Rising air pollution in the city may be causing a sharp increase in people with vitamin D deficiency. Research shows that certain pollutants reduce the amount of ultraviolet B (UVB) rays that reach the skin—and thus impede the body's ability to make this sunshine micronutrient.
For generations, people have relied on sunlight to boost their vitamin D levels. This essential vitamin helps the liver and kidneys work well and supports bone health, muscle strength, and even mental wellbeing. But doctors in the city say this natural method is no longer working, as even people who work in the strong sun throughout the day are being diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency.
The practitioners report seeing low vitamin D levels in a growing number of lab tests. Since food and supplements provide only limited amounts of this vital micronutrient, sunlight remains the main source. That’s what makes the trend concerning.
There is no city-specific data yet, but doctors believe the situation needs urgent study. If ignored, more people may begin to suffer from illnesses linked to low vitamin D levels.
In the past, vitamin D deficiency was linked to diet, lifestyle, and poor absorption—especially in people with darker skin. But new research says air pollution should now be added to the list of causes.
An observational study from New Delhi in 2002 found that 54% more young children in heavily polluted areas had low vitamin D levels compared to those living in cleaner neighbourhoods.
Scientific studies show that small pollutants such as PM2.5 and PM10, ground-level ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, black carbon, and volatile compounds like benzene block UVB rays. These pollutants come mostly from vehicle emissions and form a kind of shield in the air that reduces availability of UVB radiation.
District pollution control officer Brajesh Sharma neither confirms nor denies the link between these pollutants and UVB levels. But he does say that such pollutants are present in the city air, although they are not measured separately.
“Our studies follow guidelines set by the Central Pollution Control Board, CPCB, and right now, the focus is on how air pollution affects breathing,” he says. “We’re open to new research, though, and this issue can be studied more closely in future.”
Globally, research by the US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has shown that air pollution can reduce solar radiation in ground level atmosphere.
In India, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, (IITM) at Savitribai Phule Pune University studied this issue from 2018 to 2022. Their findings recorded patterns that point to reduced availability of UVB to humans. Interestingly, the study also found that these levels improved during COVID lockdowns, when pollution levels dropped.
While the city still waits for its own data, patients have few options besides battling symptoms like tiredness and low mood even as experts warn that continued incidence of the deficiency could give rise to far more serious health conditions in the near future.