Vitamin D Supplementation best relief chronic pain, but, while we don’t hear so much about Vitamin D, it plays an important role in our lives. It regulates the functions of over 200 genes, as well as, being essential for the growth and development. Surprisingly, vitamin D deficiency was considered a global health problem, with over one billion people worldwide being deficient on it (1). Now, researchers are finding vitamin D supplementation may even beneficial for those suffering from chronic pain.
In the December 2016 issue of the International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, they shared the findings of the effects of vitamin D supplementation on pain, quality of life and nerve conduction (2). The study conducted was including 33 women suffering from chronic pain and vitamin D deficiency as well. The program took eight weeks of therapy. Wherein, the participant’s pain level evaluated before and after taking the treatment program.
They found after the eight weeks of treatment, thus, women receiving vitamin D supplementation best relief chronic pain had lower pain scores. Overall, they found out that vitamin D supplementation therapy decreased the pain and increased the quality of life. Still, without affecting nerve conduction in patients with CWP (chronic widespread pain).
According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin which is naturally present in very few foods. It has been obtained in some foods naturally have it and fortified, also, through sunlight. Produced endogenously, the vitamin D production takes place when the sun’s ultra violet rays hits the skin (3). Foods containing vitamin D include varieties of fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon, cheese, egg yolks, and beef liver.
There are people who are at risk for deficiency of the vitaminD. These include breastfed infants, older adults, those with limited on sun exposure, people having darker skin, those with inflammatory bowel disease and people who undergone gastric bypass surgery. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption, making it important for the bone health, as well as, the other functions it provides.
Those who suffer from chronic pain may consider if vitamin D supplementation could help, if, they check and evaluated themselves. The answer on this evaluation is, it may help bring relief for those deficient and suffering from chronic pain.
Sources:
- International Journal of Health Sciences. Vitamin D Deficiency – an ignored epidemic. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3068797/
- International Journal of Rehabilitation Research. 2016 Dec 27. doi: 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000211. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28030514
- National Institutes of Health. Vitamin D. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/