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Aches? Pains? An extra dose of Vitamin D may
provide relief
Newswise — Pain is the most common complaint
leading patients to seek medical care and
much of it is chronic, lasting 3 months or
longer. According to an extensive review of
clinical research in a new report from Pain
Treatment Topics, inadequate vitamin D
intake has been linked to a long list of
chronic painful maladies, including bone and
joint pain of various types, muscle pain,
fibromyalgia syndrome, rheumatic disorders,
osteoarthritis, and other complaints.
Lack
of vitamin D also has been implicated in the
mood disturbances of chronic fatigue
syndrome and seasonal affective disorder.
According to Stewart B. Leavitt, MA, PhD,
editor of Pain Treatment Topics and author
of the report, “our examination of the
research, including 22 clinical
investigations of patients with various
chronic pain and fatigue syndromes, found
that these persons almost always had
inadequate levels of vitamin D.
When sufficient vitamin D supplementation
was provided, the aches, pains, weakness,
and related problems in most of them either
vanished or were at least helped to a
significant extent.”
The report, “Vitamin D – A Neglected
‘Analgesic’ for Chronic Musculoskeletal
Pain,” was peer-reviewed by a panel of 8
experts and includes the following important
points:
>> Vitamin D is a complex nutrient that
functions as a hormone to benefit numerous
body tissues and organs, including bones,
muscles, and nerves.
>> A surprising majority of persons in many
parts of the world, including the United
States, do not get adequate vitamin D from
sun exposure or foods. Why such deficiencies
are associated with pain in some persons but
not others is not always known.
>> The currently recommended adequate intake
of vitamin D – up to 600 IU per day – is
outdated and too low. According to the
research, most children and adults need at
least 1000 IU per day, and persons with
chronic musculoskeletal pain would benefit
from 2000 IU or more per day of supplemental
vitamin D3 (also called cholecalciferol).
>> Vitamin D supplements have a highly
favorable safety profile. They interact with
very few drugs or other agents, and are
usually not harmful unless extremely high
doses – such as, 50,000 IU or more – are
taken daily for an extended period of time.
>> Vitamin D supplements are easy for
patients to self-administer, are well
tolerated, and typically cost as little as 7
to 10 cents per day.
Besides the comprehensive *Research Report
(50-pages, 170 references), there is
available a shorter *Practitioner Briefing
(7-pages) that summarizes the report and
provides guidance for healthcare providers.
Additionally, a special *Patient Brochure
(6-pages) explains what vitamin D is, how it
works, and how it may help in relieving
pain.
*All 3 documents are available for free
access at:
http://Pain-Topics.org/VitaminD
In conclusion, Leavitt stresses that vitamin
D should not be viewed as a cure for all
pain conditions and in all patients. It also
is not necessarily a replacement for other
pain treatments.
“While further research would be helpful,”
he says, “current best evidence indicates
that recommending supplemental vitamin D for
patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain
and fatigue disorders would do no harm and
could do much good at little cost.
"It
should be considered by healthcare providers
for their patients early in the course of
pain management.”
Pain Treatment Topics and the associated
Pain-Topics.org website provide open and
free access to noncommercial, evidence-based
clinical news, information, research, and
education on the causes and effective
treatment of the many types of pain
conditions.
It is independently produced and currently
supported by an unrestricted educational
grant from Covidien/Mallinckrodt Inc., St.
Louis, MO, a leading manufacturer of generic
opioid analgesic products.
NOTE: Neither the author nor the sponsor has
any vested interests in the nutritional
supplement field.
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