Licht-im-Terrarium: Literaturdatenbank

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 < 0.001). In the experimental group, the dropout rate due to mild, self-limiting adverse skin reactions was 11.8% (9/76). The mean total 25-hydroxyvitamin D production after UVB exposure was estimated at 0.031 ng/mL per 1 cm2 of skin area.

Conclusions
A prototype wearable LED UVB device was effective for improving 25-hydroxyvitamin D status. The development of a safer wearable LED device for phototherapy may provide a novel daily, at-home option for vitamin D supplementation.