Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Personalized Treatment of Trace Element and Vitamin Status in Men with Initial Stages of Androgenic Alopecia Treated with Conservative Therapy

Abstract

Background. Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is the most common form of pathological hair loss with multiple micronutrient disorders involvedin its occurrence and development.
 Aimto evaluatethe effectiveness of personalized treatment of micronutrient deficiencies in patients with early stages of AGA and conservative therapy using a vasodilator drug minoxidil based on evidence-based medicine.
 Methods. A total 48 patients with stages IIV of AGA (according to the NorwoodHamilton scale) were recruited to experimental prospective clinical study evaluating the effectiveness of pharmaceutical forms of trace elements and vitamins. The primary diagnosis of micronutrient deficiency was carried out by comparing laboratory parameters of patients with AGA and 25 healthy volunteers. After that, conservative treatment with 5% topical minoxidilin AGA patients was enriched with 2-month personalized systemic supplementation of pharmaceutical forms of trace elements and vitamins. At the end of the study, the correspondence between changes in trace elements and vitamins content in the plasma and the trichogram parameters before and after conservative therapy was assessed.
 Results. The majority (96%) of the examined patients with AGA were characterized by mono- or polynutrient deficiencies. Personalized correction made it possible to restore the content of Se, Mg, Fe and vitamin E to the baseline levels and to achieve a significant increase in Zn, vitamin D and folic acid plasma content. The relationship between changes in the level of micronutrients and trichogram parameters was recorded only for Se (decrease in anagen hairs: r = 0.43; p = 0.037; decrease in hair density: r = 0.45; p = 0.028) and folic acid (an increase in anagen hairs: r = 0.41; p = 0.024); the positive effect of vitamin E on hair density was also detected.
 Conclusion. The results of the study allow to recommend a personalized treatment of folic acid and vitamin E deficiencies, with possible refusal to use the Se-containing drugs in conservative therapy of patients with the early stages of AGA.