Vitamins & Supplements: What Indians Actually Need

Walk into any pharmacy and you'll see shelves full of vitamins, minerals, and supplements. The supplement industry is worth billions — but most products are unnecessary for people eating a reasonably balanced diet. Here's a practical guide to what Indians genuinely tend to be deficient in, and what's mostly marketing.

The 4 Deficiencies Most Common in India

1. Vitamin D

Despite India's abundant sunshine, 70–90% of Indians are Vitamin D deficient. The reasons: indoor office work, use of sunscreen, darker skin needing more sun exposure, and clothing that covers most skin. Deficiency causes bone weakness, muscle pain, fatigue, and is linked to immune dysfunction.

Who needs it: Almost everyone, particularly office workers, women, and the elderly.
Supplement: Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) — 60,000 IU weekly for 8 weeks, then monthly maintenance. Get levels tested before starting high doses.

2. Vitamin B12

B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products — meat, fish, eggs, dairy. Vegetarians (60–70% of Indians) are at serious risk of deficiency. Symptoms include fatigue, numbness and tingling in hands and feet, memory problems, and anaemia. Long-term deficiency causes permanent nerve damage.

Who needs it: All vegetarians, vegans, elderly patients, and those on Metformin (which blocks B12 absorption).
Supplement: Methylcobalamin 500mcg daily or 1500mcg weekly.

3. Iron

Iron deficiency anaemia affects over 50% of Indian women and children. Symptoms: fatigue, breathlessness, pale skin, cold hands, and poor concentration. Common causes include menstruation, pregnancy, and a diet low in meat.

Who needs it: Women of reproductive age, pregnant women, children, vegetarians.
Supplement: Ferrous sulphate or Ferrous ascorbate — always taken with Vitamin C (a glass of orange juice) to improve absorption. Take on empty stomach if tolerated; if it causes nausea, take with food.

4. Calcium

Many Indians, particularly post-menopausal women and the elderly, do not get enough calcium — increasing risk of osteoporosis (brittle bones). Low dairy consumption makes this worse.

Who needs it: Women over 40, the elderly, lactose-intolerant individuals.
Supplement: Calcium carbonate (with food) or Calcium citrate (with or without food). Always take with Vitamin D for proper absorption. Split doses — the body absorbs no more than 500mg calcium at a time.

What Most People Don't Need

• Expensive multivitamins — for most healthy adults eating a reasonably varied diet, these are largely excreted unused
• High-dose Vitamin C tablets — the body can only absorb ~400mg at a time; excess is urinated out
• Biotin for hair fall — only helps if you are actually biotin-deficient (rare); most hair fall has other causes
• Collagen supplements — largely broken down in digestion; evidence of benefit is weak

Frequently Asked Questions