Women Are Prone to Vitamin Deficiencies, Thyroid, Anaemia and Low Bone Mineral Density: Study

Over 50% of women have vitamin D25 deficiency, 64% of women are anaemic, and 58% women are at high risk of developing thyroid.

Women are more likely to have vitamin deficiencies, low Bone Mineral Density (BMD), and are at high risk of developing thyroid and anaemia, according to a study by Indus Health Plus a pioneer in preventive healthcare.

To study looked at the various aspects of women's health with a sample size of 15,000. The data showed that 52 per cent of women have Vitamin D25 deficiency while 51 per cent of women have low Vitamin D3 and 32 per cent of women reported low Vitamin B12. Nearly 60 per cent (58 per cent) of women are at high risk of developing thyroid and 64 per cent of women are anaemic.

In addition, the study found that 49 per cent of women have a low bone mineral density which can lead to various bone-related disorders.

Bone-related issues common in women

In its release, the Indus Health Plus noted that various bone-related issues are observed in women as they often neglect bone health.

The BMD test was conducted from April 2020 to Jan 2022. It revealed that only 21 per cent of women's BMD parameters were in the normal range. While 47 per cent had osteopenia which implies a weakening of bones, 32 per cent of them had osteoporosis which can cause severe weakness of the bones and even minor stresses to the bones such as bending over, or coughing can cause a fracture.

Vitamin D is essential for bone health. The Indus Health Plus data revealed that Vitamin D were under normal range only in 15 per cent of women. About 85 per cent had low vitamin D levels requiring supplementation either in the oral or injectable form.

Additionally, the genetic test reports amongst 5,500 females revealed their genetic risk for vitamin deficiency. The data revealed that 56 per cent, 78 per cent, 93 per cent and 94 per cent of women were at high risk of getting deficiency for Vitamin B12, B6, D and K.

Managing deficiencies and disorders in women

Amol Naikawadi, Preventive Healthcare Specialist and JMD Indus Health Plus, said, "Women's health urgently needs to be in top priority. Making women aware of health risks associated with them that can be handled by regular screening, timely intervention and early treatment. Additionally, genetic screening also helps in understanding an individual's predisposition to various deficiencies and disorders. Regular follow-ups, regular health checkups and a healthy lifestyle can help women prepare themselves in timely management of deficiencies and disorders.

Symptoms like back pain, joint pain and exhaustion are often attributed to the changes in lifestyle and hectic routine nowadays. This ignorance, changing hormonal levels in women with age predisposes them to develop deficiencies and musculoskeletal issues. Other causes of deteriorating bone health include the use of certain medications like steroids, chemotherapy, and the presence of co-morbidities like diabetes, thyroid etc., and lack of adequate exercise, the company stated.

These factors can be managed by including an appropriate diet including milk and dairy products, fish, cod liver oil, etc in the diet, adequate weight-bearing exercises, avoiding addictions and taking vitamin supplements/medications under the supervision of an Orthopedician or a Physician, it added.

Moreover, regular screening is very important to identify these conditions at an early stage and to avoid complications developing at a later stage.