Tanya Menon, 30, a teacher by profession, didn’t understand why her bones were hurting post pregnancy. “I was on calcium medicines and that surprised me,” she says. It was only when she did her blood test for Vitamin D as advised by her doctor that she realised she was deficient, which was in turn the cause for non-absorption of calcium.A recent publication by a private diagnostic laboratory in the city said that about 73% of the city’s population — across age groups and gender — who went there for various tests, were found to have insufficient levels of Vitamin D. ET verified this claim from several doctors in the city, to find that it could be true.While common symptoms include exhaustion and fatigue, joint pain, lack of concentration and tiredness, some like Aarti B, a homemaker in the city, and her husband did not even experience that. “When we got regular checks done, we were diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency. We have been on medication since January,” she says. The couple, besides the medicines, supplements it by absorbing morning sunlight every day.Poor dietary habits and lesser sun exposure are the two major reasons for the deficiency. (Image: Thinkstock)Vitamin D deficiency has seen an increase in recent years, owing to long hours in air-conditioned environments like offices, cabs and homes, says Dr Goutam Kodikal, orthopaedist, Apollo Spectra Hospitals. “Poor dietary habits and lesser sun exposure are the two major reasons. Vitamin D stimulates the absorption of calcium and phosphate from the gut. Lower levels in the body can significantly weaken the bone density, resulting in disorders like osteoporosis in adults and rickets among children, to name a few. In addition, broken bones take a longer time to heal.”According to Dr Ajith KN, Medical Director of Anand Diagnostic Laboratory, cosmetic brands constantly promoting the use of sunscreen lotions with high SPF (sun protection factor) are a major reason why people shy away from sunlight. “The benefits of sunlight are much higher,” he says, adding that Vitamin D is essential not only for healthy bones, but also for mental health as low levels are among the factors for depression IT professional Kaushik Rajagopal, 25, who was diagnosed with low Vitamin D levels two months ago, realised the seriousness of his condition when his concentration levels at work and general stamina plummeted drastically. “Post medication, I have completely altered my lifestyle and I feel better now. But I have been advised to keep checking my levels at intervals so that there is no relapse,” he says.