PHOTOBIOLOGY

Narrowband ultraviolet B course improves vitamin D balance in women in winter

  1. K. Vähävihu1,2,3,
  2. L. Ylianttila4,
  3. H. Kautiainen5,
  4. H. Viljakainen6,
  5. C. Lamberg-Allardt6,
  6. T. Hasan3,
  7. P. Tuohimaa7,
  8. T. Reunala3,8,
  9. E. Snellman1,9

Article first published online: 22 JAN 2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2010.09629.x

Issue

British Journal of Dermatology

British Journal of Dermatology

Volume 162, Issue 4, pages 848–853, April 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

Vähävihu, K., Ylianttila, L., Kautiainen, H., Viljakainen, H., Lamberg-Allardt, C., Hasan, T., Tuohimaa, P., Reunala, T. and Snellman, E. (2010), Narrowband ultraviolet B course improves vitamin D balance in women in winter. British Journal of Dermatology, 162: 848–853. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2010.09629.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Dermatology, Päijät-Häme Central Hospital, Lahti, Finland

  2. 2

    Department of Dermatology, Kanta-Häme Central Hospital, Hämeenlinna, Finland

  3. 3

    Department of Dermatology, Tampere University Hospital, PO Box 2000, FIN-33531 Tampere, Finland

  4. 4

    Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Non Ionizing Radiation Laboratory, Helsinki, Finland

  5. 5

    ORTON Foundation, Helsinki, Finland

  6. 6

    Department of Applied Chemistry and Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

  7. 7

    Departments of Anatomy

  8. 8

    Dermatology, Medical School, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland

  9. 9

    Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Helsinki, Finland

*Katja Vähävihu. E-mail:katja.vahavihu@uta.fi

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 20 MAR 2010
  2. Article first published online: 22 JAN 2010
  3. Accepted for publication25 December 2009

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Keywords:

  • calcidiol;
  • skin;
  • ultraviolet B radiation;
  • vitamin D

Summary

Background  Vitamin D insufficiency is common in winter in the Nordic countries.

Objectives  To examine whether a short course of narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) improves vitamin D balance.

Methods  Fifty-six healthy, white women (mean age 41 years) volunteered and 53 completed the study. NB-UVB exposures were given on seven consecutive days either on the whole body (n = 19), on the head and arms (n = 9) or on the abdomen (n = 14). Similarly, seven solar simulator exposures were given on the face and arms (n = 11). The cumulative UVB dose was 13 standard erythema doses in all regimens. Serum calcidiol (25-hydroxyvitamin D) concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay before and after the NB-UVB exposures. Follow-up samples were taken from the whole-body NB-UVB group at 2 months.

Results  At onset 41 women (77%) had vitamin D insufficiency (calcidiol < 50 nmol L−1) and six (11%) had vitamin D deficiency (calcidiol < 25 nmol L−1). Calcidiol concentration increased significantly, by a mean of 11·4 nmol L−1 when NB-UVB was given on the whole body, by 11·0 nmol L−1 when given on the head and arms and by 4·0 nmol L−1 when given on the abdomen. Solar simulator exposures given on the face and arms increased calcidiol by 3·8 nmol L−1. After 2 months serum calcidiol was still higher than initially in the group who received NB-UVB exposures on the whole body.

Conclusions  NB-UVB exposures given on seven consecutive days on different skin areas of healthy women significantly improved serum calcidiol concentration. A short low-dose NB-UVB course can improve vitamin D balance in winter.

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