When winter arrives in India, a familiar fatigue creeps in. You sleep more, wake feeling less rested, and your skin and hair may act up in ways that feel inexplicable. Some of this is seasonal change, but part of it has a biochemical basis: our vitamin D levels tend to fall during the colder months. For a nutrient made mostly through sun exposure, winter presents unique challenges. And in India, where vitamin D deficiency is already widespread.
Vitamin D is often called the sunshine vitamin because it is primarily produced by the body when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet B radiation from sunlight. Despite abundant sunshine in most parts of the country, deficiency is common across age groups and regions. According to research, an estimated 70% to 90% of Indians have suboptimal levels of vitamin D. The reasons are multiple and overlapping.
Nicole Linhares Kedia, a sports nutritionist and integrated health coach, highlights how modern living plays a role. “Urban lifestyles, indoor work, clothing coverage, sunscreen use and pollution reduce vitamin D synthesis even in summer,” she says. For many people, the sun they see on a brief walk or balcony tea break is not the same sun that will meaningfully raise their vitamin D.
With winter’s shorter days and weaker sunlight, the situation changes further. The Earth’s tilt means UVB rays, the ones that trigger vitamin D production in skin, fall at a shallower angle. The result is less effective vitamin synthesis.
Most discussions around low vitamin D in winter focus on weaker sunlight, but in many Indian cities there is a second, more man‑made factor at play: pollution.
Dr Varshini Reddy, founder and chief dermatologist at Glow Clinic, explains that air quality affects how much sunlight actually reaches the skin. “UVB is filtered through the atmosphere, and pollution blocks it even further. So despite spending time outdoors, effective synthesis doesn’t occur,” she says.
In dense urban centres, winter often brings smog when fog combines with traffic and industrial emissions. This airborne haze scatters and absorbs UVB rays, leaving less radiation to interact with your skin. Even midday sun exposure may be insufficient if the air is thick with particulate matter.
Vitamin D and skin health
What about sunscreen? It is a common concern, especially for readers focused on skin health. Dr Reddy acknowledges that sunscreens block some UVB, which can reduce vitamin D production. But she is cautious about advising people to skip sun protection. “Managing pigmentation, photo‑ageing and inflammatory skin conditions becomes extremely difficult without proper sun protection,” she says. She points out that the potential long‑term harm from sun damage can outweigh the benefits of unprotected sun exposure, especially in a climate where UV intensity and smog vary widely.
For many people, especially those with pigmentary conditions or those undergoing active dermatological treatments, strict sun avoidance or partial coverage is a necessary part of their routine. In such cases, relying on sunlight alone to maintain vitamin D levels is neither practical nor safe.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: vogue.in
