Early Osteoporosis is a Sign of Vitamin D Deficiency: Top 10 Bone Specialists Share Advice
Dr.Sushrut Babhulkar, MS (Orth), MCH (Orth) (UK), Sushrut Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur. Osteoporosis is a fairly common problem that makes the bones weak and fractures easily. An optimal diet involves enough protein and calories and, of course, calcium and vitamin D, which play a crucial role in maintaining proper bone health and preventing Osteoporosis. The optimal intake in young men and women recovering from Osteoporosis is 600 IU daily. It will help prevent bone loss and reduce the risk of fractures. It’s said that prevention is better than cure; pay heed to it. Ensure adequate consumption of calcium and vitamin D, whether one gets them from the diet or supplements. This strategy is much better than any treatment for the disease. Discuss these with your doctor to arrive at a suitable option.
Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, Director Orthopedics & Healthcity Hospital, Trauma & Joint Replacement Surgeon, Lucknow Vitamin D is vital for the absorption of calcium in the body from our diet, but if you lack Vitamin D, you will not be able to absorb it, despite having calcium in your diet. As a result, to maintain calcium levels in the blood, the bones release calcium into the blood & in turn, get deficient in calcium leading to Osteoporosis. The Deficiency of vitamin D is like an epidemic these days as the number of such patients is increasing. The bones become osteoporotic, and the patient also experiences a lack of alertness, tiredness, and muscle pain. Fish liver oils, sunlight, and mushrooms are excellent sources of vitamin D, and routine blood testing to check vitamin D3 levels is advisable.
Dr. Chirag Arora, MBBSMS (ORTHO) DNBFICS (USA), SHOULDER & KNEE SURGEON, CKBIRLA HOSPITAL, GURGAON Vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies worldwide. Vitamin D plays an essential role in the absorption of calcium and phosphorous from the diet and hence helps in maintaining bone density. People with dark skin, the elderly, pregnant women, and bedridden people are more likely to be vitamin D deficient, and it’s often associated with Osteoporosis, joint pains, aches, and fractures. Taking a balanced diet, getting adequate exposure to sunlight, and engaging in physical activity all help maintain bone density. Foods such as milk and milk products such as paneer, eggs, fish, mutton, and cod liver oil are great sources of vitamin D. Physical activity( 30 minutes per day, at least four times per week )is important to maintain bone density. Dr. Santosh Shetty, MBBS, MS (Ortho), MCh (Ortho), Robotic Joint Replacement, CritiCare Asia Group of Hospitals, Director & Head Department of Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement – Surana Group of Hospitals, Mumbai The two major causes of vitamin D deficiency are: not enough vitamin D in your diet and sunlight, and a simple way to keep fit is to get good sunlight exposure and eat foods rich in vitamin D like mushrooms, fish, egg yolk, yeast, milk, and milk products. To stay fit, Vitamin D is an essential micronutrient in our body that acts like a hormone; however, many people are unknowingly deficient in this vitamin, making it a global problem. Vitamin D3 deficiency can cause fatigue, bone pain, muscle weakness, muscle aches, cramps, or mood changes such as depression. Osteoporosis is known as “the silent killer” because it has no symptoms, and patients are unaware of their bone loss until they experience a fracture. A simple bone test to detect the symptoms is recommended.
Dr. Rahul Kumar, MBBS, MS (Ortho), Joint Replacement Surgeon, Orthopedic surgeon, Senior Consultant Paras Hospital, Gurugram
Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption from the gut and maintains adequate serum calcium concentration, making it indispensable for the normal mineralization of bones. Vitamin D is also required for bone remodelling by osteoblasts and osteoclasts, and its deficiency accelerates bone turn over and bone loss, leading to Osteoporosis. Osteoporotic bones have a weak internal structure and poor mineralization, making them prone to fractures, especially in the elderly population. Postmenopausal females are also at higher risk for Osteoporosis. Regular calcium and vitamin D supplementation has been shown to decrease the risk of osteoporotic fractures, especially hip fractures. Dr. Tushar Mehta, MBBS, DNB (Ortho), MNAMS, Sports Injury & Regenerative Medicine Expert, Founder The Ashar Clinics, Gurugram Vitamin D is necessary for strong bones and muscles. Without Vitamin D, our bodies cannot effectively absorb calcium, which is essential to good bone health. Children who lack Vitamin D develop a condition called rickets, which causes bone weakness, bowed legs, and other skeletal deformities, such as stooped posture. We see a lot of young females coming to us with generalized body aches and weakness at The Ashar Clinics. Regular intake of calcium and vitamin D certainly decreases the risk of osteoporotic fractures, especially hip & spine fractures.
Dr.Sachin Rathod, MBBS, D’ORTHO DNB ORTHOPAEDIC, Fellowship in Joint Replacement and Complex Trauma, Consultant Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement Surgeon Saifee and Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Vitamin D is an often-overlooked, under-consumed nutrient that plays a major role in your overall health. It is called the “sunshine vitamin.” Vitamin D helps your intestines absorb calcium from your diet and improves bone mineral density. It influences bone microstructure and turnover, allowing osteoporotic bone to become strong. The main reasons for low vitamin D levels are a lack of vitamin D-rich foods in the diet and inadequate exposure to sunlight, which cause loss of bone density and contribute to Osteoporosis and fractures. Exposure to sunlight remains the primary source of vitamin D. Osteoporosis is incurable, but with medicines and lifestyle changes, you can slow or even stop it. Regular exercise, a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, and the prevention of falls can all make a difference. Dr. Abhishek Gupta, MS Orthopedics, FASM (USA), FSSI (S Korea), Senior Consultant Arthroscopy & Joint Replacement Surgeon,
Director-Ortho Wellness & Joints Clinic, Jaipur Vitamin D (VD) is a workhorse nutrient; its endogenous production is UV-B ray dependent, and we can obtain it externally through dietary intake and supplements. Diet, sunlight exposure, age, sex, BMI, physical activity, and smoking can affect the serum VD level. VD deficiency can cause or worsen Osteoporosis (bone weakness), induce osteomalacia, impairs bone metabolism, and increase the risk of fractures. It has an impact on the functioning of other vital organs and immunity. Check your serum vitamin D3 level and take an initial loading dose in consultation with your orthopaedic doctor. I recommend 15 minutes of daily direct skin sun exposure, at least four days a week, to replenish your VD stores. You may also take foods like milk, eggs, cheese, fortified cereals, soymilk, fish liver oils, etc.
Dr. Nikunj Agrawal, MBBS, DNB (Orth), MNAMS (Orth), MRCS Ed (UK), M.Ch. ( Tr & Orth- Edinburgh, UK),FAJR (Singapore), FARS (Harvard, USA), Senior Consultant Orthopedics, Joint Replacements and Sports Arthroscopy, Noida Vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common deficiencies affecting the Indian population. Vitamin D is a hormone in our body that plays three crucial roles in bone health: it helps with calcium absorption from food in the intestine, ensures proper bone renewal and mineralization, helps keep muscles strong, and reduces the risk of falling. A deficiency of Vitamin D leads to osteomalacia and Osteoporosis, which is the reduction of bone mineral density that can cause tiredness, back pain, and fatigue and can lead to fractures from trivial falls. Vitamin D is made in the skin when exposed to UV-B rays in sunlight. Only a few foods contain vitamin D, so exposing the skin to sunlight is how we get the vitamin D our body needs. Dr. Karma Raj Singh, MS, DNB, MCh (Orth), Director-Omega Plus Hospital, Secretary Varanasi Orthopaedic Association, Varanasi Vitamin D is responsible for the proper absorption of calcium in the gut. Osteoporosis is essentially the weakening of bones due to ageing, disease, and infirmity and can definitely be slowed down and partly prevented by judicious use of regular calcium, vitamin D, and exercise with a balanced diet. On the other hand, Osteoporosis manifests in many ways, like low-impact trauma, back pain, and cervical spondylosis, though its impact is much more felt in regularly loaded joints such as the knees and the back and is easily preventable.