Vitamin D and Pain

     Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to produce pain so severe that even opioid derivatives did not provide relief. Most of the patients in this study were elderly. Vitamin D alleviated the pain syndrome within 5-7 days. If mom or pop are locked away in a care home and suffering a lot of pain it is worth giving them a supplement with vitamin D such as Cod Liver Oil or Chelated Cal-Mag. Vitamin D deficiency is very common in older people whose aged skin does not readily produce the vitamin. 

     Other studies have shown severe vitamin D deficiency in younger individuals with persistent, nonspecific pain in the muscles and skeleton. Many of those with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritic pain have also been shown to benefit from vitamin D supplementation.

     

References:

     Gloth, III, F. Michael, M.D., et al, Can Vitamin D Deficiency Produce an Unusual Pain Syndrome? Archives of Internal Medicine, August 1991;151:1662-1664.

     Plotnikoff GA, Quigley JM,, Prevalence of Severe Hypovitaminosis D in Patients With Persistent, Nonspecific Musculoskeletal Pain, Mayo Clin Proc, December 2003;78:1463-1470.

     Atherton K, Berry DJ, et al, Vitamin D and chronic widespread pain in a white middle-aged British population: evidence from a cross-sectional population survey, Ann Rheum Dis, 2009; 68(6): 817-22.

     Wepner F, Scheuer R, et al, Effects of vitamin D on patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: A randomized placebo-controlled trial, Pain, 2014 Feb; 155(2): 261-8.