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Red_Wednesday
February 12th, 2011, 11:27 AM
I hope this hasn't already been posted some place else. I did a search, but my skills in searching this forum are still lacking a bit.

Just an interesting article about hair growth and vitamin D3, I thought I'd share.

http://endo.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/143/11/4389

Note: For those not interesting in reading the full article, just a word of caution: Vitamin D3 is a fat soluble vitamin, which means consuming too much can have toxic ramifications. PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH if you are thinking about taking vitamin D3 supplements:flower:.

podo
February 12th, 2011, 11:39 AM
I find this interesting and sort of amusing, in a sad way...

My growth fluctuates between 1" a month and nothing for several months... and I have a chronic/recurring Vitamin D deficiency!

Lil Red Vampire
February 12th, 2011, 11:42 AM
My hair grows extremely fast but I found out a year ago that I was extremely low in Vitamin D.

My symptoms were that of severe depression and fatigue. I could barely get out of bed. I went to work, came home, got in my pajamas and crashed. I had aches and pains and never seemed to get enough sleep! I was so miserable.

Doc put me on 50,000 units of Vitamin D (prescription) once a week for 21 weeks. I was a brand new woman. I didn't notice a difference in my hair other than it didn't split as quickly.

There are tons and tons of articles out there about Vitamin D. I recommend that every woman get their Vitamin D levels tested. It is a blood test that has to be sent to the lab and takes longer than your regular tests.

Adequate amounts of Vitamin D can prevent heart disease, Breast cancer, and a multitude of other things. If you are NOT low on Vitamin D then of course you should not be taking large doses. That goes with any vitamin.

I hope this helps someone. Getting my Vitamin D levels up was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me.

fluffybunny
February 12th, 2011, 11:43 AM
Boy, that's a tough read. But this is what I got from it. So they took mice that had a genetic abnormality (vitamin D receptor knockout) that made them unable to process vitamin D3. Those abnormal mice had all kinds of problems including lack of hair. Giving them regular vitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) didn't have any effect on hair, but certain vitamin D3 analogs did give them hair.

So it kinda makes sense, if they couldn't absorb vitamin D3, then giving it to them won't help. But they found some variant that the mice could absorb that corrected one of the symptoms of the D3 deficiency (lack of hair).

Incidentally, I found this bit interesting, since I've never really seen a clear explanation of what mixoxidil does: Minoxidil prolongs the anagen stage of hair growth and causes follicles at rest to enlarge and grow. It lengthens and enlarges the small vellus hairs and decreases shedding of hair (21). How it mediates these effects is unclear.

Red_Wednesday
February 12th, 2011, 11:46 AM
I find this interesting and sort of amusing, in a sad way...

My growth fluctuates between 1" a month and nothing for several months... and I have a chronic/recurring Vitamin D deficiency!


Do you take vitamin D supplements at all to help with your deficiency? If so, have you noticed any improvements in your growth?

I'm not sure if I have a vitamin d deficiency, though I've been thinking I might have since I do not drink milk at all, and in the winter where I live it is sooo cold it's tough to get the sun I need for many months out of the year. I was actually considering taking vitamin d and was doing a search, so that's how I stumbled across this article.

Health first, hair growth later - but still, if it benefits - all the better:D.

Red_Wednesday
February 12th, 2011, 11:54 AM
My hair grows extremely fast but I found out a year ago that I was extremely low in Vitamin D.

My symptoms were that of severe depression and fatigue. I could barely get out of bed. I went to work, came home, got in my pajamas and crashed. I had aches and pains and never seemed to get enough sleep! I was so miserable.

Doc put me on 50,000 units of Vitamin D (prescription) once a week for 21 weeks. I was a brand new woman. I didn't notice a difference in my hair other than it didn't split as quickly.

There are tons and tons of articles out there about Vitamin D. I recommend that every woman get their Vitamin D levels tested. It is a blood test that has to be sent to the lab and takes longer than your regular tests.

Adequate amounts of Vitamin D can prevent heart disease, Breast cancer, and a multitude of other things. If you are NOT low on Vitamin D then of course you should not be taking large doses. That goes with any vitamin.

I hope this helps someone. Getting my Vitamin D levels up was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me.

Thank you for sharing this! Wow, 50,000 IU - that's a lot. I was under the impression that the maximum dose that could be safely taken was in the 2500 IU ball park. Of course, I learned this from the University of Google, so that's not saying much:D.

Very interesting. I haven't actually had the symptoms you described, but I do tend to get more moody and "lazy" during the winter months. I'm always wondering what's wrong with me. I just chalked it up as cabin fever and never thought any more about it. Perhaps getting my vitamin d checked would be a worth while thing to do.

Funny that you didn't notice any improvements in growth with such a large dose.

podo
February 12th, 2011, 12:25 PM
To keep your D levels correct, you only need to walk between your car, house, and office each day with face and/or arms bare. That's it. Assuming everything else is working correctly that is...

As a regular vitamin, you shouldn't take much - that's probably where the max 2500 IU came from. If it's low you have to get it back up, so they give huge doses, but only one pill a week, and usually for 4-6 weeks or so.

My symptoms ultimately got me tested for Multiple Sclerosis. I think there's still a post in the off-topic forums about this. ;) The most infuriating part (for me) was that I had no strength in my hands, so I couldn't get dressed or even brush my hair by myself, but there were many more symptoms. It was incredibly scary. They still don't know if my problem is that my body doesn't absorb the D or doesn't convert it properly, as I get plenty of sun, but every 8 months or so my hands start swelling and I start dropping things.

I learned LOTS about Vitamin D over the past few years! Including that you should always use D3, and not D2!

Red_Wednesday
February 12th, 2011, 12:36 PM
Boy, that's a tough read. But this is what I got from it. So they took mice that had a genetic abnormality (vitamin D receptor knockout) that made them unable to process vitamin D3. Those abnormal mice had all kinds of problems including lack of hair. Giving them regular vitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) didn't have any effect on hair, but certain vitamin D3 analogs did give them hair.

So it kinda makes sense, if they couldn't absorb vitamin D3, then giving it to them won't help. But they found some variant that the mice could absorb that corrected one of the symptoms of the D3 deficiency (lack of hair).

Incidentally, I found this bit interesting, since I've never really seen a clear explanation of what mixoxidil does: Minoxidil prolongs the anagen stage of hair growth and causes follicles at rest to enlarge and grow. It lengthens and enlarges the small vellus hairs and decreases shedding of hair (21). How it mediates these effects is unclear.

Thank you for breaking this down a bit. So, it was the variant that corrected the vitamin d3 deficiency of hair loss. Had they not used that particular variant the results might have been very different. Interesting...

Red_Wednesday
February 12th, 2011, 12:48 PM
To keep your D levels correct, you only need to walk between your car, house, and office each day with face and/or arms bare. That's it. Assuming everything else is working correctly that is...

As a regular vitamin, you shouldn't take much - that's probably where the max 2500 IU came from. If it's low you have to get it back up, so they give huge doses, but only one pill a week, and usually for 4-6 weeks or so.

My symptoms ultimately got me tested for Multiple Sclerosis. I think there's still a post in the off-topic forums about this. ;) The most infuriating part (for me) was that I had no strength in my hands, so I couldn't get dressed or even brush my hair by myself, but there were many more symptoms. It was incredibly scary. They still don't know if my problem is that my body doesn't absorb the D or doesn't convert it properly, as I get plenty of sun, but every 8 months or so my hands start swelling and I start dropping things.

I learned LOTS about Vitamin D over the past few years! Including that you should always use D3, and not D2!

Yes, can imagine that must have been horribly frightening.

Perhaps if you are actually unable to absorb the D, this is why when you were given it in high doses you did not see any difference in hair growth. Perhaps because hair growth is not your "deficiency" with the vitamin D , it had little to no effect on your hair, but helped specifically in those areas that were causing you a problem.

Such as what fluffybunny mentioned in her post where it took a particular variant of the vitamin D3 for the mice to grow hair. Lack of hair growth was one of their vitamin D deficiency "issues", so by finding the right variant of that issue it grew their hair.

I'm no scientist - can you tell, LOL:D. This is just my simplistic way of trying to figure all this out. If I'm way off base here, please somebody, feel free to chime in.

Joliebaby
February 12th, 2011, 12:54 PM
There has been lots of new research on vit D and it's now thought to be much more important -and in much larger doses- than the old recommendations suggested. I have D3 that has 10 000 IU in ONE pill. I take one every day. It's really important here where it's so dark in the winter, and it's essential to give it as a supplement for small children.

podo
February 12th, 2011, 12:54 PM
I actually didn't track hair growth with the deficiency or the vitamins... I just found it amusing/interesting that I have growth issues AND Vitamin D deficiency. :)

I'm starting a hair journal though, so maybe one day I can look back on it and find some keys.

Darian Moone
February 12th, 2011, 01:00 PM
My hair grew fast before I started taking D3 and it grows just as fast afterward.

I have chronic D deficiency and take 4,000 mg/day to maintain a "low normal" range. I've seen no difference in hair health or growth though either before or after.

Alvrodul
February 12th, 2011, 01:48 PM
Taking supplements is fine, but vitamin D is one it is possible to overdose on - so I would not recomment anyone taking a higher dose than is actually recommended without getting your doctor on board!

tinywife
February 12th, 2011, 02:36 PM
If you can obtain d3 by sunlight, could this be the reason our hair grows faster in the summer?

Red_Wednesday
February 12th, 2011, 07:02 PM
I actually didn't track hair growth with the deficiency or the vitamins... I just found it amusing/interesting that I have growth issues AND Vitamin D deficiency. :)

I'm starting a hair journal though, so maybe one day I can look back on it and find some keys.

If you do, I hope you'll share your observations:).


My hair grew fast before I started taking D3 and it grows just as fast afterward.

I have chronic D deficiency and take 4,000 mg/day to maintain a "low normal" range. I've seen no difference in hair health or growth though either before or after.

This is good to know so that people won't just run out and start buying up vitamin D. It should be used with caution.


Taking supplements is fine, but vitamin D is one it is possible to overdose on - so I would not recomment anyone taking a higher dose than is actually recommended without getting your doctor on board!

Agreed!


If you can obtain d3 by sunlight, could this be the reason our hair grows faster in the summer?

Good question! Oddly though, it seems like my hair actually grows faster in the winter:confused:. This spring and summer, I intend to pay very close attention to see if that really is the case.

Shermie Girl
February 12th, 2011, 09:23 PM
I was D deficient when I had my panels drawn in January. I am now taking high potency prescription D for eight weeks and OTC, 5000 mg a day, which I have to take for the rest of my life.

I haven't taken them long enough to know if they are making a difference in my hair but I do feel better, physically. I am more alert, I have more energy. Unfortunately, it seems to also increase my appetite a little. :p

Red_Wednesday
February 12th, 2011, 09:30 PM
I was D deficient when I had my panels drawn in January. I am now taking high potency prescription D for eight weeks and OTC, 5000 mg a day, which I have to take for the rest of my life.

I haven't taken them long enough to know if they are making a difference in my hair but I do feel better, physically. I am more alert, I have more energy. Unfortunately, it seems to also increase my appetite a little. :p

Glad you are feeling better!! Say, if you think about it, please come back and let us know if you notice any difference in your hair.:D

I'm curious, did the doctor mention how one can become vitamin D deficient? I'm curious because it seems as if all that is necessary is a little bit of time in the sun. I am, however, beginning to think that there is a bit of a lot more to it.:confused: