Vitamin D Deficiency and Risk of Hair Loss: Knowledge and Practice of Adult Female Population in Saudi Arabia, 2020

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a global problem related to public health causing multiple disorders, for example rickets, osteoporosis (weak bones) and osteomalacia. Lack of information, education and perception about the normal requirements of vitamin D is leading to emergence of many diseases in Saudi population. We aimed to assess Knowledge and practice of vitamin D deficiency and risk of hair loss among adult female population in Saudi Arabia. Method: We performed a cross sectional study in adult females older than 16 years who are residing in Saudi Arabia using an electronic, self-administered, author designed, pre-tested, close-ended questionnaire. We excluded female healthcare workers. Knowledge and practice of vitamin D deficiency and risk of hair loss were measured among included females. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: A total of 810 female were included. Most of participants were between 18-25 (41.6%) and 26-35 (39.5%) years old. 42.6% of total participant were single. 96% of them heard about vitamin D. The main source of information were Relatives & friends (55.8%) followed by health care professional (50.75%). 503 (62.1%) of the participating females correctly knew that there is a relationship between vitamin D deficiency and hair loss, 188 (23.2%) thought that there is no relationship while 119 (14.7%) did not know or did not have any opinion. Regarding practice, about 216 (26.7%) participants exposed themselves to sunlight, and 40% were taking Vitamin D supplement. The overall knowledge score was 9.4 ± 2.80 out of 18. A significant difference in knowledge score was found according to age, nationality, residence and marital status. Conclusions : The overall knowledge score was average among participants, and majority of them heard about vitamin D. About two third of the participants knew that there is a relationship between vitamin D deficiency and hair loss. There is a need to increase the taking of vitamin D supplement among female for prevention from diseases.

Effects of Moderate Sun Exposure and Vitamin D Supplementation on Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentration Among Malay Women

Objectives Known as ‘sunshine vitamin’, sun exposure is a major and natural source of vitamin D. This study aimed to investigate the effects of moderate sun exposure and vitamin D supplementation on vitamin D concentration among Malay women in Kelantan, Malaysia. Methods A quasi-experimental study design was carried out among female indoor workers with vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D < 50 nmol/l) for 12 weeks to evaluate the effects of moderate sun exposure (n = 19; 15 minutes sun exposure biweekly on face, lower arms, hands and feet), vitamin D supplementation (n = 15; 50 000 IU cholecalciferol weekly) and placebo (n = 15) on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels. Data was collected twice from each respondent, firstly during baseline and secondly during endpoint. Body composition measurements (body fat percentage and body mass index), fasting blood test (serum 25(OH)D level) and questionnaire (socio-demographic, physical activity and dietary vitamin D intake) were conducted. The vitamin D classification was based on the 2011 Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guidelines. Repeated measure ANOVA within group analysis was applied. Results The baseline characteristics did not differ significantly among study groups except for age (F = 6.15, p = 0.004). After 12 weeks, serum 25(OH)D levels increased significantly in sun exposure (mean difference (MD) = 14.27 nmol/l, p < 0.001) and vitamin D supplement group (MD = 14.30 nmol/l, p < 0.001) but not in the placebo group (MD = 1.63 nmol/l, p = 0.067). Conclusions The 12-weeks intervention with moderate sun exposure and vitamin D supplementation showed a similar significant increment in serum 25(OH)D levels. However, no changes in serum 25(OH)D was observed in the placebo group. These results showed that sunlight exposure and vitamin D supplement were equally helpful in improving serum 25(OH)D levels in participants with vitamin D deficiency. Funding Sources Short Term Research Grant, Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Efficacy and safety of calcium and vitamin D supplementation to prevent osteoporotic fracture

Dietary supplementation of calcium and vitamin D has been deemed one of the most important tools to fight against osteoporotic fractures increasing with aging of the population globally. Reports from early clinical trials demonstrated that supplementation of calcium and vitamin D for patients with osteoporosis can reduce the incidence of fragility fractures by decreasing bone loss and falls. However, following trials failed to demonstrate the efficacy of calcium and vitamin D for the prevention of osteoporotic fractures, questioning the need of calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Even metanalyses and system reviews presented opposite conclusions , depending on clinical trials included. Recent studies reported that excessive calcium supplement can increase cardiovascular risk such as non-fatal myocardial infarction and that excessive vitamin D supplement can produce more frequent falls than it is supposed to be. However, in spite of some arguments regarding the efficacy and safety of calcium and vitamin D supplementation, it seems to be essential to provide 800 to 1,000 mg elementary calcium and 800 to 1,000 IU vitamin D for the elderly whose intake of calcium and vitamin D is insufficient to prevent osteoporotic fracture.

A Prospective Study of Vitamin D Supplement in Thyroidectomy Patients Based on Relative Decline of Parathyroid Hormone

Background: In postthyroidectomy patients, hypocalcemia is the most common complication to prolong hospital stay and decrease patients’ satisfaction. Based on current evidence, it is recommended to supply vitamin D to patients with high risk of developing hypocalcemia. However, how to stratify the risk of patients remains challenging.Aim: We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplement (calcitriol) on high-risk hypocalcemia patients based on relative decline of parathyroid hormone (RDP).Method: RDP was calculated by the difference between preoperative and postoperative first-day PTH divided by preoperative PTH and presented as percentage. Patients who underwent total thyroidectomy in addition to bilateral central compartment dissection were enrolled prospectively and were divided into two cohorts: Cohort I: patients with RDP ≤70% and Cohort II: patients with RDP >70%. Patients in Cohort I were then randomly assigned to Group A or B, and patients in Cohort II were randomly assigned to Group C or D. All groups received oral calcium, and patients in Groups B and D also received calcitriol. All patients were followed for one year. In the study, standard procedure dictates that only oral calcium is given to patients whose RDP ≤70% and that oral calcium and calcitriol are given to patients whose RDP >70%. Therefore, Cohort I Group A and Cohort II Group D are controls in this study.Results: The incidence of clinical hypocalcemia in Groups A and D (the controls) was 11.0% (10/91), and 17.6% (16/91) required additional intravenous calcium. Of note, no patients developed permanent hypocalcemia. Furthermore, calcitriol supplement did not have significant impact on clinical outcomes between Group A and B in Cohort I. By contrast, calcitriol supplement distinctly improved clinical outcome by comparing Groups C and D (Cohort II), as marked by clinical hypocalcemia, need of requiring intravenous calcium, and long-termed decreased levels of PTH.Conclusion: Supplying calcitriol based on RDP cutoff of 70% may be a wise practice in thyroidectomy patients, and RDP 70% may be a useful predictor to stratify high-risk patients.

Effects of Oral Vitamin D Supplement Therapy on Clinical Outcomes of Intravitreal Bevacizumab in Diabetic Macular Edema

Purpose: To assess the effects of oral vitamin D supplement therapy on clinical outcomes of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injections in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). Method: Seventy-one patients with center-involving DME received IVB injections three times monthly. Cases with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels <30 ng/ml were divided into treatment and control groups. The treatment group received 50000 IU of oral vitamin D once a week for eight weeks. One month after the third IVB injection, changes in the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) were analyzed for each group. Results: Thirty-seven patients had sufficient levels of 25 (OH) D, while 34 patients had insufficient levels. Nineteen cases with deficient levels of 25(OH)D were treated with oral vitamin D, while 15 patients were assigned to the control group. The mean of serum 25(OH)D in patients was 27.9 ng/ml [mean 20.3 ± 5.4 and 17.3 ± 5.4 ng/ml in control and treatment groups, respectively (P = 0.231)]. After three IVB injections, BCVA improved significantly in each group, but the difference between the study groups was not statistically significant. CMT decreased significantly in all the groups. The mean CMT reduction was more prominent in the vitamin D-treated group, but the difference between groups did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.29). Conclusion: In DME patients with vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplement therapy had some beneficial effects on CMT reduction following three injections of IVB; nevertheless, these effects were not statistically significant. Definite conclusion needs further prospective studies with a larger sample size.