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Vitamin D Deficiency Associated with Fibromyalgia Pain

Vitamin D insufficiency may increase a woman's risk of chronic widespread pain (e.g., fibromyalgia), according to a study conducted by researchers from the Institute of Child Health in London and published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases. The researchers measured the vitamin D levels of 7,000 British men and women of the average age of 45 and surveyed them about lifestyle factors and chronic pain. They found that women who had insufficient levels of vitamin D in their blood were significantly more likely to suffer from chronic pain than women who had higher levels. Among women whose vitamin D levels fell between 75 and 99 millimoles per liter, only 8% experienced chronic pain. In contrast, 14.4% of women who had vitamin D levels lower than 25 millimoles per liter suffered from chronic pain. Ninety-nine millimoles per liter is the vitamin D level considered necessary to maintain proper bone health.

The study does not confirm or look to see whether taking vitamin D will decrease fibromyalgia pain, but simply notes the association. There are many theories as to why this connection exists, but with increasing research showing low vitamin D associated with pain, I tend to agree with those who recommend vitamin D supplementation. The Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder has large amounts of vitamin D.

Vitamin D and Chronic Widespread Pain in a White Middle-Aged British Population: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Population Survey

Kate Atherton,¹ Diane J Berry,¹ Tessa Parsons,¹ Gary J Macfarlane,² Chris Power¹ and Elina Hypponen^1*

¹UCL Institute of Child Health, United Kingdom
²University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom

* To whom correspondence should be addressed, email: e.hypponen@ich.ucl.ac.uk .

Accepted May 27, 2008

Abstract

Objectives

Identified etiological factors for chronic widespread pain (CWP) are largely related to emotional and behavioral factors, but current management leads to modest improvement in symptoms. Vitamin D deficiency has been suggested as a novel modifiable risk factor for CWP. We examine the association between vitamin D status [measured by 25(OH)D] and CWP in a nationwide population sample of white British adults, accounting for potential mediating and confounding lifestyle factors.

Methods

9377 participants born one week in March, 1958, in England, Scotland or Wales and completing a biomedical assessment at age 45; 6824 eligible participants had data on 25(OH)D and completed pain manikins.

Results

Prevalence of CWP varied by 25(OH)D concentration in women but not in men, with the lowest prevalence observed for females with 75-99 nmol/l (14.6% for <25 nmol/l, 14.7% for 25-49 nmol/l, 11.5% for 50-74 nmo/l, 7.7% for 75-99 nmol/l, and 9.7% for participants with >100 nmol/l). There was an interaction between 25(OH)D concentration and gender in relation to CWP (interaction, p=0.006), which was not fully explained by differences in lifestyle or social factors, adjusted interaction, p=0.03). For women, the association between 25(OH)D concentration and CWP persisted after full adjustment (OR for <75 nmol/l vs. 75-99 nmol/l, 1.57, 95% CI 1.09, 2.26), while no evidence for an association was apparent in men (1.03, 0.75, 1.43).

Conclusion

Current vitamin D status was associated with CWP in women but not in men. Follow-up studies are needed to evaluate whether higher vitamin D intake could have beneficial effects on CWP risk.

References

Chronic Pain in Women Linked with Low Levels of Vitamin D, NaturalNews.com