Vitamin D Deficiency is a New Age Disease

Sunlight is the major source of vit D. As a cult, especially in urban pockets, life is more exciting indoors. Infact, life happens indoors. But lets also not fool ourselves, even if we were to spend some time as a rule in the sun daily, I suspect no marked change in the levels. The pollution and smog cover is so high, it is reported that the UV index has dropped not allowing for enough infiltration of rays for our skin to produce adequate amounts of Vit D.

And thus vit D deficiency has become a new age disease.

Why isn’t Vit D deficiency just a nutritional deficiency?

It isn’t. It’s a malady, a syndrome by sheer recognition of it’s importance in the prevention of a host of disease and body conditions. It is critical in more ways than we can think of

• In the heath of bones and absorption of calcium.
• For reduced risk of diabetes by better regulation of insulin.
• In the health of infants, especially for the prevention of asthma & eczema.
• For a healthy pregnancy – those with adequate amounts of Vit D have reduced risk to preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and bacterial vaginosis. Maintaining the right levels of vit D during pregnancy also has been associated with reduced the risk of food allergies in the child until age 2!!
• Immunity – Vit D plays a significant role in the body’s immunity levels. In the prevention of infection and as well as in auto immune disorders.
• Prevention of cancer – Vit D’s role in prevention and slowing progression of cancer is being well researched.
• It’s role in preventing Alzheimer’s, hypertension, cardio vascular disease and autism is being fervently researched but is yet to be proven. What information we have today definitely points to the possibility of a strong association

So what’s the solution?

• The right supplementation schedules. Sit with your medical practitioner/nutritionist and determine not just a periodic but a yearly supplementation program along with a timely method of validation.

This may involve 2-3 months of high dose supplementation and a maintenance schedule for the rest of the year. The maintenance schedule is mostly ignored but is uber important for us to maintain sufficient Vit D levels always. Like we need air always, we need Vit D always!