‘Sunshine Vitamin' For Good Health

Vitamin D is essential for strong bones and can protect against a host of health problems

- Dr Nav Uppal

Q: So what’s so important about this sunshine vitamin? especially to the south east Asian community. 

Vitamin D is a vitamin that is needed for good health. Vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin”, is produced in the body in response to skin being exposed to sunlight. If you shun the sun, or adhere to a strict vegan diet, you may be at risk of vitamin D deficiency. Shockingly, it is estimated that about nine in 10 adults of South Asian origin in the UK of South Asian may be vitamin D deficient. You may ask, “What relevance does this figure have to me living in a sunny tropical environment like Singapore?” A study done in 2016 into the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Singapore and its effects on cardiovascular health found approximately 42 per cent of the participants, who were Asians living in Singapore, were vitamin D deficient. Most of the affected people either don’t have any symptoms, or have tiredness or vague aches and pains, and are unaware of the problem. A more severe lack can cause serious problems such as rickets (in children) and osteomalacia (in adults).

Q: Why is vitamin D so important?