Vitamin D deficiency is a growing epidemic: Doctors

Chennai: With almost round-the year sunshine that Chennai is blessed with, city doctors say it is rather surprising that people are frequently diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency. Terming it as a growing epidemic in the city, doctors say many are unaware of their low vitamin D levels.

City doctors say that it is only a myth that housewives and older people suffer from vitaminD deficiency but most professionals who work 9-5 jobs in air conditioned rooms also suffer from it.

“I consulted a doctor after my back and neck pain grew unbearable. It was then that I am diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency. The medicines and the injections helped to relieve the acute pain I had, but I still suffer from vitamin D deficiency,” said a young professional.

“People who leave early for work before sunrise and remain in air-conditioned offices and return home at night are more likely to get vitamin D deficiency, since there is very limited exposure to sun. One way to deal with this is go for early morning jogging when the sun is up or focus heavily on diet that helps with vitamin D,” said Dr Ramachandran, Consultant Dermatologist.

While sunlight is the main source of vitamin D, certain foods like fish, dairy and grains are also great source of Vitamin D. “From a newborn to adults to older people who remain indoors, everyone is prone to get vitamin D deficiency. We don’t have enough exposure because in city we don’t have rivers to go and take sunbaths and as our skin is relatively dark it takes more time to absorb vitaminD,” said Dr K.K Aggarwal, Indian Medical Foundation.

Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, protects the body against cognitive disorders, diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases like cognitive heart failure and left ventricular hypertrophy.