A comprehensive investigation of biochemical status in patients with telogen effluvium: Analysis of Hb, ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D, thyroid function tests, zinc, copper, biotin, and selenium levels.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Case-control study comparing biochemical markers between patients with chronic telogen effluvium and controls.
PubMed 39107936 · doi:10.1111/jocd.16512
What was done
This case-control study evaluated 90 female patients with chronic telogen effluvium (CTE) and 90 female controls aged 18 and older presenting to a dermatology clinic between September 2022 and September 2023. Diagnosis was established via clinical history, hair pull testing, and scalp dermoscopic examination. Serum vitamin D, zinc, copper, selenium, and serum/urine biotin were measured prospectively, while hemoglobin, ferritin, vitamin B12, and thyroid function tests were retrieved retrospectively from hospital records.
What was found
Zinc levels were significantly lower and selenium levels were significantly higher in patients with CTE than in controls. No significant differences were observed between groups for hemoglobin, ferritin, vitamin B12, thyroid function tests, vitamin D, copper, or serum and urine biotin levels. Zinc, copper-to-zinc ratio, and selenium were reported to have statistically significant diagnostic performance in predicting CTE. The abstract reports no exact numerical values, effect sizes, or p-values.
Why it matters
Over-the-counter supplements for hair loss commonly contain broad vitamin and mineral formulations. These findings indicate that common deficiencies in nutrients like biotin, ferritin, or vitamin D are not consistently present in chronic telogen effluvium, arguing against unguided empiric supplementation.
Limits
The study included only adult females from a single clinic, limiting generalizability to men or other settings. Some biochemical parameters were obtained retrospectively, introducing potential measurement variability. The abstract provides no numerical measurements, variance estimates, or effect sizes, and the observational case-control design cannot prove causality.
Cited by
- context Patients with telogen effluvium without acrodermatitis enteropathica have significantly lower serum zinc levels than healthy individuals, and their hair loss can be restored with zinc supplementation.