What are peoples thoughts on vitamin d? Ive been taking around 5000iu for 2 years now, not because i thought it was good for hair, just for the general health benefits. During this time, I have gone from having a small bit of frontal recession to alot of diffuse thinning. It seems to have leveled off now, but i have too keep my hair buzzed at a 0, because there is a lot of thinning on top. I am not slick bald in any area, just thinned. I have always read that vitamin d was good for hair, although, I have never actually read any scientific evidence to back this claim up.
Ive been doing some research and it seems that vitamin d is actually not good at all for hair. The following study showed that supplementation for 6 months with 1000iu of vitamin d resulted in a "signifiicant" increase in serum transforming growth factor. The study used patients with ms, so I realize that it may not be perfect.
B. D. Mahon, S. A. Gordon, J. Cruz, F. Cosman, and M. T. Cantorna, “Cytokine profile in patients with multiple sclerosis following vitamin D supplementation,” Journal of Neuroimmunology, vol. 134, no. 1-2, pp. 128–132, 2003.
Here is another study which points to the detrimental effect of vitamin d on hair follicles.
Biphasic effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin
Vitamin D3 and its analogs are potent regulators of growth and differentiation of various cell types. A mechanism of action of vitamin D3 and other steroid hormones is to enhance the secretion of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in target cells. In epidermal keratinocytes, vitamin D3 induced the expression of both TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 2 with minor changes in mRNA levels, while in BT-20 breast carcinoma cells the increase in TGF-beta activity was preceded by an induction of mRNA. In both cell systems, the absolute amounts of active TGF-beta increased, and in keratinocytes the proportion of active TGF-beta was also enhanced. A concomitant enhancement of secretion of the latent TGF-beta-binding protein by vitamin D3 was observed in BT-20 cells. Retinoic acid, which is known to interfere with vitamin D3 signaling, slightly decreased the levels of secreted TGF-beta 1 protein in BT-20 cells, but did not significantly affect the vitamin D3-induced increase. In addition to regulation of the TGF-beta system, vitamin D3 decreases pericellular plasminogen activator activity in keratinocytes. Plasmin-mediated proteolytic events are involved in the release from pericellular space and activation of TGF-beta. We analyzed vitamin D3 regulation of fibroblast growth and the secretion of PA activity. Vitamin D3 inhibited fibroblast growth in a concentration-dependent manner and downregulated plasminogen activator activity as in keratinocytes. In fibroblasts, vitamin D3 did not induce notable alterations in TGF-beta 1 or latent TGF-beta-binding protein secretion, suggesting divergent growth inhibitory mechanisms. Our results indicate that vitamin D3 and its analogs are potent regulators of the TGF-beta and plasminogen activator systems in cells of epithelial and mesenchymal origin. D3 on human hair follicle growth and hair fiber production in whole organ cultures.
TGF-beta2 upregulation is one of the mechanisms by which DHT causes the miniaturization of hair follicles.
Ive been doing some research and it seems that vitamin d is actually not good at all for hair. The following study showed that supplementation for 6 months with 1000iu of vitamin d resulted in a "signifiicant" increase in serum transforming growth factor. The study used patients with ms, so I realize that it may not be perfect.
B. D. Mahon, S. A. Gordon, J. Cruz, F. Cosman, and M. T. Cantorna, “Cytokine profile in patients with multiple sclerosis following vitamin D supplementation,” Journal of Neuroimmunology, vol. 134, no. 1-2, pp. 128–132, 2003.
Here is another study which points to the detrimental effect of vitamin d on hair follicles.
Biphasic effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin
Vitamin D3 and its analogs are potent regulators of growth and differentiation of various cell types. A mechanism of action of vitamin D3 and other steroid hormones is to enhance the secretion of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in target cells. In epidermal keratinocytes, vitamin D3 induced the expression of both TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 2 with minor changes in mRNA levels, while in BT-20 breast carcinoma cells the increase in TGF-beta activity was preceded by an induction of mRNA. In both cell systems, the absolute amounts of active TGF-beta increased, and in keratinocytes the proportion of active TGF-beta was also enhanced. A concomitant enhancement of secretion of the latent TGF-beta-binding protein by vitamin D3 was observed in BT-20 cells. Retinoic acid, which is known to interfere with vitamin D3 signaling, slightly decreased the levels of secreted TGF-beta 1 protein in BT-20 cells, but did not significantly affect the vitamin D3-induced increase. In addition to regulation of the TGF-beta system, vitamin D3 decreases pericellular plasminogen activator activity in keratinocytes. Plasmin-mediated proteolytic events are involved in the release from pericellular space and activation of TGF-beta. We analyzed vitamin D3 regulation of fibroblast growth and the secretion of PA activity. Vitamin D3 inhibited fibroblast growth in a concentration-dependent manner and downregulated plasminogen activator activity as in keratinocytes. In fibroblasts, vitamin D3 did not induce notable alterations in TGF-beta 1 or latent TGF-beta-binding protein secretion, suggesting divergent growth inhibitory mechanisms. Our results indicate that vitamin D3 and its analogs are potent regulators of the TGF-beta and plasminogen activator systems in cells of epithelial and mesenchymal origin. D3 on human hair follicle growth and hair fiber production in whole organ cultures.
TGF-beta2 upregulation is one of the mechanisms by which DHT causes the miniaturization of hair follicles.
