Karnal, Haryana: Despite India being blessed with abundant sunshine throughout the year, vitamin D deficiency is widespread among the population, Dr. Sanjay Kalra, President-Elect of the South Asian Federation of Endocrine Societies (SAFES), said on Tuesday, 27^th September 2022.

Sunlight is a major source of vitamin D and the Indian population is supposed to have adequate levels of the important vitamin. Dr. Kalra said the situation is the exact opposite as most people simply avoid going out in the sun, especially during summers.

“The use of air conditioners and sunscreen lotions has gone up in India in the last few years. When the sun protection factor or SPF is above 15, there is no vitamin D absorption by the body. High pollution levels also result in less effective exposure to sunlight,” said Dr Kalra while speaking on “Hidden Hunger – Immuno Nutrition” to mark the celebration of September as Poshan Maah (Nutrition Month) by the central government.

The noted endocrinologist said widespread vitamin D deficiency can also be attributed to the fact that a majority of the Indian population is vegetarian. He, however, noted that it is high even among non-vegetarians as most consuming meat once a week or so is not enough to meet the vitamin D requirement.

“Several studies have shown that over two-thirds of Indians are vitamin D deficient. This is similar to the incidence of anaemia or haemoglobin deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency is 90% among doctors. The same with IT professionals,” he said.

Also read: Vitamin D deficiency – risk of osteoporosis 

Women, people living in areas with high pollution levels, people having kidney or liver diseases, and those having skin ailments are especially vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency. Difficulty in squatting, difficulty in getting up from a squatting position, difficulty in bending down, tenderness in bones, and general aches and pains are some of the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. Another symptom is poor immunity. However, rectifying vitamin D deficiency is economical, efficient, and effective.

“Roughly 60,000 units of vitamin D a month suffice. There are sublingual tablets that can be kept under the tongue. Sachets of Calcirol (Cholecalciferol), which can be mixed with water or Jucie are also available,” he said.

Explaining the term hidden hunger, Dr. Kalra said it refers to a deficiency of micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes that are required by the human body, especially in the early stages of child growth and lactating mothers.

“Giving vitamin D is one way of improving immuno nutrition levels. It is also important to manage vitamin D levels for improved metabolism and other health benefits,” Dr. Kalra said.

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We all need vitamins and minerals for a healthy body. Some of them we can store, but some of them need to be eaten daily. So can you get all the vitamins and minerals you need from a balanced diet, or should you be topping up?

The array of vitamins our bodies need to function at top capacity is dizzying – and that’s before we get started on minerals like iron. Broadly speaking, they’re divided into fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins.

Your bodies can store supplies of fat-soluble vitamins in your fatty tissues and liver, calling them up and using them when it needs. That means you don’t need a daily supply in your diet. Fat-soluble vitamins – A, D, E and K – are largely found in liver and fatty foods such as oily fish, egg yolks, fortified spreads and dairy products.

Vitamin A

Your body can also make from beta carotene, found in vegetables such as carrots, peppers, spinach and yellow fruits. Getting enough vitamin A is important for a strong immune system, as well as good eyesight.

However, if you have too much, your bones may become more brittle and prone to breaking if you fall. Too much vitamin A when you’re pregnant can result in birth defects. You don’t need supplements if you have a reasonable diet, and you should avoid eating any fish liver oil, liver or liver pate if you’re pregnant, or too much.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is needed for blood clotting, helping you to stop bleeding when you cut yourself. Along with vegetable oils, a huge array of foods including broccoli, spinach, brussel sprouts and curly kale contain vitamin K. You shouldn’t need to take a supplement.

In fact, if you take the blood-thinning medicine warfarin (commonly prescribed if you have an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation) you should be careful about eating and of these foods. That’s because they can interfere with the effect of warfarin an anticoagulant.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is the exception where supplements are concerned – and that’s largely because it’s almost impossible to get enough from your diet. It helps keep muscles and bones strong, and may boost your body immunity and even keeps cancer away. About 90% of the vitamin D in our bodies is made in our skins when we’re exposed to sunlight. So in the UK, you should take a 10 microgram supplement from October to April. If you’re over 65, pregnant, breastfeeding, one- to five-years-old, housebound or don’t get out much, you should take the same supplement all year round. Your pharmacist can advise you.

Vitamins B and C

All the B vitamins and vitamin C are water-soluble. On the plus side, if you have too much of them, your body just passes them out of your system in your urine, so it’s very difficult to get too much of them. On the down side, you need to include them in your diet every day, as your body can’t store them. Lots of vegetables are high in vitamin C, but prolonged cooking (especially boiling) means you lose some of the vitamin content of foods.

There are several different B vitamins with a range of functions, mostly related to keeping your blood cells, skin and nervous system in good shape and releasing energy from the food we eat. Most people should be able to get enough from a balanced diet. But if you drink a lot of alcohol, your doctor may prescribe regular supplements of vitamin B and Thiamine. That’s because when your body processes alcohol, it uses up a lot of vitamin B.

Fizzy vitamin tablets contain a lot of salt. If you do take supplements, consider changing to a non-effervescent version. All pregnant women should take a folic acid supplement until 3 months into pregnancy – ideally starting before you get pregnant.

If you have osteoporosis, your doctor may recommend calcium and vitamin D supplements – particularly if you don’t eat a lot of dairy foods. If you have heavy periods, you may need regular iron supplements. Otherwise, rather than making for the supplements aisle, stock up on fruit, veg and whole grains instead to get a healthy dose of vitamins!

Vitamin C and Zinc -COVID 19

Nutrition and immunity always share an equal space and importance. There’s been a lot of debate going on between their correlations. There have been many studies which suggest that providing adequate nutrition requirements will enhance the immunity status of an individual. Now a day’s nutraceutical s is popularly being used where the role of zinc and vitamin C is supposed to enhance the body immunity.

Vitamin C and Zinc are considered one of the best immune boosters. Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is considered a water-soluble vitamin which is essential for the individual growth and repair of bone, cartilage, blood vessels and skin. It is mainly found in white blood cells and helps in phagocytosis and enhances immune function by increasing the production of interferon’s and antibodies which help to develop immunity. Also change the pH of the body which is unfavorable for the virus.

Zinc is a common mineral that’s generally added to many nutraceutical products which boost immunity because it is considered essential for immune system function. It’s mainly needed for immune cell development and inflammatory response. Deficiency of any of these will lead to a decrease in immune function. Also inhibits RNA depend RNA polymerase enzymes of the virus.

Hence nutraceuticals is today considered as an important part of the diet to boost the immune status of the people. Therefore the use of these essential vitamins and minerals in nutraceuticals will be very helpful to the people.

Dr. Sanjay Agrawal
Leading Pharmaceutical Consultant
Editor- in Chief of IJMToday
Email: drsanjay@drsanjayagrawal.com
Mob: 98253 81729

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Sunlight therapy also known as Heliotherapy dates back to the ancient Greeks. Sunlight is the best’s source of vitamin D. Some dermatologists have brainwashed our mind with the concepts that the ultra violet rays of the sun is harmful and we should stay away from sun. This has made people sun-phobic. Exposure to the sun does not mean burning the skin or getting tanned. The key lies in safe, limited, healthy and strategic exposure to sun.

Depriving people from healthy exposure, they miss out on optimizing on the numerous benefits of vitamin D required to build bones, reduce inflammation, and build strong immune system. Sun rays improve the vitality, and alleviates from nervous disability. Empowers the digestion, stimulates the digestive fire and increases the force of excretion. Gives mobility to the blood, cures all the skin diseases and strengthens the bones. Increases the proportion of calcium, phosphorus, and iron in the blood.

Reinforcing the immune system is one way to prevent contracting the Coronavirus (COVID-19), in addition to maintaining a healthy diet and life, basking in the sun can maintain body immunity. “Vitamin D also has immunomodulatory effects that can improve the body’s immune system,” This immune system is the body’s defence against viruses and bacteria that cause disease. Meanwhile, if the body lacks vitamin D, it can inhibit growth and be susceptible to viruses or bacteria.

Sunlight directly activates key immune cells

We all know sunlight provides vitamin D, which is suggested to have an impact on immunity, among other things. But what we found is a completely separate role of sunlight on immunity. Some of the roles attributed to vitamin D on immunity may be due to this new mechanism. “They specifically found that low levels of blue light, found in sun rays, makes disease fighting T cells in the skin move faster- marking the first reported human cell responding to sunlight by speeding its pace. Sunlight directly activates key immune cells by increasing their movement.”

Sunlight boosts your immune system

It is already proven that sunlight helps the body to produce vitamin D which is very important for good health, and now recent studies have revealed another powerful benefit of getting enough sun. Sunlight energizes the T-cells that play a central role in human immunity.”T-cells need to move to do their work, which is to get to the site of an infection and orchestrate a response,This study shows that sunlight directly activates key immune cells by increasing their movement.” T-cell activation is completely safe with no side effects, so it makes sense to offer it to patients to boost their immunity.

Sunbathing tips and precautions

• Wear SPF 30 or more and apply it 15 minutes before going outside. Make sure you cover your body in at least a full ounce of sunscreen. That’s about as much as the size of a golf ball or a full shot glass.
• Don’t forget to use SPF on the top of your head if it’s not protected by hair, as well as your hands, feet, and lips.
• Avoid tanning beds. Aside from being dangerous, most tanning beds barely contain UVB light to stimulate vitamin D production.
• Take breaks in the shade when you get hot.
• Drink water if you’re spending prolonged periods of time in the sun.
• Eat tomatoes, which contain large amount of lycopene, which research has found helps prevent skin redness from UV rays.
• Then, when is the right time to sunbathe to get enough sun exposure? The adequate sunbathing time is when the body’s shadow is shorter than height, while the recommended sunbathing time is about 10 to 15 minutes.

Besides, in the morning, the air atmosphere is not right, especially in big cities with high pollution levels. Many pollutants such as heavy metals still concentrated close to the surface, which pollutes the air in the morning. When sunbathing, direct skin exposed to sunlight. The use of hats, sunscreen, and clothing are blocking sun exposure to the surface.

At least the hands and feet exposed to sunlight. The veiled face is also exposed enough to be exposed to sunlight, so that sunbathing is not dull. Sunbathing is not a single activity, we can get sunlight with other activities such as gardening, lifting clothesline, and others in direct contact with sunlight. Several studies have mentioned that sufficient sun exposure causes the virus more difficult to survive in hot weather and effective at boosting body immunity.

Sunbathing benefits

Sun exposure helps the body make vitamin D naturally. This vitamin is essential but many people don’t get enough of it. Vitamin D deficiency is common and some estimates say that 1 billion people worldwide are deficient. Vitamin D can be difficult to get from food alone. It exists in certain fish and egg yolks, but most of it is consumed through fortified products like milk. Supplements are also available.

The benefits of sunlight and vitamin D include:

1. It elevates mood: The sun works through a number of receptors in the brain to affect our mental status and alertness. Moderate sunlight exposure helps improve your mood and focus by boosting the serotonin levels in your body. Also known as the ‘happiness hormone’, it makes you calm and alert. Also, “sunlight decreases the risk of depression in those at risk of seasonal affective disorder (SAD),”

2. It improves sleep:  The brighter your daylight exposure, the more melatonin you produce at night,” Melatonin is a type of hormone that’s “produced by the pineal gland in the brain during darkness at night”, Also known as the sleep hormone, melatonin has “a range of effects on the brain, from improving sleep to synchronizing your biological clocks, and lowering stress reactivity,” Additionally, the amount of daylight exposure you get is crucial in maintaining a normal circadian rhythm.  “Distorted circadian rhythms can induce symptoms of both depression and bipolar disorder, depending on the pattern of disruption.

3.It promotes bone growth: Vitamin D is “a hormone that promotes calcium absorption and is essential for bone growth and formation .Since sunlight is a primary source of Vitamin D, the hormone is also dubbed as ‘the sunshine vitamin.” The Vitamin D found in our body needs activation. The sun helps to convert inactive Vitamin D levels to active,”, getting anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes of sunlight on your arms, hands, and face twice or thrice a week is enough to reap the vitamin D-boosting benefits of the sun.

4. It helps strengthen the immune system: Strong association studies have found that Vitamin D is also very important in signalling the immune system. It appears to be necessary in adequate amounts to turn on your ability to survey the rest of your cells. Since regular sun exposure is one of the most robust ways to up active Vitamin-D levels in your body, it can help beef up your immune system as well. “Inadequate levels of this vitamin have been associated with an increased rate of infection, cancer, and mortality rate after surgery.

5. It lowers blood pressure: According to a recent study conducted by researchers at the Edinburgh University, moderate exposure to the sun’s UV rays can cause a significant drop in blood pressure levels. Lower blood pressure levels help cut down the risk of stroke and heart disease.

6. It may reduce the risk of melanoma: The skin’s exposure to ultraviolet radiation of short wavelength (UVB) has been associated with a decreased risk of melanoma. The research found that outdoor workers who were exposed to regular sunlight had a lower risk of developing skin cancer compared to their indoor counterparts. Other than that, an adequate amount of sunlight has also been linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers (including colon, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancer), suggests a study published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal.

Some of the essential benefits of sun rays are:

• Sun rays has unique healing power, it disinfects and heal wounds and also kills the bad bacteria and cures fungal infection of the skin.
• Protects against dementia and brain aging
• Good for loosing excess fat
• Essential for decreasing symptoms of asthma
• Sunlight has a beneficial effect on skin disorders, such as psoriasis, acne and eczema. Sunlight penetrates deep into the skin to cleanse the blood and the blood vessels.
• The sunlight’s lowers high cholesterol by converting high cholesterol in the blood into steroid hormones.
• The sunlight activates the cells and tissues by increasing the flow of oxygen in the blood. The sunlight has a great impact on building the stamina and fitness of the individuals.
• Sunlight exposure is also known to positively increase the growth and height of children, especially babies. The amount of sun exposure in new born babies till 4-5 months has an great impact on the growth of the child.
• The mantra is right, moderate and slow exposure to the sun. Do not be vitamin D deficient by depriving your body of natural vitamin D direct from the sun.

Alternatives to sunbathing

Sunbathing is one way for your body to reap the benefits of the sun, but it’s not the only way. If you don’t want to lie in the sun but still want the benefits, you can:

• Exercise outside
• Go for a 30-minute walk
• Open the windows while you drive
• Park farther from your work and walk
• Eat a meal outdoors
• Take a vitamin D supplement
• Invest in a UV lamp
• Eat foods rich in vitamin D

Dr.Nandhini V. Mohan & Dr Venkataramana Hegde
Veda wellness center
Nisarga Mane Sirsi
Uttarakannada District
Ph: 9597019032/ 9448729434
Email : nisargamane6@gmail.com

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