Vitamins and Alopecia

October 1980 in “ Archives of Dermatology ”

Lowell A. Goldsmith

alopecia hormonal deficiencies malnutrition Menkes' syndrome arginosuccinicaciduria biotin vitamin D vitamin disorders

TLDR Vitamin deficiencies, especially biotin and vitamin D, can cause hair loss.

The document discussed how hair growth could reflect the body's metabolic state, with conditions like hormonal deficiencies and malnutrition affecting hair health. It highlighted specific metabolic disorders, such as Menkes' syndrome and arginosuccinicaciduria, which caused structural hair abnormalities. Additionally, it noted that recent findings linked vitamin disorders, specifically involving biotin and vitamin D metabolism, to alopecia, renewing interest in the role of vitamins in hair growth.

View this study on jamanetwork.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

2 / 2 results

research Biotin-Responsive Alopecia and Developmental Regression

74 citations , July 1979 in “Lancet”

Biotin treatment can significantly improve hair loss and motor functions in certain metabolic disorders.

research Rickets With Alopecia: An Inborn Error of Vitamin D Metabolism

170 citations , May 1979 in “The journal of pediatrics/The Journal of pediatrics”

Two sisters with rickets and hair loss had a genetic issue with vitamin D processing, and only improved when given phosphorus supplements.

Related Community Posts Join

6 / 1000+ results

community Next month marks 2 years on Dutasteride. When does it start working?

in Finasteride/Dutasteride 36 upvotes 1 year ago

A user has been on dutasteride for nearly 2 years with no improvement in hair loss, expressing frustration. Other users suggest checking for other health conditions, getting bloodwork, and considering stopping TRT or trying finasteride.

community Reminder how little the average person knows about hair loss

in Satire 642 upvotes 3 years ago

How little the average person knows about hair loss and how it can be an unfairly stigmatized issue, even by people with little knowledge of it themselves. Some specific treatments that were discussed include finasteride, RU58841, dutasteride, minoxidil, pyritinol, dermarolling, and diet/lifestyle changes.

community AGA/male pattern baldness and loss of hair in the past 6months

in Treatment 54 upvotes 1 month ago

A 25-year-old male experienced significant hair loss due to telogen effluvium and androgenetic alopecia. He began using finasteride, minoxidil, and vitamins, seeing some regrowth but remains worried about hair density.

community If You Have DUPA, PLEASE READ THIS: Everyone Should Be Scalp Biopsied

in Research 830 upvotes 1 year ago

Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

community Does onion juice actually stop hair fall, or is it just hype?

in Treatment 5 months ago

Onion juice may temporarily improve hair health by boosting blood circulation and providing antibacterial benefits, but it is ineffective against genetic or hormonal hair loss. Proven treatments like minoxidil and finasteride are recommended for more reliable results.

community Dutasteride thins eyebrows and facial hair but doesn't stop scalp loss.

in Finasteride/Dutasteride 37 upvotes 7 months ago

Dutasteride may not effectively stop scalp hair loss and can cause thinning of facial and body hair, including eyebrows. Users suggest considering other causes like autoimmune conditions or vitamin deficiencies and exploring treatments like finasteride or minoxidil.

Similar Research

5 / 1000+ results

research Recent Developments in Alopecias

7 citations , May 1978 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

Recent hair loss research shows some progress, especially in understanding male pattern baldness, but effective treatments for many types of hair loss are still lacking.

research General Dermatology: Comprehensive Overview of Dermatological Conditions

January 2017 in “Springer eBooks”

The document explains various skin conditions and their treatments.

research Hair Disorders

November 2019 in “Harper's Textbook of Pediatric Dermatology”

Understanding normal hair growth and loss in children is key to diagnosing and treating hair disorders.

research Hair and Systemic Disease

58 citations , October 2001 in “Dermatologic Clinics”

Hair loss can indicate underlying systemic diseases and addressing these can sometimes reverse the hair loss.

research Hair Microscopy: An Easy Adjunct to Diagnosis of Systemic Diseases in Children

3 citations , November 2021 in “Applied Microscopy”

Hair microscopy is a simple and cost-effective method to help diagnose systemic diseases in children.