Vitamin D- Quick Update on My Previous Post

This is just a quick update on “Do shades really matter?”

In the post, I wrote Indian girls/guys were told not to go out in the sun because the skin will become darker than it already is. The problem with this is, how are we going to get our vitamin D. In a country like in India where it feels likes summer all year long we assume we are getting enough vitamin D. That is not the case. Moreover, darker skin has more melanin, which protects us from UV damage but in doing so it decreases sunlight absorption leading to vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency could cause fatigue (weakness), depression, neuromuscular problems, cancers and many other conditions. Previously, vitamin D was not that often tested and so most of the time the deficiency went unnoticed unless it was accompanied with severe calcium deficiency that presented with symptoms. This has changed recently as physicians are checking Vitamin D levels as a part of regular blood tests. Lo and behold we find a lot of patients with vitamin D deficiency.

In countries like America and Canada, some places get sunlight as little as three months in a year. That is the reason for Vitamin D deficiencies in these countries. In India though we get a sunlight throughout the year, high melanin (darker skin pigment) makes it harder to absorb sunlight that is required for synthesizing vitamin D. This is the reason even in USA vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent in African American (black) population compared to Caucasian (white) population. Therefore, physicians everywhere are seeing an influx of vitamin D deficiency cases.

The moral of the story is don’t worry about getting a tan; we need our vitamin D. I would rather have good health over lighter skin any day. Remember you are beautiful as is. God knows which skin shade goes well with your features, and he gave you that. Trust him and be confident.

Furthermore, this in no way means stays in sun all the time because then you will end up with some form of skin cancer. The morning sun is supposedly good for us probably because it has fewer amounts of harsh UV.

That ends my today’s lecture on Vitamin D. First post on Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (VK) about something related to medicine. I hope you like it.

Comment down below to let me know what you think or even better get your vitamin D checked the next time you are at a doctor’s office. I am giving business to your local doctors.

-R.