Nutrition

Vitamin D Deficiency: What You Need To Know

You know you need it. But quite possibly you could be one of 80 to 90 per cent Indians who lack Vitamin D. Here’s what could happen to you with low levels of Vitmain D in your body.

By D Tejaswi

09 Jun 2022

Your body needs Vitamin D to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphate, that are in turn needed for the normal mineralisation of bone, muscle contraction, nerve conduction, and general cellular function in all cells of the body. You also require Vitamin D for its immuno-modulatory properties that help you fight infections. Despite its major role in the body, you may be at the risk for Vitamin D deficiency because it naturally occurs in a few foods and moreover, if you stay in a region that is often cold, or suffer from milk allergies, or follow a strict vegan diet, surely you might need supplements in time to avoid health complications. Most of the indians lack Vitamin D due to increased indoor lifestyle, pollution that hampers the synthesis of Vitamin D, cultural practices such as burqa and purdah system, and unspaced-unplanned pregnancies in women with dietary deficit, notes Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 2018.

Here are some major health issues you could face with lack of Vitamin D.