Telogen Effluvium and Associated Incidence of Abnormal Serum Ferritin, Zinc, 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D, and Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone
March 2014
in “
Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology
”
TLDR Vitamin D deficiency is common in temporary hair loss, and stress is often a suspected cause.
In a study of 99 female patients with telogen effluvium (TE), a form of temporary hair loss, researchers found that the most common laboratory abnormality was vitamin D deficiency, present in 43% of the 79 patients tested. Psychological stress was the most frequently suspected trigger for TE, identified in 31.3% of cases. However, in 32.3% of patients, no trigger could be identified. The study did not find a significant correlation between the type of trigger factor and the patient's age, race, or serology. The findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with TE, and further research is needed to understand the role of mental and physical stressors in the condition.