Vitamin D deficiency

Despite its name, Vitamin D is not a vitamin. Instead it is a hormone that promotes the absorption of calcium in the body. Aside from a few foods, it is hard to find in the average diet. In the presence of ‘Ultraviolet B’ rays, our skin can produce our own from a certain kind of cholesterol.

Risk Factors for Deficiency
• Diet – Not having enough Vitamin D rich foods
• Lifestyle – Having less exposure to sunlight, ill health, lack of outdoor spaces increases the risk. People who use a lot of sunscreen are at increased risk of deficiency.
• Pollution – Highly polluted areas block UVB rays without which the skin cannot produce vitamin D.
• Age – Increasing age decreases the body’s ability to produce Vitamin D.
• People with darker skin need more sunlight exposure to produce Vitamin D.
• Diseases such as Crohn’s, celiac disease etc which decreases absorption of Vitamin D from the diet also increase the risk of deficiency.
• Smoking
• BMI greater than 30
• Kidney and liver diseases

Muscle pains
A very common and undiagnosed manifestation of Vitamin D deficiency.

Impaired wound healing

Hair loss

BOTTOM LINE

Vitamin D deficiency is very common and most people are unaware of it!

Prevention

• Increased consumption of Vitamin D rich foods such as cereals, fortified dairy products, meats, fish, eggs.
• Increasing sunlight exposure
  Although no definite time is advised, 15-20 minutes of exposure 2-3 times a week increases body production of Vitamin D. Sunscreen should not be used and one should not stand behind a window for exposure.
• Increased physical activity such as walking, jogging, cycling increases body fitness, decreases weight and increases sunlight exposure.
• Getting treatment of other medical conditions.
• If your Vitamin D levels do not reach normal levels then you should start taking supplements to keep Vitamin D in normal range.