Vitamin D for Alopecia Areata

Q: Does Vitamin D help with Alopecia Areata?

Based on 98 studies with 9,086,791 participants, there is strong evidence from multiple clinical trials that Vitamin D may support Alopecia Areata management. Our evidence grade is A (Strong Evidence).

Q: How much Vitamin D should I take for Alopecia Areata?

Studies have used various dosages. A commonly studied range is 600-800 IU/day. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen.

Q: Are there side effects of Vitamin D?

Reported side effects may include Hypercalcemia at very high doses (nausea, vomiting, weakness), Kidney stones with excessive long-term use, Constipation, Metallic taste. Most side effects are mild and dose-dependent. Consult your doctor if you experience any adverse reactions.

Q: How strong is the evidence for Vitamin D and Alopecia Areata?

We rate the evidence as Grade A (Strong Evidence). This rating is based on 98 peer-reviewed studies with 9,086,791 total participants. The overall direction of effect is mixed.

Based on 98 studies (10 meta-analyses, 4 RCTs) with 9,086,791 total participants. Results are mixed across studies.

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The Bottom Line

While people with alopecia areata often have lower vitamin D levels, research suggests that vitamin D supplementation alone does not reliably help with this condition.

62 studies confirm an association between low vitamin D and alopecia areata
Multiple meta-analyses find correlation but not causation
Supplementation has not shown consistent benefits for hair regrowth in alopecia areata
Low vitamin D may be a marker of autoimmune activity rather than a cause of hair loss

Key Study Findings

Meta-analysis

Vitamin D and its Analogs in Treatment of Mild to Moderate Alopecia Areata: Systematic Review …

Dose: Topical or intralesional vitamin D3 and analogs (various doses and formulations) vs: Placebo Effect: OR=3.20 (95% CI: 1.24-8.24) for intralesional vitamin D3; MD=2.11 (topical); MD=-4.73 vs intralesion None

narrative review

Addressing the Root Causes of Female Hair Loss and Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions.

Dose: None vs: Placebo Effect: None None

Meta-Analysis n=4931

Association Between Serum Trace Elements Level and Alopecia Areata: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Dose: None vs: Placebo Effect: SMD=-0.93 (vitamin D); SMD=-0.69 (zinc); OR=2.48 (vitamin D deficiency risk) p<0.05

Review

Vitamin D and Alopecia Areata: From Mechanism to Therapeutic Implications.

Dose: None vs: Placebo Effect: None None

Case-Control n=144 Open-label

Tru9I Variant as a Novel Genetic Marker for Vitamin D Deficiency in Alopecia Areata.

Dose: None vs: 72 AA patients vs 72 age/sex-matched healthy controls Outcome: Vitamin D levels and VDR gene expression by … Effect: None None

Population: Alopecia areata patients vs healthy controls

Observational Study n=72

Cardiovascular Risk and Systemic Inflammation in Alopecia Areata: An Observational Case-control Study.

Dose: None vs: Healthy controls Outcome: CVR and systemic inflammation in alopecia areata Effect: None None

Population: 36 AA patients vs 36 matched controls, mean age 39

Key Statistics

Studies

9086791

Participants

↔

Mixed

Grade

Referenced Papers

Vitamin D and its Analogs in Treatment of Mild to Moderate Alopecia Areata: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Other

Indian dermatology online … 2026 3 citations

Association Between Serum Trace Elements Level and Alopecia Areata: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Meta-Analysis

Journal of cosmetic … 2025 5 citations

Vitamin D and Alopecia Areata: From Mechanism to Therapeutic Implications. Other

Skin appendage disorders 2025 5 citations

Comparison of Safety and Efficacy of Topical Mometasone 0.1% Ointment, Calcipotriol 0.005% Ointment, and Tacrolimus 0.1% Ointment in Patients with … Other

Indian dermatology online … 2025 1 citations

Tru9I Variant as a Novel Genetic Marker for Vitamin D Deficiency in Alopecia Areata. Other

Clinical, cosmetic and … 2025 1 citations

Addressing the Root Causes of Female Hair Loss and Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions. Review

Journal of drugs … 2025

Cardiovascular Risk and Systemic Inflammation in Alopecia Areata: An Observational Case-control Study. Observational

Acta dermatovenerologica Croatica … 2025

Efficacy and Safety of Oral Betamethasone Mini-Pulses in Moderate to Severe Alopecia Areata. Other

Cureus 2025

A comprehensive investigation of biochemical status in patients with telogen effluvium: Analysis of Hb, ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D, thyroid … Other

Journal of cosmetic … 2024 7 citations

Serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D in non-scarring alopecia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis

Journal of cosmetic … 2024 7 citations

C-reactive protein as a novel biomarker for vitamin D deficiency in alopecia areata. Other

Skin research and … 2024 6 citations

Vitamin D deficiency in non-scarring and scarring alopecias: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic Review

Frontiers in nutrition 2024 4 citations

Efficacy and Safety of Topical Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Alopecia Areata. Other

Indian dermatology online … 2024 3 citations

Intralesional vitamin D3 versus intralesional triamcinolone acetonoid in patchy alopecia areata: a comparative clinical and dermoscopic study. Other

Journal of cosmetic … 2024 1 citations

Vitiligo: Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics in 573 Saudi Patients. Other

Clinical, cosmetic and … 2024

Filling the Gaps: Vitamin D Status in Diffuse Hair Fall Among Pakistanis. Other

Dermatology practical & … 2024

Association of vitamin D with risk of warts: A retrospective and Mendelian randomization study. Other

Skin research and … 2024

Comorbid Conditions Associated with Alopecia Areata: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis

American journal of … 2023 41 citations

Differential impact of environmental factors on systemic and localized autoimmunity. Review

Frontiers in immunology 2023 33 citations

Trichoscopy pattern in alopecia areata: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis

Skin research and … 2023 28 citations

Biomarkers in alopecia Areata: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis

Autoimmunity reviews 2023 24 citations

Comparative evaluation of the efficacy of topical tacrolimus 0.03% and topical calcipotriol 0.005% mixed with betamethasone dipropionate versus topical clobetasol … RCT

Journal of cosmetic … 2023 10 citations

The Role of VD/VDR Signaling Pathway in Autoimmune Skin Diseases. Review

Mini reviews in … 2023 9 citations

Etiology, management, and outcomes of pediatric telogen effluvium: A single-center study in the United States. Other

Pediatric dermatology 2023 9 citations

Combined microneedling with topical vitamin D3 or bimatoprost versus microneedling alone in the treatment of alopecia areata: A comparative randomized … RCT

Journal of cosmetic … 2023 8 citations

Trichoscopy pattern and evaluation of serum vitamin D status in alopecia areata. Other

Photodiagnosis and photodynamic … 2023 5 citations

Inverse correlation between vitamin D and CRP levels in alopecia areata: A pilot study. Other

Journal of cosmetic … 2023 4 citations

Fractional carbon dioxide laser alone and as an assisted drug delivery for treatment of alopecia areata: a clinical, dermoscopic and … Other

Archives of dermatological … 2023 3 citations

Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vitamin D: Two concordant players controlling depression among alopecia areata and vitiligo patients: A case-control … Other

Journal of cosmetic … 2023 3 citations

The development of non-scarring alopecia in women who wear the hijab. Other

Archives of dermatological … 2023 3 citations

Effects of age and sex on the comorbidities of alopecia areata: A cross-sectional hospital-based study. Other

Health science reports 2023 3 citations

Determination of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Patients with Alopecia Areata. Other

Journal of Nepal … 2023

Intralesional vitamin D3 in treatment of alopecia areata: A randomized controlled clinical trial. RCT

Journal of cosmetic … 2022 23 citations

Telogen effluvium in daily practice: Patient characteristics, laboratory parameters, and treatment modalities of 3028 patients with telogen effluvium. Other

Journal of cosmetic … 2022 22 citations

Evaluation of several immune and inflammatory indicators and their association with alopecia areata. Other

Journal of cosmetic … 2022 11 citations

Nonscarring scalp alopecia: Which laboratory analysis should we perform on whom? Other

Turkish journal of … 2022 8 citations

Retrospective evaluation of clinical profile and comorbidities in patients with alopecia areata. Other

Northern clinics of … 2022 7 citations

Reply to "Vitamin D status in scarring and nonscarring alopecia". Other

Journal of the … 2022 6 citations

Vitamin D supplementation for patients with alopecia areata: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis. Other

Medicine 2022 4 citations

Vitamin D Levels in Alopecia Areata and Other Alopecias: A Retrospective Case- Control Study at a Single Institution. Other

International journal of … 2022 4 citations

Predictors of Vitamin D Insufficiency in Children and Adolescents With Alopecia Areata. Other

Cureus 2022 3 citations

Rare Concurrence of Alopecia Areata in the Setting of the Lipedematous Scalp. Case Report

The American Journal … 2022 2 citations

Telogen Effluvium - a review of the science and current obstacles. Review

Journal of dermatological … 2021 51 citations

Role of vitamin D in hair loss: A short review. Review

Journal of cosmetic … 2021 44 citations

Characteristics of telogen effluvium in COVID-19 in western Iran (2020). Other

Anais brasileiros de … 2021 26 citations

Prevalence of Low Serum Vitamin D Levels in Patients Presenting With Androgenetic Alopecia: A Review. Review

Cureus 2021 20 citations

Paediatric lichen sclerosus et atrophicus: A retrospective analysis of 38 paediatric patients. Other

International journal of … 2021 14 citations

Efficacy of Oral Vitamin D3 Therapy in Patients Suffering from Diffuse Hair Loss (Telogen Effluvium). Other

Journal of nutritional … 2021 12 citations

Treatment of alopecia totalis/universalis/focalis with vitamin D and analogs: Three case reports and a literature review. Case Report

World journal of … 2021 10 citations

Association Between Vitamin D and Zinc Levels With Alopecia Areata Phenotypes at a Tertiary Care Center. Other

Cureus 2021 7 citations

Alopecia Universalis Occurring after Alemtuzumab Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis. A Two-Year Follow-Up of Two Patients. Case Report

International journal of … 2021 6 citations

Determination of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in patients with alopecia areata and their comparison with levels in healthy controls: A … Other

JAAD international 2021 5 citations

Squaric acid dibutyl ester for the treatment of alopecia areata: A retrospective evaluation. Other

Dermatologic therapy 2021 2 citations

Comorbidities in pediatric alopecia areata. Other

Journal of the … 2020 57 citations

Efficacy and Safety of Topical Calcipotriol 0.005% Versus Topical Clobetasol 0.05% in the Management of Alopecia Areata: An Intrasubject Pilot … Other

Dermatology and therapy 2020 25 citations

Study of serum vitamin D levels in men with premature androgenetic alopecia. Other

International journal of … 2020 18 citations

Serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels in alopecia areata, female pattern hair loss, and male androgenetic alopecia in a Chinese population. Other

Journal of cosmetic … 2020 17 citations

Association of Alopecia Areata with Vitamin D and Calcium Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Review

Dermatology and therapy 2020 14 citations

Trichotillomania associated with a 25-hydroxy vitamin D deficiency: A case report. Case Report

The mental health … 2020 7 citations

Combined Diet and Supplementation Therapy Resolves Alopecia Areata in a Paediatric Patient: A Case Study. Case Report

Cureus 2020 5 citations

Comorbidities in alopecia areata: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis

Journal of the … 2019 189 citations

Vitamin D and alopecia areata: possible roles in pathogenesis and potential implications for therapy. Review

American journal of … 2019 43 citations

Vitamin D and the Skin: A Review for Dermatologists. Review

Actas dermo-sifiliograficas 2019 43 citations

Serum Vitamin D Levels and Alopecia Areata- A Hospital Based Case-Control Study from North-India. Other

International journal of … 2019 27 citations

NonScarring Diffuse Hair Loss in Women: a Clinico-Etiological Study from tertiary care center in North-West India. Observational

Journal of cosmetic … 2019 25 citations

Evaluation of Association of Vitamin D in Alopecia Areata: A Case-control Study of 100 Patients in a Tertiary Rural Hospital … Other

Indian dermatology online … 2019 13 citations

Study on Serum Vitamin D in Alopecia Areata Patients. Other

Journal of Nepal … 2019 8 citations

Vitamin D supplementation for the prevention or depletion of side effects of therapy with alemtuzumab in multiple sclerosis. Other

Therapeutics and clinical … 2019 4 citations

Vitamin D and the Skin: An Update for Dermatologists. Review

American journal of … 2018 138 citations

Increased prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with alopecia areata: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis

Journal of the … 2018 57 citations

An investigation of vitamin D status in alopecia areata. Other

Clinical and experimental … 2018 50 citations

Correlation of vitamin D and vitamin D receptor expression in patients with alopecia areata: a clinical paradigm. Other

International journal of … 2018 47 citations

Serum vitamin D level is related to disease severity in pediatric alopecia areata. Other

Journal of cosmetic … 2018 39 citations

Vitamin D deficiency in patients with alopecia areata: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis

Journal of the … 2018 27 citations

Serum vitamin D level and disease severity of alopecia areata: A meta-regression analysis. Other

Journal of the … 2018 6 citations

Response to "Vitamin D deficiency in patients with alopecia areata: A systematic review and meta-analysis" and an investigation of vitamin … Other

Journal of the … 2018 3 citations

Authors' Reply to Critical Comment on "Vitamin D Level in Alopecia Areata". Other

Indian journal of … 2018 1 citations

Reply to: "Serum vitamin D level and disease severity of alopecia areata: A meta-regression analysis". Other

Journal of the … 2018 1 citations

Critical Comment on "Vitamin D Level in Alopecia Areata". Other

Indian journal of … 2018

The Role of Micronutrients in Alopecia Areata: A Review. Review

American journal of … 2017 104 citations

The Role of Vitamin D in Non-Scarring Alopecia. Review

International journal of … 2017 61 citations

Efficacy and safety of topical calcipotriol in management of alopecia areata: A pilot study. Other

Dermatologic therapy 2017 56 citations

Vitamin D Level in Alopecia Areata. Other

Indian journal of … 2017 46 citations

25-hydroxyvitamin D status in patients with alopecia areata. Other

Postepy dermatologii i … 2017 31 citations

Vitamin D Deficiency in Alopecia Areata. Other

Journal of the … 2017 7 citations

Vitamin D Deficiency in an Alopecia Referral Clinic During a 3-Month Period: The Need to Pursue Systemic Screening. Other

Skinmed 2017 1 citations

The role of serum vitamin D levels in vitiligo. Other

Postepy dermatologii i … 2016 59 citations

Serum Vitamin D in patients with alopecia areata. Other

Indian dermatology online … 2016 51 citations

Assessment of vitamin D receptors in alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia. Other

Journal of cosmetic … 2016 43 citations

Estimated serum vitamin D status, vitamin D intake, and risk of incident alopecia areata among US women. Other

Archives of dermatological … 2016 28 citations

Nutrition and skin: Kids are not just little people. Review

Clinics in dermatology 2016 19 citations

Topical Calcipotriol Therapy for Mild-to-Moderate Alopecia Areata: A Retrospective Study. Other

Journal of drugs … 2015 50 citations

Current Treatments for Alopecia Areata. Review

The journal of … 2015 25 citations

Association between vitamin D levels and alopecia areata. Other

The Israel Medical … 2014 79 citations

Vitamin D deficiency in alopecia areata. Other

The British journal … 2014 74 citations

Emerging treatments in alopecia. Review

Expert opinion on … 2014 57 citations

Off-label uses of topical vitamin D in dermatology: a systematic review. Systematic Review

Journal of cutaneous … 2014 35 citations

Potential relationship between the canonical Wnt signalling pathway and expression of the vitamin D receptor in alopecia. Other

Clinical and experimental … 2014 33 citations

Reduced level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in chronic/relapsing Alopecia Areata. Other

Dermato-endocrinology 2013 62 citations

Retinoids putting the "a" in alopecia. Other

The Journal of … 2013 10 citations

Vitamin D-dependent rickets type II: report of a novel mutation in the vitamin D receptor gene. Case Report

Archives of Iranian … 2008

Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms are not associated with alopecia areata. Other

International journal of … 2007 20 citations

Lack of association between Vitamin D receptor FokI polymorphism and alopecia areata. Other

European journal of … 2004

[The treatment of alopecia areata and of dyshidrotic eczema with milk protein bound vitamin D 2]. Other

Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift … 1955

Dosage & Usage

mg = milligrams · mcg = micrograms (1,000× smaller) · IU = International Units

Commonly Used Dosages

general:: 600-800 IU/day
deficiency:: 1,000-5,000 IU/day

Upper limit: 4,000 IU/day

Dosages Studied in Research

Dosage	Duration	Effect	N
Topical or intralesional vitamin D3 and analogs (various doses and formulations)	--	Positive	--
None	--	Positive	--
None	--	Negative	4931
None	--	Positive	--
None	--	Positive	144
None	--	Negative	72
Topical ointment application (3 arms)	8 weeks	Positive	--
oral betamethasone 2 mg (children) or 4 mg (adults) two consecutive days per week for at least 3 mon	12 weeks	Positive	40

Best taken: With a fat-containing meal for optimal absorption

Safety & Side Effects

Reported Side Effects

⚠ Hypercalcemia at very high doses (nausea, vomiting, weakness)
⚠ Kidney stones with excessive long-term use
⚠ Constipation
⚠ Metallic taste

Known Interactions

● Thiazide diuretics (may increase risk of hypercalcemia)
● Corticosteroids (reduce vitamin D absorption and metabolism)
● Orlistat and cholestyramine (reduce fat-soluble vitamin absorption)

Tolerable upper intake: 4,000 IU/day

Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Vitamin D help with Alopecia Areata?

Based on 98 studies with 9,086,791 participants, there is strong evidence from multiple clinical trials that Vitamin D may support Alopecia Areata management. Our evidence grade is A (Strong Evidence).

How much Vitamin D should I take for Alopecia Areata?

Studies have used various dosages. A commonly studied range is 600-800 IU/day. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen.

Are there side effects of Vitamin D?

Reported side effects may include Hypercalcemia at very high doses (nausea, vomiting, weakness), Kidney stones with excessive long-term use, Constipation, Metallic taste. Most side effects are mild and dose-dependent. Consult your doctor if you experience any adverse reactions.

How strong is the evidence for Vitamin D and Alopecia Areata?

We rate the evidence as Grade A (Strong Evidence). This rating is based on 98 peer-reviewed studies with 9,086,791 total participants. The overall direction of effect is mixed.

Related Evidence

Other ingredients for Alopecia Areata

Minoxidil A PRP Therapy A Microneedling A Black Seed Oil A Ginseng C Zinc F

Vitamin D for other conditions

Female Pattern Hair Loss A Telogen Effluvium F

Quick Verdict

Based on 98 studies (10 meta-analyses, 4 RCTs) with 9,086,791 total participants. Results are mixed across studies.

Evidence Strength92%

High confidence

Study Breakdown

RCT (3)Meta (8)Other (87)

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FDA Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products and information on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The evidence grades presented are based on our analysis of published peer-reviewed research and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen.