Did You Know 80% Indians Are Vitamin D Deficient? Here’s How It Affects Your Immunity

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This article has been sponsored by DSM India.

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With summers right around the corner, many of us might be stocking up on sunscreen to protect ourselves from the harsh summer heat. We may even avoid going outside for fears of developing melanomas. But did you know that shying away from the sun means depriving yourself of an important nutrient — Vitamin D?

A study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care found that 80 percent of Indians are Vitamin D deficient. The study also found that the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency varies among different subgroups. In India, almost all school-going children, up to 74 percent of pregnant women and up to 67 percent of infants are Vitamin D deficient.

Vitamin D, also known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’, is a prohormone as it is produced by the body when exposed to sunlight. It has long been known to help with bone and muscle health.

Recently, researchers have begun to accumulate evidence that Vitamin D has a greater role to play. It has been suggested that vitamin D is important for the heart, maintaining muscle mass, reducing risk for certain types of cancers and diabetes and maintains a healthy immune system. Vitamin D helps build our body’s defence against infection such as seasonal flu and also lowers the risk of respiratory tract infections. Vitamin D deficiency on the other hand has been associated with many health conditions including increased risk of fractures.

The long lists of benefits are why maintaining optimal Vitamin D levels is very important. The ideal source of Vitamin D is exposing the skin to sunlight that has UVB (ultraviolet B) rays. But with the majority of us working indoors, our chances of getting enough UVB is reduced.

Another way to get Vitamin D is through diet. Vitamin D is found in fish, mushrooms and egg yolks as well as fortified milk, yogurt and orange juice Complementing a healthy lifestyle and well-balanced diet with a nutritional supplement containing Vitamin D helps to optimize Vitamin D levels in a faster and more effective manner. This helps to better support and maintain healthy immune function which plays an important role throughout the stages of our lives.

To drive conversations and address the widespread Vitamin D deficient that nearly 80 percent of us suffer from, DSM India has launched a CSR campaign ‘Boost your ImmuiD’ The campaign is focused on raising awareness about Vitamin D and its importance in immunity building so that people can take action on their health deficiencies.

Watch this video to know more about the need for this vital vitamin.