Vitamins play an integral part of maintaining healthy hair. Deficiency of vitamins can give rise to various hair related problems. However, different hair related problems can be prevented by taking the right dose of various vitamins required for healthy hair growth. Vitamins such as A, E, B, C, H and D are important as human body needs them to maintain healthy hair. Today, we will discuss on Vitamin D in details and how it can benefit hair growth.
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a kind of soluble fat. It means it is not water soluble and stored in the form of fat in the body. Vitamin D is vital for the absorption of calcium, bone growth and the mineralization of bone. However, various research works shows that vitamin D also helps in growth hair. Vitamin D is found in very few food items but with regular exposure of our body to sunlight for 15 to 20 minutes daily can help our body to get the required dose of Vitamin D.
Connection between Vitamin D and hair loss:
Many believe that Vitamin D can help in stopping hair loss and promoting hair growth. Till now there is no particular research that can prove this very fact. However, it will be not be wrong to say that Vitamin D is essential for maintaining overall health of our hair. During an animal study done at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, it was found that vitamin D3 supplementation stimulated hair growth. The research was conducted with nude mice that could not grow hair normally under normal circumstances. However, as this research was done on animal its output cannot be the same for human beings.
Well, there are also different research works that have proved that there is a big connection between vitamin D and the quality of hair. Its deficiency can cause change in hair color, hair thinning and eventually hair loss in women and men. Human body can produce Vitamin D by exposing our body to direct morning sunlight.
Actual facts about Vitamin D and Hair Loss:
- Vitamin D is associated with healthy hair follicle growth cycle. The scalp is home to hundreds of hair follicles which are at the roots of our hair. Vitamin D reduces hair loss problem by stimulating the hair follicle and the cells that form the hair shaft.
- Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium by the body, which is essential for the health of follicles. When the calcium level in our body is low, it can lead to hair fall.
- Vitamin D contains Omega 3 fatty acids which help in keeping the scalp free of infections. Omega 3 also helps in solving the problem of dandruff and maintaining proper circulation of nutrients which is important for hair growth.
- Vitamin D also triggers those genes that encourage proper hair growth. Losing or lacking these genes can lead to hair loss problems.
- Also there are many different diseases that can be due to vitamin D deficiency. It is a known fact that when the body is not healthy from inside, there will never be normal hair growth.
However Vitamin D deficiency cannot be the only reason behind hair loss problem. There are many reasons behind hair loss such as some health problems, pollution, lack of sleep, lack of nutrient, smoking, drinking too much alcoholic beverages, too much stress, improper hair care routine, use of chemicals on hair and so on. This is why you need to first determine the main cause behind any hair problem and then only go for a right treatment. You can take help of a doctor to find the main cause of hair growth problem faced by you.
Vitamin D Sources:
People who are exposed to sunlight for about 15 to 20 minutes daily do not need vitamin D supplements. But if your lifestyle restricts you inside the comfort of your house, you can go for some other sources of Vitamin D. There are many food items also from where you can get Vitamin D. Food sources of vitamin D include egg yolk, beef liver, milk, soymilk, tuna, oatmeal, orange juice, mushrooms, ricotta cheese, cabbage, carrot, apricot, peach, cheese, and even fish liver oil. The highest sources of vitamin D are found in oily fish like salmon, cod and mackerel.
Always remember that Vitamin D has a toxicity level that can cause nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, weight loss and constipation. Hence it is advisable to take the required amount of Vitamin D and you must not exceed the limit.
How much vitamin D is required?
The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is at least 1000 IU per day. But people belonging to different age groups need different level of Vitamin D such as:
- Children up to 13 years – 5 mcg (200 IU)
- 14-18 years – 5 mcg (200 IU)
- 19-50 years – 5mcg (200 IU)
- 51-70 years – 10 mcg (400 IU)
- 71+ years – 15 mcg (600 IU)
Note: The above mentioned information relates to people who do not get enough sunlight to enjoy the benefits of Vitamin D.
As there are few available dietary sources for vitamin D, you can take Vitamin D supplement to make your hair healthy and beautiful. However, it is recommended to consult your doctor or nutritionist to find out if it is suitable for you to take vitamin D supplements and the required dosage.