Befriend sunlight! Your body needs it!

Twenty eight-year-old Meera Gaikwad had no idea that her desk job in an air-conditioned office could lead her to complete bed rest when she was diagnosed with osteomalacia last month.

Osteopenia and osteomalacia are conditions wherein bone mineral density is lower than normal. It is considered by many doctors to be a precursor to osteoporosis. The most common cause of the disease is deficiency of vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus. City doctors advise citizens to take precaution at an early stage to avoid serious repercussions like osteoporosis.

According to Dr Vaishali Deshmukh, endocrinologist at Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital, said, “Earlier, osteomalacia was usually found in the extreme age groups but increasingly people in the age group of 20-35 are affected because of sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits and less exposure to sunlight. I see atleast 3-4 patients every month.”

“Mostly people who are confined in offices, housewives or burkha-clad women are more prone to vitamin D deficiency. Around 10-20 per cent of my patients suffer from either osteopenia and osteomalacia and have higher risk of osteoporosis in their later stage of life. There are clear signs to catch these diseases at a very nascent stage,” said Dr Ketan Khurjekar, head of spine department at Sancheti Hospital.

All that you need to know

Symptoms
1. Chronic, unexplained fatigue syndrome
2. Generalised proximal muscle weakness, manifesting as difficulty climbing up stairs or getting up from a squatting position
3. Bone pains, especially spinal, pelvic bone and leg bone pains
4. Aches and pain in the lower back and thighs
5. Deformities in bones including lordotic spine, tri-radiate pelvis etc.
6. Weak bones with multiple pathological fractures
8. Numbness around mouth, arms and legs

Causes
1. Nutritional insufficiency of vitamin D
2. Faulty metabolism of vitamin D, calcium or phosphate
3. Insufficient exposure to sunlight
4. Malnutrition during pregnancy
5. Chronic renal failure
6. Certain medications (anticonvulsants)

Is it preventable?
Spend a few minutes in the sun. This is the natural source of vitamin D. Brief periods of direct sun exposure will help your skins in the indigenous production of vitamin D
Eat foods rich in vitamin D including oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines),  egg yolks, cereal, bread, milk and yoghurt

Associated problems
Due to softening of bones, include fractures and deformities. However, such problems can be entirely avoided by early identification of the symptom, supplemented by the radiological and biochemical investigations.

Treatment
1. Weekly administration of 10,000 IU of vitamin D for four to six weeks
2. Osteomalacia secondary to malabsorption needs injection or daily supplementation of oral vitamin D
3. Additional supplementation of the minerals calcium or phosphate, as required.
4. Treatment of underlying condition, if any