9 Vitamin Deficiencies That Can Cause Hair Loss

Many or all of the products featured here are from my partners who compensate me. This may influence which products I write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence my evaluations. My opinions are my own.

Want to know how to avoid hair loss from vitamin deficiencies? Read on!

Lately, I’m making a serious effort in changing my diet. I was learning about healthy foods and I came up with a question: what lack of vitamins can cause hair loss?

Since I’m experiencing hair loss to some extent, the relationship between vitamins and hair loss was so interesting to me so I started digging. I’m telling you, I researched for hours and hours.

In total, there are nine nutrient deficiencies that can cause hair loss, including four vitamins. Only deficiencies in riboflavin, niacin, biotin, vitamin D, iron, zinc, fatty acids, amino acids, and proteins have been associated with hair loss.

While this information is highly valuable is not the only interesting one I found. In fact, some vitamins, if supplemented in too high doses, can lead to hair loss as well.

Nutrient deficiencies that can cause hair loss

1. Riboflavin

Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, is part of the vitamin B complex. This vitamin plays a very important role in the development and function of our cells.

Riboflavin deficiency is very rare in the USA but can lead to hair loss.

The recommended daily intake of vitamin B2 is between 1.3 mg and 1.1 mg but it’s considered safe at higher doses since our kidneys are able to eliminate any excess of this vitamin.

2. Niacin

Niacin deficiency causes a disease known as pellagra. One of its symptoms is alopecia (i.e. hair loss).

This disease though is very rare in western countries and, according to clinical trials, there is no reason to link low levels of niacin with hair loss.

This basically means if you do not have a severe niacin deficiency (meaning, if you do not have pellagra), you don’t need to worry. Low niacin levels in healthy individuals were not linked to hair loss.

3. Biotin

Biotin, or vitamin B7, is very well-known in the world of hair care. While biotin deficiency is pretty rare it can result in hair loss.

Biotin deficiency can be congenital, meaning you have it since you were born, or acquired, meaning you acquired it after you were born, it’s not genetic.

For example, it was found that deficiency can happen from excessive consumption of raw eggs. In US populations the recommended daily intake of biotin is 30 mcg.

Now, it’s very important you pay attention to this part. No clinical trials have shown efficacy in treating hair loss with biotin supplementation, if not in cases of biotin deficiency.

This means that the majority of hair growth supplements with biotin are a scam! Some may show results but it’s not from biotin, at least this is what science says for now.

Actually, it was shown that over-supplementing biotin can lead to some problems. For example, according to FDA (Food and Drug Administration) biotin interference led to a missed diagnosis of a heart attack, and the patient died.

4. Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency was shown to be prevalent in alopecia areata patients. Alopecia areata is a disease that causes sudden hair loss in some areas of the scalp.

While vitamin D deficiency was linked to hair loss, there’s no evidence that supports vitamin D supplementation as a hair loss treatment.

5. Iron

Not only iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in the world but also is very common in women with hair loss.

It should be noted though, that studies are not clear on whether there is a link between iron deficiency and hair loss in people that do not suffer from anemia. Anemia is a disease that can be caused by iron deficiency.

This is why if you’re not anemic they do not recommend iron supplementation for treating hair loss, since over-supplementation can be toxic.

Also, you should know that vitamin C intake is vital for those who suffer from hair loss caused by iron deficiency. That is because vitamin C helps our gut absorb iron.

6. Zinc

Alopecia (i.e. hair loss) is a well-established sign of zinc deficiency.

The recommended daily amount of zinc is 8 mg for women and 11 mg for men. Some studies have shown zinc supplementation to be effective in treating hair loss, but this topic is still open to debate.

7. Fatty acids

Fatty acids are the building blocks of the fat in our bodies. They can be also found in the food we eat such as fruits, vegetables, oils, seeds, and nuts.

There are several fatty acids and ur body is not able to make them all. In particular, our body is not able to make what are known as “essential fatty acids”. These need to be introduced with a healthy diet.

Deficiencies in essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 fatty acids, can lead to hair loss. This is why they say salmon is so good for our hair, it is rich in omega-3.

8. Amino acids and proteins

Protein malnutrition can result in hair loss. Fancy words for saying that too little protein in our diet can lead to hair loss.

Amino acids are protein’s building blocks, so basically they count as proteins for what concerns hair loss.

9. Antioxidants

Antioxidants are substances able to prevent oxidative damage, in simple words they are able to prevent cell aging. In fact, they are well-known anti-aging skincare ingredients.

Since oxidative stress (meaning oxidative damage) was linked to hair loss, a deficiency in antioxidants can result in hair loss too.

It’s important you know that though antioxidant deficiencies can lead to hair loss, supplementing them may not be a good idea. Studies have found that introducing antioxidants through diet is safer than supplementing them.

Nutrients that can cause hair loss

Vitamin A

While vitamin A deficiency has no link to hair loss it was shown that over-supplementing vitamin A can actually result in hair loss.

The recommended daily intake of vitamin A is 700 mcg for adult women and 900 mcg for adult men. Supplementing in doses higher than that can cause toxicity.

Moreover, vitamin A toxicity was linked to hair loss as well as other effects on the skin.

Selenium

There was one case report where a child with selenium deficiency was suffering from sparse hair. Hair grew again after supplementation.

Other than that, is not possible to link selenium deficiency to hair loss. Toxicity from over-supplementation though is documented to cause hair loss.

How to know if you have vitamins deficiencies

The only safe way to know if you have any vitamin deficiencies is by checking in with your doctor.

Vitamins levels are typically checked with a blood test which can monitor the amount of vitamin in your blood and identify any potential deficiencies.

Please note that my adivice IS NOT medical adivice. While I am in medical school I’m still not a doctor and, most importantly, I am not your doctor.

Please interpret my advice as suggestions from a friend that may know more than you about the topic.

Can your hair grow back?

If you happen to know you have one of these deficiencies already and it’s causing hair loss, or maybe you want to know what to do in case you found out, here it is.

If the hair loss is caused by a deficiency in one or more nutrients such as iron, in most cases it’s possible to stop hair loss.

Basically, by correcting the deficiency or deficiencies you may stop hair loss and instead lead to hair regrowth.

This post was all about the role of vitamin deficiencies in hair loss.