The main source of Vitamin D is ultraviolet ray from sunlight while sea-fish, cod liver oil, beef liver, egg yolk, milk, butter, cheese, mushroom and fortified food products like cereals, bread, yoghurt and oatmeal are food sources.
The people stay in houses and deprived of sunlight and women covered with ‘burka’, ‘hijab’ have the risk of vitamin-D deficiency.
The data and observation were disclosed at a seminar on Vitamin D deficiency held at Kurmitola General Hospital (KGH) in the city on Thursday, said a press release of Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR) Directorate.
Prof Dr Brig Gen Md Abdur Razzak, Head of Medicine Department, Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) and Asst Prof Dr Md Abdullahel Kafee, Dept. of Medicine, KGH spoke in the seminar jointly organized by Dept. of Medicine, Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) and Kurmitola General Hospital (KGH).
Maj Gen Md Fashiur Rahman, Director General Medical Services attended the seminar as chief guest, while Maj Gen Md Azizul Islam, Consultant Physician General was present as special guest with Maj Gen Md Mustafizur Rahman, Commandant of the AFMC in the chair.
Brig Gen Quazi Md Rashid-Un-Nabi, Director of the KGH delivered the welcome speech at the seminar.
Highlighting the various aspects of Vitamin D, speakers said, the main role of Vitamin D is to increase calcium absorption from the gut and bone formation. It has also immunomodulatory and anti-cancer effects, they added.
Lack of sun exposure, using sunscreen or clothing covering the whole body (Veil, Burka, Hijab, Niqab etc.), strict vegetarian diet and lack of Vitamin D containing food are responsible for Vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D deficiency causes Ricket in children and Osteomalacia among adults. Other health hazards are backache, myalgia, muscle weakness, increased chance of cancer, immunological diseases (SLE, Rheumatoid Arthritis), infection, dental problem, neuropsychiatric disorders (Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinsonism, Multiple Sclerosis, Schizophrenia) and feto-maternal complications.
The speakers said, the health awareness, lifestyle modification, sun exposure, intake of Vitamin D containing food can solve the problem easily.
They also emphasised the preventive aspects for the Vitamin D deficiency.
The doctors of KGH, Heads of the departments of AFMC, senior officials from Dhaka CMH were present at the seminar.
Newly passed Intern doctors of AFMC, currently working in CMH, Dhaka and KGH were given reception at the program which was sponsored by Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited.