Vitamin D Deficiency in Alopecia Areata
TLDR Alopecia areata patients often have low vitamin D levels, suggesting they might benefit from vitamin D supplements.
The study investigated the relationship between vitamin D levels and alopecia areata (AA), an autoimmune disease affecting hair follicles. It involved 86 patients with AA, 44 with vitiligo, and 58 healthy controls. Results showed that patients with AA had significantly lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels compared to those with vitiligo and healthy controls. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was higher in AA patients (91%) than in vitiligo patients (71%) and healthy controls (33%). Additionally, there was a significant inverse correlation between disease severity and vitamin D levels in AA patients. The findings suggested that screening for vitamin D deficiency in AA patients could be beneficial for potential supplementation.
