a surefire sign you need more vitamin D. So, get your levels checked and start building those bones again. You need them to be strong as you age!
What Vitamin Deficiency Causes Hair Loss: 4 Vitamins Linked To Hair Loss
Experiencing hair loss from chemotherapy or alopecia is jarring and frustrating. But what do you do when you’re experiencing hair loss and you have no idea why? If you find yourself pulling way more hair out of your hair brush than normal or find that you have to unclog your shower drain every morning, you may have a vitamin deficiency. In some instances, vitamin deficiency causes hair loss, among other baffling side effects.
To get this hairy situation under control, weve included details regarding how certain vitamins can affect your body differently, especially when it comes to your luscious locks.
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Serum Vitamin D Levels And Hair Fall In Women
In a study looked at a student population in South India, researchers investigated the connection between hair loss and serum levels of vitamin D.
44 participants in the study were enrolled and the mean age was 20 years. Among females, those with low serum levels of vitamin D were more likely to have diffuse hair loss.
However, it should be noted that the limitation of this study was that the results were subjected. There was no hair counts done to objectively measure these results.
That being said, given the evidence that vitamin D is important for hair growth, its something that should be investigated further.
Vitamin D And Alopecia Areata
Autoimmune disease is another cause of hair loss. Vitamin D regulates our immune system, it puts the breaks on part of the immune system which could damage the cells and cause the immune system to go after healthy cells.
In a study looking at vitamin D levels and patients with alopecia areata, they discovered that compared to control, they were much more likely to be vitamin D deficient. 91% of the patients with the condition were deficient compared to just 33% of the healthy controls.
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Vitamin D Plays A Part In The Hair Cycle
In a new study published this week in The Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, a duo of dermatologists in India stated: “Vitamin D is intricately involved in various signaling pathways of growth and differentiation of hair follicles.”
Recognizing that Vitamin D has been shown to affect the hair cycle, they set out to conduct their own investigation of Vitamin D as “a potential therapeutic modality in hair loss.”
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Risk Factors For Vitamin D Deficiency
If you check the boxes for any of the following, youre at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency. And dont stress yourself out if you do. There are ways to lower your risk!
- You have naturally dark skin
- Youre elderly, or over the age of 70
- Youre overweight or obese
- You dont drink milk
- You dont eat fish
- You dont eat egg yolks
- You spend most of your time indoors
- When you do happen to be outside, you lather yourself in sunscreen
- You live in a northern climate where sunshine is rare
- You live in a large city, where tall buildings obstruct direct sunlight
- You live in a place thats heavily polluted
A 2011 study, published in Nutrition Research, delves deeper into the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among adults in the United States. For the general population, vitamin D deficiency impacts 41.6%. For certain minority groups, the numbers soar. In this particular study, a whopping 69.2% of U.S. Hispanics, and a shockingly high 82.1% of African Americans were found to be deficient in vitamin D.
As you can see, having adequate vitamin D levels is absolutely necessary for optimal health and well-being. Not only do you need enough vitamin D to have a healthy physical body, you also need enough to balance your moods and mental outlook. Theres a reason we all feel so much brighter and optimistic during sunny days as opposed to cold, grey ones!
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What’s The Deal With Vitamin D
Vitamin D is often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin” because when your skin is exposed to sunlight, it triggers vitamin D synthesis. Experts and doctors consider high vitamin D levels necessary to human health.
Low vitamin D is linked to the following:
- Fatigue
- High blood pressure
- Chronic pain
But that’s not all. Dr. Rashmi Byakodi, a health and wellness writer and editor at Best for Nutrition, said that while vitamin D was primarily considered essential for bone formation, there are also links between vitamin D and the proper function of the brain, heart, muscles, immune system and skin.
How To Reverse Hair Loss Caused By B12 Deficiency
Hair loss can occur due to several causes such as genetics, stress, hormonal changes, pollution, and excessive heat styling. The first step is to check your B12 levels to identify whether there is indeed a deficiency of the vitamin that is causing hair loss.
To boost your B12 levels, consume foods that are rich in this essential vitamin. According to studies, vitamin B12, along with vitamin D and iron, is an integral part of your diet and can reduce premature greying.
In another study, it was found that participants reported a significant reduction in hair shedding when supplementing the diet with B12, biotin, iron, and L-Lysine. The study also identified food as the primary cause of hair shedding among women who were younger than 50.
Oral administration of cyanocobalamin, a manufactured version of vitamin B12 was found to be effective in treating a deficiency of the vitamin in one study. Scalp massages have also shown to increase the overall thickness of hair.
A B12 deficiency can even lead to an increased risk of some types of cancer. Early diagnosis is critical in preventing damage.
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What Vitamin Deficiency Causes Hair Loss
âIron Deficiency in pre-menopausal women is one the main causes ofhair loss and could indicate an underlying medical condition,â Abraham Armani, MD, a hair restoration surgeon and hair loss expert in Dallas, Texas, tells WebMD Connect to Care.
Iron contributes to hemoglobin production, which helps deliver nutrients and oxygen to hair follicles. Without enough iron, the hair wonât grow, causing progressively thinner hair. Women with heavy periods may also develop iron deficiency anemia. Some other potential causes of iron deficiency include:
- Not eating enough iron-rich foods, such as red meat, seafood, and beans
- Blood loss from ulcers
Is Vitamin D Deficiency Behind Your Hair Loss
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient. It bolsters our immune system, wards off illness, and is critical for bone health. Some studies suggest that insufficient amounts of vitamin D contribute to depression, heart disease, and cancer. But if those werent reasons enough to ensure youre getting enough of the D in your diet, heres another: a lack of adequate vitamin D intake can contribute to hair loss. If you see increased hair shedding and loss, it may be time to check your vitamin D levels.
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Role Of Vitamin D3 In Causing Hair Loss
Many studies have shown that Vitamin D3 deficiency causes hair loss. Various autoimmune diseases are also linked with lower serum Vitamin D3 levels. Substantial evidence shows the anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects that Vitamin D3 can have on our bodies.
Vitamin D3 plays a role in the development of new hair follicles and improves hair growth.A Japanese study done in 2012 revealed that Vitamin D3 revives the dormant hair follicles and also creates new follicles. An autoimmune type of hair loss known as Alopecia Areata is linked to Vitamin D3 deficiency. It has been proven by assessing the serum Vitamin D3 in affected individuals, which is deficient in comparison to unaffected individuals.
Role of Vitamin D3 is also evidenced by the fact that patients with Vitamin D dependant Rickets type II have overall sparse body hair, frequently having the total body and scalp alopecia. These patients have mutations in the Vitamin D receptor gene, which is typically immunoreactive for Vitamin D and shows activity in the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle. The mutations result in resistance against Vitamin D
There Are A Few Signs That Can Give You Signals If You Are Vitamin D Deficient Read On To Know About Them
One of the 24 essential micronutrients, vitamin D is associated with a myriad of health benefits. This fat-soluble vitamin is produced by your body when it is exposed to an adequate amount of sunlight. The Sun is the major source of vitamin D and its energy converts a chemical in your body into vitamin D3, which is then transformed into active vitamin D after the chemical reaches your kidneys and liver.Also Read – How Women Can Improve Their Bone Health After 30, Relationship Between Menopause and Weakening of Bones | Diet, Supplements, Explained
From boosting your immunity to stimulating cell growth, and helping in hair growth, vitamin D does it all for you. This nutrient is required by your body to absorb calcium in the gut and maintain the concentration of phosphate and calcium, which are significant for better bone health. Also Read – Vitamin D Can Protect You From Severe COVID-19 Infection, Death: Study
According to a research published in the journal Age and aging, around 1 billion people around the globe are currently suffering from vitamin D deficiency. This condition can prevent your body from functioning optimally. Vitamin D plays a significant role in maintaining cardiovascular health, diabetes, and managing multiple sclerosis. This nutrient is present in certain food including fatty fishes like salmon, tuna, cheese, egg yolk, soy milk, etc. Also Read – Hair Treatment : What Is QR 678 Hair Transplant ? Here Is All You Need To Know
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Vitamin D Deficiency Hair Loss Regrowth
How often do you think about your hormones?
I think about them all of the time!
From good sleep to belly fat, hormones rule everything. And the further I look into it, the more I realize that hormones are everywhere.
For example…
Take vitamin D.
Its not actually a vitamin its a hormone. What does a lack of this hormone have in common with other types of hormonal imbalances?
It can cause hair loss.
Today, were focusing on vitamin D deficiency hair loss regrowth.
Well do an overview on D deficiency, and the role it plays in hair growth. More importantly, well discuss how it is possible to regrow your hair.
How Vitamin D Causes Hair Loss
When you began to lose your hair, what did you think was the cause? Did you think it was how you were treating your hair, or perhaps stress?
Sometimes, sudden hair loss is natural. Your hair goes through phases where growth, as well as shedding, can increase or decrease.
But with a vitamin D deficiency, hair loss can occur for a few reasons.
In the first place, we know that vitamin D is responsible for calcium absorption. Your calcium levels impact not only bones, but skin, hair, and nails.
Additionally, vitamin D plays a role in stimulating hair follicles. More research may be necessary here, but deficiency can lead to inactivity in receptors crucial to hair growth.
It isnt all about loss, either. Being deficient in any essential vitamins or minerals causes damage to the follicle. This is why the hair you do have may be dry and dull.
The condition of your hair and any loss youre suffering may be made worse by other factors. If youre also on medication, eating poorly, or youve recently lost a lot of weight, this could explain the hair loss.
How to Get More Vitamin D
When we say vitamin D were actually referring to two types: vitamin D2 , and vitamin D3 . Both are commonly found in supplements and fortified products, but D3 is the one our bodies produce naturally.
If you have a deficiency, your options to correct it are limited. If that sounds bad, dont worry – it isnt! Its simply that the best two methods are most effective in putting your levels right.
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What Vitamins Are Good For Hair Growth
You probably know Vitamin B12 as the energy nutrient, but what you might not have known is that it also plays an important role in hair growth. Like iron, Vitamin B12 is another very common nutrient that many patients are also deficient in. B12 requires proper thyroid hormone, gastric acid and other cofactors for optimal absorption.
Alternative Options For Hair Loss Treatment
If Vitamin D isnt the solution for you, dont worry. There are plenty of options out there to help with your hair loss issue. Below, we name just a few.
- Minoxidil: Using minoxidil as a topical cream has been effective in clinical trials for treating people with alopecia areata or androgenic alopecia .
- Finasteride: Finasteride is an oral medication for hair loss. Studies have found that 1 mg of finasteride per day can help prevent further hair loss, and thicken hair in patients with androgenic alopecia .
- UVB therapy: UVB rays exist in natural sunlight and aid the body in producing enough vitamin D. Research has found UVB phototherapy to be effective in improving alopecia areata .
- Hair follicle transplantation: For those with more severe hair loss, such as advanced androgenic alopecia, surgical treatment is possible. While this method doesnt prevent additional hair loss, it helps restore hair growth .
Along with vitamin D supplements, these alternatives are only part of a more extensive list of hair loss treatments. Hair loss is often a distressing experience, but know that you arent alone and there are many treatment options out there to explore.
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