3 min readUpdated: Jan 30, 2026 07:52 AM IST Written by Dr Shovana Veshnavi When 33-year-old Lara came to my OPD, she feared the worst. “I sleep a full eight hours, I go for a run in the evening after work, I eat clean but come afternoon, I feel sapped out, exhausted and feel sleepy. Some days I feel like crashing out despite cups of coffee. Nothing seems to be wrong, yet everything is. Am I seriously sick?” she asked me. This is a common question asked by many of my patients who are not aware of a key deficiency. Such energy crashes happen when you have low vitamin D levels. Many do not realise that this micronutrient fuels up the body’s energy reserve. Her vitamin D levels were 12 ng/mL, far below the optimal range of 20-50 ng/mL. The Vitamin D Crisis in India Paradoxically, India — a sun-drenched nation — faces alarming vitamin D deficiency rates. Studies reveal that over 70% of urban Indians are deficient, largely due to indoor lifestyles, pollution blocking …