Vitamin D and B12 Deficiency in Indians: The Silent Health Crisis Needing Polio-like Drive

Indian Council of Research on International Economic Relationship has shared a report that says India is going through a silent epidemic. Despite India’s sunny climate and the diversity in food culture, vitamin D and B12 deficiencies have quietly grown into widespread public health challenges. As new research and wide scale surveys indicate, these nutrient gaps affect millions of Indians, the young, and old, the city-dwellers and rural population. These deficiencies are not merely statistical; they hold the power to impact bone health, immunity, cognitive development, energy levels, and overall well-being. Understanding their root causes and consequences is critical to protect the health of India’s current and future generations.

Magnitude of the Problem

1. Deficiency in Vitamin D

• At least 20 percent of Indians are vitamin D deficient, whilst in some parts of India such as East India this is up to 39%.
• Children, adolescents, pregnant women, and the elderly. Research has established that nearly fifty percent of children aged between 0-10 years have been diagnosed with rickets, and a mind-blowing eighty to ninety percent of senior citizens are susceptible to osteoporosis.
•  Women and particularly women who spend less time in the sun experience deficiency more than men.
• Both rural and urban populations are affected but urban dwellers are increasingly susceptible, due to indoor lifestyles and air pollution.

2. B12 Deficiency

• The prevalence is a high 50% of the Indian population with suboptimal levels of vitamin B12, which increases to 65 percent in vegetarian individuals and 67 percent in pregnant women.
• B12 levels are low in more than 57% of all male corporate workers and approaching half of females in the labor market.
• Hospital-based findings place up to 85% of at risk children and similar numbers of elderly deficient. 

So what makes Indians deficient? Understanding the Causes

Lack of Vitamin D

• Lack of exposure to sun: Due to urban lifestyle, people do not spend a lot of time outdoors. Working hours, schooling, and leisure hours are spent indoors and thus the direct exposure to the sun is diminished significantly.
• Cultural dressing: Social norms and weather encourage dressing that covers the body and does not allow enough sun to get to the skin.
• Air pollution / sunscreen: elevated urban pollution and sunscreen screens UVB rays used in the production of vitamin D.
• Dietary gap: Indian diets generally lack vitamin D-rich foods such as fatty fish, eggs, and fortified dairy products.

Deficiency of Vitamin B12

• Vegetarianism: Nearly 40% of Indians follow vegetarian diets, and vitamin B12 is naturally found only in animal products.
• Insufficient consumption of dairy products and eggs: An almost common diet in vegetarians is lacto-vegetarianism, in which a portion of the B12 source is avoided.
• Lack of food fortification: Unlike iodine or iron, there is no nationwide policy to fortify staple foods with vitamin B12.
• Digestive disorders: Other frequent gastrointestinal disorders like celiac disease or chronic infection may diminish the uptake of B12.

Health and Social Impacts

Vitamin D Deficiency

• Children: High chances of rickets (deformation of the bones), slow growth and poor immunity.
• In Adults & Elderly: Osteoporosis, Fractures frequent, muscle weakness, increased risk of infections, diabetes, cancer, and neuropsychiatric diseases.
• Pregnant Women: Maternal deficiency - The mother and child are both affected with the newborn being prone to develop poor bones and long-term health consequences.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

• Anaemia & Fatigue: Deficiency leads to persistent tiredness, weakness, and breathlessness.
• Neurological Impact: Mood changes, neuropathy, memory loss, and cognitive decline are common symptoms, especially in older adults.
• Growth and Development: In children, physical and mental developmental retardations are highly associated with B12 shortage.
• Maternal and Infant health:  Low maternal. B12 negatively affects infant growth, appetite, and neurological development. 

Overlapping Deficiencies is a Downside

This is concerning in recent reports of the co-occurring vitamin D and B12 deficiencies with pregnant women and children being particularly affected. A survey in Jammu showed that 86 percent of pregnant women had vitamin D deficiencies, and 72 percent were also deficient in B12 at the same time- putting both themselves and their babies at compounded risk.

Diagnostic Gap & Public Knowledge

The main problem is that the majority of Indians do not receive the diagnosis until they may face serious, even irreversible, complications. Symptoms like fatigue, bone pain, numbness, and mood swings, often go unreported or misattributed. It is currently doing a national survey (SAMPADA 2024) to identify on massive scale micro-nutrient deficiencies for the first time.

So What Is Being Done? Policymakers & Recommendations

Government Initiatives

• Food Fortification: Limited fortification of milk and edible oils has begun, but coverage is still low.
• Essential Medicines: Vitamin D has been classified as essential medicine and listed under government dispensaries.
• Recommendations & Surveys: The Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Nutrition have released new guidelines advising that all people should spend more time in sunlight and eat better.

Expert Recommendations

• Awareness Campaigns: Inform  people about why vitamins D and B12 are good for health.
• Mandatory Food Fortification: Expand fortification programs for both vitamins, especially targeting staples like dairy, wheat flour, and oils.
• More Exposure to the Sun: Ensure early morning exposure (within 30 minutes at best) to the sun, and in particular to children and to the elderly.
• Regular Screening: Include screening of vitamin deficiencies into monthly maternal and school health screening.
• At-risk Group Supplementation: Offer supplements in clinics to children, elderly individuals, vegetarians and pregnant women.
• Respecting Dietary Diversity: Where animal products are culturally or personally avoided, offer fortified plant-based alternatives and supplements.

Vitamin D and B12 deficiency in India is high in human cost, yet preventable. These silent epidemics need to be addressed with a sense of urgency, multi-layered policy response and robust community awareness. Through a concerted effort, (both in education as well as fortification, supplementation and lifestyle), India can rediscover the healthfulness of its people and protect the future generation, against invisible, but devastating nutritional hazards. 

So, if you’re experiencing unexplained fatigue, bone pain, mood changes, or neurological symptoms, consult  your doctor about screening for vitamin D and B12 deficiency. Getting health checks and switching to a balanced diet can make all the difference.