Serum biotin and zinc in male androgenetic alopecia

Received: 9 November 2018 | Revised: 21 December 2018 | Accepted: 3 January 2019 DOI: 10.1111/jocd.12865 ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION Serum biotin and zinc in male androgenetic alopecia Fatma Mohamed El‐Esawy MD1 | Mohamed Saber Hussein MD1 | Amira Ibrahim Mansour MD2 1 Department of Dermatology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt 2 Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt Summary Background: Male androgenetic alopecia (MAGA) is caused by the conversion of the terminal to vellus hair. Zinc is one of the most studied trace elements in hair disorders and biotin is one of the most prescribed supplement for its treatment. Correspondence Mohamed Saber Hussein, Department of Dermatology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt. Email: [email protected] Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate serum zinc and biotin levels in MAGA pa‐ tients to answer the question if there is a value to add zinc or biotin as a supplements in the MAGA treatment. Patients and Methods: Sixty MAGA patients and 60 age, sex, and body mass index‐ matched healthy volunteers were included. We measured serum biotin and zinc in all participants. Results: Zinc (µg/dL) was lower significantly in patients compared to controls (P = 0.01), suboptimal biotin (ng/L) levels were in patients, and within normal values in controls (P = 0.01). A positive significant correlation was found between serum zinc and serum biotin (r = 0.489, P = 0.001). Serum zinc and biotin showed a nonsig‐ nificant correlation with age and disease duration. A non‐significant relation was ob‐ tained between the MAGA grades, and zinc (P = 0.485) and biotin levels (P = 0.367). Conclusions: Serum zinc showed subnormal value and adding zinc supplement in MAGA treatment is recommended. Serum biotin showed a suboptimal level in MAGA patients that is not correlated with patients’ age or disease severity. Biotin supple‐ ment in MAGA treatment may add value to hair quality and texture. We recommend future biotin evaluation in serum combined with its metabolites in MAGA patients’ urine. KEYWORDS androgenetic alopecia, biotin, serum, zinc 1 | I NTRO D U C TI O N immune‐modulator of hair follicles,7 regulate hair growth through hedgehog signaling as it is a catagen inhibitor.8 Dermatological Male androgenetic alopecia (MAGA) is a noncicatricial patterned symptoms of zinc deficiency include nail dystrophy, acral and peri‐ hair loss with the conversion of terminal to vellus hair.1 The hair in‐ orificial dermatitis, cheilitis, brittle hair, delayed wound healing, and tegrity depends on an adequate and balanced nutritional intake, and skin superinfection.4,9 The zinc deficiency effects may appear before unbalanced diet may result in excessive hair shedding. 2 The relations serum levels decrease below normal.10 of nutritional deficiency with chronic telogen effluvium, female pat‐ tern hair loss, MAGA, and alopecia areata were studied.3,4 Biotin is an essential water‐soluble vitamin required as a cofac‐ tor for carboxylase enzymes.3 Biotin deficiency can be either con‐ Zinc has a functional role in hair follicle cycling (animal model), 5 genital or acquired secondary to increased raw egg consumption,11 a critical component in its morphogenesis,6 potent dose‐dependent alcoholism, pregnancy, or other medications such as isotretinoin and J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019;1–4. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jocd © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. | 1 2 | EL‐ESAWY Et AL. valproic acid.12 Typical dermatological symptoms of biotin deficiency include alopecia, eczematous skin rashes, and seborrheic dermati‐ 2.2 | Statistical analysis tis.13 Biotin's function in protein synthesis and keratin production, Data were collected, revised, coded and entered into the Statistical explains its contribution to healthy nail and hair growth.14 Package for Social Science (IBM SPSS, IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) version The present study aimed to evaluate serum zinc and biotin 20. Qualitative data were presented as number and percentages while levels in MAGA patients. We wanted to answer the question if quantitative data with parametric distribution was presented as mean, there is a value to add zinc or biotin as a supplement in the MAGA standard deviations (SD) and ranges. Student t test (t test) was used treatment. for numerical variables of normally distributed samples. Pearson's cor‐ relation coefficient was used to detect the relationship between two continuous variables. The nonparametric test (Spearman's correlation 2 | PATI E NT S A N D M E TH O DS coefficient) was used to measure the strength of association between two variables. Fisher's exact test (F test) was used to know whether This case‐control study was conducted on 60 MAGA patients and the proportions for one variable are different among values of the 60 age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) matched healthy volunteers. other variable. P values <0.05 was considered statistically significant. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee in our institute according to the Declaration of Helsinki principles. Any patient with any of the following conditions was excluded from this 3 | R E S U LT S study: a history of active malignancy, any systemic or autoimmune disease, and any neurological disorder. Patients were excluded if Table 1 shows that there was a nonsignificant difference between MAGA they received topical medications for 1 month or systemic therapy and controls as regards age (mean ± SD = 36.13 ± 8.14, 33.9 ± 6.21, re‐ for 3 months before the study. Any participants received zinc or spectively; P = 0.094) and BMI (mean ± SD = 24.51 ± 1.55, 24.15 ± 1.01, biotin supplementations for 3 months prior to the study were also respectively; P = 0.134). The serum zinc level (µg/dL) was lower signifi‐ excluded. All participants gave the informed consent before being cantly in patients compared to controls (mean ± SD = 60.267 ± 10.817, subjected to full history taking, BMI estimation, complete general 80.8 ± 6.47 respectively; P = 0.01), suboptimal biotin levels (µg/ and dermatologic examination. The grading of MAGA was done ac‐ dL) were in patients while it was within normal values in controls 15,16 cording to Hamilton‐Norwood classification of male balding. (Mean ± SD = 339.4 ± 12.125, 532.82 ± 35.224, respectively; P = 0.01). 2.1 | Biotin and zinc measurement patients’ group. There was a positive significant correlation between Table 2 shows the correlations between the measured variable in serum zinc and serum biotin (r = 0.489, P = 0.001). Serum zinc showed After 12 fasting hours, 5 mL of venous blood were collected in a plain tube without anticoagulant from all participants. Samples were left at room temperature for 30 minutes till coagulation, centrifuged at 250 g for 15 minutes, and the resultant serum stored at −20°C TA B L E 2 The correlations of serum zinc, biotin, and other variables in the MAGA group Serum zinc (µg/dL) until analysis. Serum zinc levels were measured by the colorimet‐ Pearson correlation ric method using ZINC Fluid Monoreagent provided by Centronic GmbH Company, Wartenberg, Germany (http://www.centronic‐ Serum biotin gmbh.de). The normal reference range for serum zinc is 70‐150 μg/ ELISA kit” provided by Shanghai Korain Biotech Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China. Cat. No.: E3932Hu. (http://www.korainbio.com). The normal biotin plasma concentration ranges from 400 to 1200 ng/L, and a TA B L E 1 0.489 0.001 r a −0.226 0.082 0.322 0.012a Disease duration (y) −0.231 0.075 P — — −0.114 0.387 0.087 0.508 −0.022 0.868 A significant P ˂ 0.05. The collective data of the MAGA patients and controls Control group MAGA group a P BMI (kg/m2) Age (y) dL.17 Serum Biotin was measured using “Human Vitamin H (Biotin) <200 ng/L is considered deficiency.18 r Serum biotin (ng/L) Range Mean ± SD Range Age (Y) 20‐55 36.13 ± 8.14 25‐44 BMI kg/m2 22‐28.9 24.51 ± 1.55 22.4‐25.4 Zinc (µg/dL) 40‐91 60.27 ± 10.82 72‐93 Biotin (ng/L) 317‐361.2 339.4 ± 12.13 436.2‐583.7 P ˂ 0.05 is significant. Student t test Mean ± SD t P 33.9 ± 6.21 1.690 0.094 24.15 ± 1.01 1.509 0.134 80.8 ± 6.47 −12.62 0.01a 532.82 ± 35.22 −40.22 0.01a | EL‐ESAWY Et AL. TA B L E 3 a 3 The relation between MAGA grades and serum zinc and biotin levels G III n = 22 G IV n = 20 GV n = 18 F test Mean ± SD Mean ± SD Mean ± SD Fa P Serum zinc (µg/dL) 62.364 ± 7.108 59.750 ± 9.904 58.278 ± 14.962 0.734 0.485 Serum biotin (ng/L) 342.309 ± 6.935 338.075 ± 13.434 337.317 ± 15.216 1.019 0.367 F: Fisher's Exact test, P ˂ 0.05 is significant. TA B L E 4 curve Serum zinc and biotin ROC Cutoff Serum zinc (µg/dL) Serum biotin (ng/L) ≤71 ≤361.2 Sensitivity 86.67 100 Specificity PPV NPV Accuracy (%) 100 100 71.4 95 100 100 100 100 NPV: negative predictive value; PPV: positive predictive value. a negative nonsignificant correlation with age (r = −0.226, P = 0.082) and disease duration (r = −0.231, P = 0.075), while it showed a pos‐ itive significant correlation with BMI (r = 0.322, P = 0.012). Serum biotin showed a negative nonsignificant correlation with patients’ age (r = −0.114, P = 0.387), BMI (r = −0.087, P = 0.508) and disease duration (r = −0.022, P = 0.868). According to Hamilton‐Norwood MAGA grades, the patients' group included patients of grades III (22 patients), IV (20 patients), V (18 patients), and the serum zinc level (mean ± SD = 62.364 ± 7.108, 59.750 ± 9.904, 58.278 ± 14.962, respectively; P = 0.485) and biotin (mean ± SD = 342.309 ± 6.935, 338.075 ± 13.434, 337.317 ± 15.216, respectively; P = 0.367) showed a nonsignificant relations to MAGA grades (Table 3). Receiver operating characteristic curve shows, ac‐ curacy was 95% for serum zinc and 100% for serum biotin, sensitivity was 86.67 for serum zinc and 100 for serum biotin, and specificity was 100 in both serum zinc and serum biotin (Table 4 and Figures 1 and 2). FIGURE 1 Serum biotin ROC curve (P = 0.46), but they found significantly lower zinc level in the hairs 4 | D I S CU S S I O N of MAGA patients. The difference in nutritional habits and sampling can explain the inconsistent results. The exact mechanism of how zinc affects hair loss has not fully un‐ Our study revealed that serum zinc levels showed a nonsignif‐ derstood, although zinc‐related metalloenzymes may have the po‐ icant correlation as regards the MAGA clinical grades consistent tential to regulate hair growth.19 It is also a potent inhibitor of hair with previous reports.19,21 Also, there was a nonsignificant correla‐ follicle regression and accelerates hair follicle recovery. 5 tion between serum zinc and patients’ age consistent with other re‐ In the current study, MAGA patients showed serum zinc levels ports.19,20 We found that serum zinc showed a significant correlation significantly lower than the control group consistent with previous with patients’ BMI. Ozturk et al21 found higher serum zinc in MAGA 19,20 reports. 19 Kil et al showed significantly lower serum zinc level in MAGA patients compared to control but still within normal value patients with high BMI than those with low BMI but that difference was nonsignificant (P = 0.13). limit. Aiempanakit et al20 found that serum zinc levels were lower Biotin deficiency is rare, as intestinal bacteria are typically in MAGA patients compared to controls, of note, serum zinc in pa‐ able to produce adequate levels of biotin. No clinical trials have tients and controls were lower than normal value limit. On the other shown efficacy in treating hair loss with biotin supplementation in hand, Ozturk et al21 who did not detect any significant difference in the absence of deficiency.9 The biotin marketed supplements for serum zinc levels between MAGA in Turkish patients and controls hair loss rely on the fact that biotin showed positive effects in the 4 | EL‐ESAWY Et AL. REFERENCES FIGURE 2 Serum zinc ROC curve brittle fingernails treatment. 22 Patel et al14 analyzed 18 case‐re‐ ports of biotin relation with hair and nail growth and found clinical improvement after receiving biotin in all cases, and three reported cases of uncombable hair syndrome showed improvement in hair quality after a few months of biotin treatment. Prager et al23 re‐ ported 60% improvement in MAGA patients after treatment with an oral combination containing not only biotin but also niacin, ß‐ sitosterol and saw palmetto extract. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that eval‐ uated biotin serum levels in MAGA patients.We found that serum biotin was at the suboptimal level compared to controls and showed nonsignificant correlations with patients’ age, BMI, dis‐ ease duration, and severity. A previous report suggested that in‐ creased urinary excretion of 3‐hydroxyisovaleric acid was a more accurate measure of biotin deficiency.18 We recommend further studies to evaluate biotin deficiency in serum combined with esti‐ mation of biotin metabolites in urine of MAGA patients to confirm our finding. In conclusion, serum zinc showed subnormal value and adding zinc supplement in MAGA treatment is recommended. Serum biotin showed a suboptimal level in MAGA patients that is not correlated with patients’ age or disease severity. Biotin supplement in MAGA treatment may add value to hair quality and texture. AC K N OW L E D G M E N T S Many thanks to all the individuals who participated in this study. C O N FL I C T S O F I N T E R E S T The authors are responsible for all the current study content and 1. Soni VK. Androgenic alopecia: a counterproductive outcome of the anabolic effect of androgens. Med Hypotheses. 2009;73:420‐426. 2. Rushton DH. Nutritional factors and hair loss. 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A randomized, double‐ blind, placebo‐controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of bo‐ tanically derived inhibitors of 5‐alpha‐reductase in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. J Altern Complement Med. 2002;8:143‐152. have no conflicts of interest. How to cite this article: El‐Esawy FM, Hussein MS, Ibrahim Mansour A. Serum biotin and zinc in male androgenetic ORCID alopecia. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019;00:1–4. https://doi. Fatma Mohamed El‐Esawy Mohamed Saber Hussein https://orcid.org/0000‐0002‐7496‐9952 https://orcid.org/0000‐0002‐4066‐5790 org/10.1111/jocd.12865