The effect of proto-type wearable light-emitting devices on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in healthy adults: a 4-week randomized controlled trial

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition 2023-03, Vol.77 (3), p.342-347
• Main Authors: Lee, Hyuk Joo, Yoo, Seunghyup, Hong, Jung Kyung, Ahn, Jun Seok, Lee, Eunyoung, Moon, Hanul, Koo, Sunhyoung, Kim, Tae, Park, Jaehyeok, Yoon, In-Young
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D; 692/700/2814; 692/700/459/1994; Adult; Adults; Calcifediol; Calciferol; Clinical Nutrition; Clinical trials; Dietary supplements; Epidemiology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Light emitting diodes; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Phototherapy; Public Health; Ultraviolet radiation; Ultraviolet Rays; Vitamin D; Vitamin D Deficiency - prevention & control; Vitamin deficiency; Wearable technology
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/s41430-022-01241-z

Background Many people in modern society have insufficient exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) sunlight, which may lead to vitamin D deficiency. We aimed to investigate the effect of a proto-type wearable light-emitting diode (LED) device emitting UVB light on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Methods A total of 136 healthy adults were randomly assigned to receive either an active device emitting UVB light with a peak wavelength of 285 nm ( n  = 64) or a sham device emitting visible light ( n  = 72). All participants wore the device for a total of two minutes, one minute on each forearm, every day for 4 weeks. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were assessed at baseline, 2, and 4 weeks of intervention, and 2 weeks after the end of the intervention. Results A significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups in changes in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels from baseline after two (0.25 ± 3.10 ng/mL vs. −1.07 ± 2.68 ng/mL, p  = 0.009) and 4 weeks of intervention (0.75 ± 3.98 ng/mL vs. −1.75 ± 3.04 ng/mL, p