Scarcity amid plenty: The Vitamin D story
S carcity amid plenty seems to be an apt way to describe the predicament of many UAE residents who are suffering from low levels of Vitamin D in a country that offers year-round sunshine.
According to the International Osteoporosis Federation, up to 90 per cent of the UAE population suffers from this deficiency. At the International Conference on Vitamin D Deficiency and Human Health held in Abu Dhabi in March, experts said that almost 70-80 per cent of pregnant women in the UAE also suffer from this deficiency.
Experts warn that many UAE residents are not making an effort to get the required sun exposure to enable their bodies to make Vitamin D.
Often referred as the ‘Sunshine Vitamin’, since our bodies naturally produce it after exposure to sunlight, Vitamin D production, ironically, can also be interrupted most of the time, experts said, because people avoid the sun or it is too hot to be outdoors. Coupled with an unbalanced diet, a largely indoororiented lifestyle, lack of exercise, and inadequate consumption of dairy products, even children and teenagers in the UAE are ending up deficient in this vitamin.
Why is Vitamin D so critical to good health?
Dr Kirti Mohan Marya, Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon, Aster Specialist Centre for Orthopaedics & Physiotherapy, says, “Its importance stems from the fact that it is synthesised by the entire body, and so a deficiency has shown to affect various functions of the body depending on the age, lifestyle and medical history of the individual.”
It can be both, a nutrient we consume from foods that are rich in Vitamin D and a hormone that our bodies produce.
Vitamin D has multiple functions in the body, says Dr Marya. The most vital of which is maintaining the health and functionality of muscles, bones and joints by facilitating the absorption and retention of calcium and phosphorus. Usually, the most telling effects of Vitamin D deficiency show up in a person’s muscles and bones, he said.
“A lack of Vitamin D leads to a decline in the strength and rigidity of the bones, thereby making an individual more prone to fractures, injuries and chronic conditions such as osteoporosis,” he said, noting that the same effect can also be noticed in children who develop rickets, a condition that causes their bones to soften and hinders their physical growth and deforms bones.
Research has also revealed that Vitamin D plays a key role in developing a strong immune system, maintaining organ functionality and alleviating chronic conditions such as diabetes and asthma. Lack of adequate Vitamin D can also accelerate pre-existing mental health conditions such as dementia and schizophrenia in the elderly.
“Apart from affecting the skeletal system, a deficiency can impact a person’s general immunity increasing risk of infectious diseases. It can also cause insulin resistance in the body, leading to high levels of blood sugar and diabetes,” Dr Marya said.
This deficiency has also been known to be the primary cause for Seasonal Affective Disorder, a mood disorder that can lead to depression if left untreated.
Deficiency in Vitamin D does not affect men and women differently, clarified Dr Marya, but it does affect different aspects of the body’s functionality in different people, which can be due to their medical history, lifestyle and genetics.
How can Vitamin D deficiency be diagnosed?
Dr Marya says the condition can be difficult to diagnose in its early stages. Patients usually only start to exhibit symptoms once their Vitamin D levels become really low or have been consistently low over a period of time.
“The symptoms include frequent joint and muscle pain, muscle weakness, fatigue, propensity to fall ill regularly, fractures that take time to heal and soft bones that may cause pain while walking or sitting for long periods of time,” he said.
The symptoms will be more severe in the elderly, said Dr Marya. “However, this too varies from person to person and depends on any pre-existing conditions.”
Can the deficiency be reversed?
In many cases, Vitamin D deficiency can be reversed through diet, supplementation and exposure to sunlight, said Dr Marya. “However, the longer a person stays deficient, the more likely the symptoms will worsen. In such situations, merely increasing the amount of Vitamin D would not help alleviate deficiency related disorders,” he said.
Despite a prolonged period of deficiency, patients can take steps to get their levels back to normal, except in pre-existing conditions that might get exacerbated, he said.
“A deficiency of Vitamin D in the elderly is usually more harmful than it is in young people.”
Apart from affecting the skeletal system, a deficiency can impact a person’s general immunity increasing risk of infectious diseases. It can also cause insulin resistance.” Dr Kirti Mohan Marya (above) | Specialist orthopaedic surgeon