Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin D
For the body system: Hair

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Vitamin D has a scientifically recognized role in the regulation of hair follicle cycling, but the strength of the evidence supporting its use specifically for hair health is modest. Vitamin D receptors are found in hair follicles, and animal studies have demonstrated that disruption of these receptors can lead to hair loss (alopecia). In humans, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with certain types of hair loss, particularly telogen effluvium and alopecia areata, based on observational studies. Some small clinical studies have shown that people with hair loss conditions are more likely to have low vitamin D levels compared to controls, and supplementation may help restore normal hair growth in deficient individuals. However, evidence from randomized controlled trials is limited, and there is no strong consensus that vitamin D supplementation significantly improves hair growth in people with normal vitamin D levels or in the general population. The current scientific position is that correcting a deficiency may be beneficial for hair health, but there is insufficient evidence to recommend vitamin D supplementation solely for hair growth in otherwise healthy individuals. More robust clinical trials are needed to establish causality and to determine whether supplementation provides benefit beyond treating deficiency.

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