90% of Indian women are Vitamin D deficient[1] and suffer from body pain; resort to temporary pain-relief solutions

Women normalize recurrent bone pain and fail to identify its root cause, Vitamin D deficiency
Of the 52,754 urban women tested in 2023, ~80% were Vitamin D deficient

Hyderabad, 12 March 2024: Levels of Vitamin D below 30ng/ml are considered insufficient or deficient.[2] Vitamin D deficiency results in poor bone health and causes severe bone pain and fractures.[3] Studies show that women in India often overlook signs of poor bone health. Records from Vitamin-D testing camps conducted by Apollo Diagnostics in collaboration with Horlicks Women’s Plus in 2023 revealed that approximately 80% of urban women in India have low Vitamin D levels. A Momspresso study in 2023 highlighted that 87% of women who suffer from body aches remain unaware of the link between body aches and poor bone health and turn to temporary pain relief.

Dr Siddharth Potluri, Consultant Orthopedician, Apollo Clinic, Hyderabad says, “We need about 20 mins of sunlight with 40 % of our body exposed to the sun daily for adequate production of Vitamin D. But Indian women do not get this sunlight exposure on a day-to-day basis. This leads to Vitamin D deficiency and bone pain. Women tend to rely on temporary analgesics that reduce the perception of pain but do not solve the problem of Vitamin D deficiency. They should consume nutritional supplements rich in Vitamin D and calcium to prevent the occurrence of deficiency and maintain bone health.”

Vitamin D is produced in the skin after exposure to sunlight. A sedentary lifestyle, polluted air and indoor workspaces have contributed to the increased prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency[4]. Dietary sources of Vitamin D are very limited. The best sources are fatty fish and fish liver oil; a small quantity is also found in egg yolk and certain mushrooms. Including nutritional supplements in the diet is recommended to maintain optimum levels of Vitamin D.

Nutritional supplements with 100% recommended dietary allowance of calcium and Vitamin D are readily available, affordable and are beneficial to improve bone health. Along with the intake of nutritional supplements, women should also adopt healthy habits such as sufficient exposure to sunlight and regular exercise. This holistic approach can improve their bone health and reduce body aches and the risk of fractures as they age.