A recent study shows that eight out of 10 people have Vitamin D deficiency. It makes bones and muscles weak, and also affects other organs.
CHENNAI: When 20-year-old Arthi (name changed) complained of lower back pain continuously, several doctors told her to start exercising and reduce weight. She followed their advice diligently but continued to be in pain...until tests revealed her Vitamin D levels. “Most patients with lower back pain have Vitamin D deficiency,” says Dr Kornad Kosygan, a senior orthopaedic surgeon in the city.
A five-year study by Metropolis Healthcare, with a focus group of people between 0 and 80 showed that eight out of 10 people have Vitamin D deficiency. Also, in a 2015-study in South India by the department of orthopaedics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, found that only eight out of 160 people had adequate vitamin D.
Vitamin D is produced by the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight and is known as ‘sunshine vitamin’. It helps the body use calcium and iron essential for strong bones and muscles. It also aids metabolism. The deficiency can affect people of all ages. While it is common among elders, it is now increasingly diagnosed in youngsters too.
“Everyone needs to have close to 45 minutes of sun light exposure at least twice a week to get the required amount of Vitamin D. But lifestyle has changed. Children do not play out doors anymore. We don’t walk back home from work. We leave for work early to avoid traffic. We use sunscreen to prevent tanning…these are some of the main reasons for the deficiency,” he adds.
Studies also show that people with less melanin in their skin do not have such a deficiency and it is more prone in dark-skinned people. “Surprisingly, more people in India are vitamin D deficient when compared to the US or Canada. Their skin is light and sunlight penetrates easily, whereas we need more exposure to sunlight to enter our skin.”
Studies also show that people with less melanin in their skin do not have such a deficiency and it is more prone in dark-skinned people. “Surprisingly, more people in India are vitamin D deficient when compared to the US or Canada. Their skin is light and sunlight penetrates easily, whereas we need more exposure to sunlight to enter our skin.”
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