Kerala rains: Protect yourself from Vitamin D deficiency

God's Own Country is all set for this year's monsoon, lapping up heavy rains already. This is a period during which you should protect yourself from waterborne diseases, but did you know that it's also the period when we become vitamin D deficient, the most? During this season, there is comparatively less sunlight exposure due to cloudy weather, and we tend to spend more time indoors as well. At a time when 76% of the Indian population is deficient in this essential nutrient despite India’s abundant sunshine, it's important to understand why we need a good dose of the vitamin.
Vitamin D is crucial for calcium absorption in the body. Inadequate calcium absorption can lead to bone diseases such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, and it increases the risk of osteoporosis.

Therefore, it is important to maintain adequate vitamin D levels. Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency often goes undiagnosed because it does not exhibit severe symptoms. However, there are some symptoms of vitamin D deficiency that one should be aware of. If you have these symptoms, consult your healthcare provider.
Exhaustion and fatigue
A lack of vitamin D can affect sleep and disrupt the sleep-wake cycle, causing severe fatigue and exhaustion.
Pain in body joints
Vitamin D plays a vital role in the skeletal system’s calcium absorption, essential for bone health. A deficiency can lead to body aches, with severe pain in the ribs, joints, and legs.
Muscle stiffness and loss of strength
Insufficient vitamin D affects muscle function, leading to muscle weakness, cramps, and a feeling of heaviness in the knees due to calcium deficiency, which impacts muscle contraction and expansion.

Mood swings
Our brains have vitamin D receptors, and low levels can lead to mood disorders such as depression, as well as impaired nerve cell function.
Delay in wound healing
Slow wound healing can indicate a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D helps fight infections and control inflammation. Without enough vitamin D, the production of compounds necessary for new skin growth is affected, slowing down the healing process.

Back pain
Back pain can result from a lack of vitamin D due to low calcium levels and poor bone health.
Persistent infections
Vitamin D is essential for a properly functioning immune system. Persistent illnesses may signal a deficiency in this vitamin.
Hair loss
A lack of vitamin D can also cause hair loss, as the deficiency affects hair follicles, leading to hair loss and baldness.