Vitamin D deficiency + 6 other conditions linked to hair problems

While traditional blood analysis captures the levels at a single time point, in contrast, hair, which grow at approximately one centimetre per month, could reflect vitamin D status over several months, capturing the large seasonal differences in the levels.

A new research in the journal Nutrients has found that your hair can hold the clue for vitamin D deficiency. This means that you can actually measure the level of Vitamin D in your body by examining hair. Vitamin D deficiency is fairly common with over a billion people estimated to be affected by it, reports IANS. According to the report, while traditional blood analysis captures the levels at a single time point, in contrast, hair, which grows at approximately one centimetre per month, could reflect vitamin D status over several months, capturing the large seasonal differences in the levels.

Lead author Lina Zgaga, Associate Professor at Trinity College Dublin was quoted as saying that vitamin D is being deposited continuously in the hair as it grows, more might be deposited at times when vitamin D concentration in the blood is high, and less when it's low. A test based on the hair sample might be able to give doctors a measure of vitamin D status over time -- if hair is long enough, this even might be over a few years," Zgaga added.

Your hair health is not just linked to vitamin d deficiency, there are other conditions that it could be associated with too:

Hypothyroidism: Did you know that hypothyroidism, or a condition in which your thyroid is underactive, could cause limp, dry hair? Hypothyroidism is can also cause other changes in the body including weight gain.

Psoriasis: On your scalp, psoriasis manifests itself as thick, scaly patches. This can make your hair fall, can cause itching and patchy baldness too.

PCOS: Hormonal imbalances post pregnancy have long been associated with changes in hair texture and volume. Even Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) can cause massive hair fall and thinning of hair.

Diabetes: Hair loss and baldness affect several diabetics. This is because your body is unable to make use of the nutrients from the food you eat.

Protein deficiency: Ever wondered why you are always told to eat protein-rich food when you have hair fall and thin hair? This is because hair is essentially made up of protein and lack of protein gives rise to a number of hair problems.

Heart disease: A report suggests that male-pattern baldness and premature greying of hair is linked to risk of heart disease before the age of 40 years According to study author Dr Sachin Patil from the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India premature greying and androgenic alopecia (male-pattern baldness) correlate well with vascular age irrespective of chronological age and are plausible risk factors for coronary artery disease.