Vitamin D

It is little surprising to know that in our country where sunshine is available in abundant amount, majority of people are vulnerable for chronic diseases due to insufficient amount of vitamin D.

According to a latest study by P.G. Talwalkar, Diabetologist at Shushrusha Hospital in Mumbai, 70-90 per cent of Indians are found to be deficient of Vitamin D and are vulnerable for Type 2 diabetes and hypertension diseases.

“Pregnant women in India have up to 84 per cent prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency, which also correlates with the level of Vitamin D deficiency in their newborns,” said Srirupa Das, Medical Director, Abbott India, Mumbai.

“In adults, Vitamin D deficiency is associated with low bone mass and muscle weakness, which results in increased risk of fractures and bone disorders such as osteoporosis,” Das said.

Researchers during the study conducted on 1,508 individual found that in Mumbai there is 88 per cent prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in urban adults.

The findings also revealed that 84.2 per cent of Type 2 diabetes patients were Vitamin D deficient, as were 82.6 per cent of hypertension patients.

“Our study also investigated co-occurrence of deficiency with hypothyroidism and obesity or overweight condition. A majority (76 per cent) of hypothyroid patients had low levels of vitamin D. Moreover, 82 per cent of patients were obese, indicating that there may be a link between the deficiency, its comorbidities and body weight,” said Talwalkar.

“These findings highlight the need for routine screening to ensure early diagnosis and effective management of Vitamin D deficiency to help reduce the burden and risks associated with non-communicable disease,” Talwalkar added.

The causes of Vitamin D deficiency in a sun-drenched country like India are manifold, said the
Researchers believed that modern lifestyle don’t allow people to spend time in outdoor activities, making them vulnerable for vitamin D deficiency. Air-pollution is another potent factor which hampers Vitamin D absorption in the skin.

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