Vitamin D deficiency and its low levels in Mumbai
Vitamin D deficiency is a global epidemic, especially amongst the office-goers as they have no exposure to sun and their food intake is not a balanced one. Mumbai is no exception despite blessed with sunshine almost 8 to 9 months in a year.
Many are not even aware of the fact that they have low vitamin D levels. Common symptoms are fatigue, joint pains, general weakness and sometimes, depression.
Vitamin D levels are checked in blood samples.
What causes vitamin D deficiency:
- Lack of sunshine.
- Vegetarian diet. This is because natural sources of vitamin D are animal-based (egg yolks, fish, cheese, fortified milk).
- Darker skinned people are more likely to have the deficiency because melanin (the pigment in the skin that gives color to the skin) reduces the skin’s capability to manufacture vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.
How to improve vitamin D levels:
- Direct exposure to sunshine (best time is from 10 am to 2 pm until skin begin to burn or get reddish).
- Vegetarian diet should contain fortified breads, mushroom, etc. to improve intake of vitamin D.
- If overweight (BMI greater than 30), lose weight.
- Consult a doctor to check if there is any underlying disease causing the deficiency (see below).
Underlying diseases that can cause vitamin D deficiency:
- Osteoporosis and Osteopenia
- 17 types of cancer (including breast, prostate and colon)
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes
- Autoimmune diseases
- Multiple sclerosis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Bursitis
- Gout
- Infertility and PMS
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic Pain
- Periodontal disease
- Psoriasis
Treatment of vitamin D deficiency:
- Sun exposure of skin is an important part of therapy.
- Capsules, powder and injections are available. Being a fat-soluble vitamin, it has to be taken under medical supervision.
