What’s flummoxed the medical fraternity is the growing incidence of vitamin D deficiency in a tropical country like ours where ample sunlight is available throughout the year. At least 60 per cent of patients have below 5 nanograms of vitamin D (the normal range in most labs is between 30 and 100).
Lack of vitamin D manifests itself through acute pain in the feet, shoulders, neck and joints in some individuals. Research has also shown link between vitamin D and low immunity levels, obesity and diabetes.
“There was a reason our ancestors started the day with prayers and suryanamaskars facing the sun, outdoors,”
The Hindu: Soak up some sun
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The skins of Indians and other non-white-skinned people form melanin quite quickly on exposure to ultraviolet light in sunlight. This is a protective mechanism against the damaging effects of excessive exposure to ultraviolet. Melanin also prevents ultraviolet light from reaching bod tissues and promoting the formation of vitamin D.
Even otherwise, it is unlikely that an average Indian who works mostly indoors would spend sufficient time out in the sun for enabling Vitamin D formation in adequate quantities.
Indians and other non-white people have less to worry about the damaging effects of Sun's rays and so can bask in the Sun lot longer and get its benefits without any worries.
There was a time when Scientists were talking only of the harmful effects of the Sun rays. But even these were valid mainly from a white man's perspective. Recent studies have focused on its benefits. In fact, other than skin cancer, incidence of every other types of cancer has an inverse relationship with sunlight exposure and spectral intensity of sun.
“Dark skin, with its melanin pigments, prevents sunlight and UV light from converting pro-vitamin D to vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) in the skin.”
This is the reason cited for Blacks in the US, especially women, being less healthier than their counterparts in the Caribbean.
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