You may not be aware of this, but Vitamin D and Hair Loss are closely related. The deficiency of Vitamin D in our body is usually associated with bone related disorders such as rickets. In general, it helps in the proper absorption of calcium in the body, thus helping in the formation of healthy bones and teeth. However, not many people are aware of this fact but Vitamin D plays an important role in preventing hair loss as well.
Our hair growth is regulated and controlled by a process known as hair follicle cycling. Hair follicles are the tiny skin organs that help in the production of hair. Each and every hair follicle that is present in our scalp goes through three different phases, which regulate our hair growth. The first phase, known as the anagen phase, involves rapid division of the hair follicle cells, thus leading to hair growth. The categen phase, which is the second phase, witnesses the hair follicles going through a short transition period where the hair stops growing. Finally, in the last phases called the telogen phase, these hairs dislodge themselves over a particular span of time. On an average, the human scalp sheds around 50-100 hair strands on a daily basis.
What are Vitamin D and Hair Loss related?
Now the question arises that what role Vitamin D has in this entire cycle. The deficiency of Vitamin D in our body has a negative influence on our hair follicle cycles, resulting in changes in the tendency of the body to shed as well as grow hair. For example, Vitamin D can bring significant changes in the hair follicle cycles such as reducing the duration of growth phase (anagen) or earlier onset of telogen phases, leading to hair loss. So, it is evident that Vitamin D and Hair loss are closely linked.
Therefore, it is important to include the required amount of Vitamin D in your daily diet to prevent changes in the hair follicle cycles. You can obtain the required amounts of vitamin D from various food sources including liver, fish and egg yolk as well as different fortified beverages and food items such as milk, margarine, orange juice and soy drinks.
Should you supplement Vitamin D?
Taking additional Vitamin D supplements for preventing hair loss and boosting hair growth would be a good idea. Also, the upper limit of Vitamin D consumption is quite high; so you don’t need to worry about going overboard with your consumption. Intake of Vitamin D 4000 – 10000 UI would be good enough to see improvement in hair loss problems.
Since Vitamin D and hair loss are closely related, make sure to maintain enough intake of Vitamin D so that your body never witnesses its deficiency.
