A comparative study on the association of serum ferritin and vitamin D, and B12 levels among individuals with hair loss

Abstract

Objectives:The objective of this study was to study the most frequent type of hair loss in different age groups, and the prevalent micronutrient deficiency linked to hair loss and to compare the association of serum ferritin, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 levels with hair loss among cases and controls. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study which included a total of 100 subjects with 50 hair loss cases and 50 age and sex-matched controls. Serum levels of vitamin D, vitamin B12, and ferritin were measured in all subjects. Results: Most of the subjects were between 20 and 30 years of age. There was a predominance of telogen effluvium followed by male androgenetic alopecia in all age groups. Females had considerably lower levels of serum ferritin compared to males among cases, with p-value of 0.0001. Vitamin D, vitamin B12, and serum ferritin were significantly low among cases compared to controls, with p-values of 0.0001, 0.01, and 0.006, respectively. Conclusion: This study suggests that low levels of serum vitamin B12 and serum ferritin and particularly vitamin D might play an appreciable role in hair loss especially telogen effluvium among females. Evaluation of these parameters could aid the clinician in opting for a more precise therapeutic modality, but identification of the exact etiology remains a primary concern as it is multifactorial, which paves path to appropriate and effective treatment.