Does Active Form of Vitamin D3 Prevent Hair Follicles from Radiation Toxicity?
October 2004
in “
Radiotherapy and oncology
”
TLDR Active vitamin D3 might protect hair follicles from radiation damage.
The study from 2004 investigated the protective effects of calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D3, on hair follicles against radiation toxicity in rats. It involved three groups: Group I (7 rats) received radiation only, Group II (7 rats) received calcitriol before radiation, and a control group (5 rats) received no radiation. Results indicated that Group II rats did not show a significant difference in the number of hair follicles between irradiated and non-irradiated skin, unlike Group I. Despite dermal atrophy in both irradiated groups, the study concluded that calcitriol may protect hair follicles from radiation toxicity, suggesting it could prevent radiation-induced hair loss, but emphasized the need for further trials.