Η μελέτη δείχνει το πρώτο βήμα προς την ανάπτυξη ενός τεστ για τη μέτρηση της κατάστασης της βιταμίνης D από δείγματα μαλλιών
Περισσότεροι από 1 δισεκατομμύριο άνθρωποι παγκοσμίως έχουν έλλειψη Βιταμίνη D. This deficiency affects primarily bone health and also increases one’s risk of cardiovascular νόσος, διαβήτης, Καρκίνος etc. Due to this implication assessment of Βιταμίνη D has gained interest. Η βιταμίνη D μετριέται μέσω α εξέταση αίματος which measures the concentration of best biomarker of Βιταμίνη Δ σε αίμα called 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D3). The αίμα sample needs to be collected in hygienic conditions under trained medical personnel. This test is an accurate estimate but its biggest limitation is that it reflects status of Βιταμίνη D at a single time point and does not account for high variability of Βιταμίνη D thus requires frequent sampling. A single value may not be an ideal representation as Η βιταμίνη D levels could differ in our body depending upon season or other factors. The test is expensive and a cost burden especially in low-and-middle-income countries. But, because high proportion of population is now deficient in Βιταμίνη D this αίμα test is being increasingly requested.
Μια μελέτη που δημοσιεύθηκε στο Θρεπτικά συστατικά led by Trinity College, Dublin has shown for the first time that Βιταμίνη D can be extracted and measured from human hair1. Authors themselves provided three hair samples for the study, two harvested from crown area of the scalp and one from beard, which were cut into 1cm length, weighed, washed and dried. 25(OH)D3 was extracted from these samples using the same procedure used to extract steroid hormones from hair2 in which a mathematical formula takes measured concentrations of the biomarker using Liquid chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) or Mass Spectrometry (MS) and provides an approximation of concentration in the hair. At the same time, αίμα from all tissue samples was also analyzed using MS. Quantifiable concentrations of 25(OH)D3 present in both hair and beard samples were measured validating feasibility of such a measurement.
Human hair grows approximately 1 cm every month and Βιταμίνη D is deposited to the hair continuously. More Βιταμίνη D is deposited to hair when levels of Βιταμίνη D στο αίμα are high and less is deposited when they are low. A test which could measure βιταμίνη levels from hair can tell us about Vitamin D status over a longer duration – several months at least taking into account seasonal differences. The longer one’s hair, more accurately status of Vitamin D can be measured, example several months to years and this could be treated as a long-term record.
This is an inexpensive, non-invasive method to capture Βιταμίνη D status and can help medical professionals to maintain levels of Vitamin D concentrations in a person over time. The exact association between Vitamin D in αίμα and in hair over a period of time needs further research as factors such as hair color, hair thickness and texture could affect Βιταμίνη D in hair.
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Πηγές)
1. Zgaga L et al. 2019. Μέτρηση 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Human Hair: Αποτελέσματα από μια μελέτη Proof-of-Concept. ΘΡΕΠΤΙΚΕΣ ουσιες. . 11 (2). http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu11020423
2. Gao W et al. 2016. Ανάλυση ενδογενών στεροειδών ορμονών σε ανθρώπινα μαλλιά με βάση το LC-MS. J. Steroid Biochem. ΜοΙ. Biol. 162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsbmb.2015.12.022
