Serum ferritin and vitamin D levels should be evaluated in patients with diffuse hair loss prior to treatment

Introduction
Various factors like physiological and emotional stress, drugs and nutritional deficiencies can result in hair loss. Results of laboratory tests examining the underlying aetiology of hair loss vary in patients.

Aim
We aimed to compare the serum levels of ferritin, folate, vitamin B12, zinc, thyroid stimulating hormone and vitamin D in patients complaining of diffuse hair loss and in healthy individuals.

Material and methods
Fifty-four patients with hair loss (47 females, 7 males) and 55 healthy individuals within the control group (47 females, 8 males) were included in this study. Serum levels of ferritin, folate, vitamin B12, zinc, thyroid stimulating hormone and 25-hydroxyvitamin D were evaluated in all participants retrospectively.

Results
Serum concentrations of folate, vitamin B12, zinc and thyroid stimulating hormone were similar in the two groups. However, the mean serum ferritin and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were significantly lower in patients with hair loss than in healthy individuals. The mean serum ferritin levels of the patients and healthy individuals were 14.72 ±10.70 ng/ml and 25.30 ±14.41 ng/ml, respectively. The mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of the patients and healthy individuals were 14.03 ±8.09 ng/ml and 17.01 ±8.59 ng/ml, respectively. Eleven (20.4%) patients had low serum ferritin levels, while 43 (79.6%) patients had low vitamin D levels.

Conclusions
The results obtained from this study reveal that serum ferritin and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are generally low in patients complaining of hair loss. Therefore, serum ferritin and vitamin D levels should be evaluated and supplemented prior to treatment in all patients complaining of diffuse hair loss.