Have chronic neuromuscular pain? Check your vitamin D levels!
Many people suffer from what is referred to as non-specific neuromuscular pain. They are in pain but can’t pinpoint a specific place that hurts, and doctors may not be able to find a concrete reason why they are experiencing it. Those who experience non-specific neuromuscular pain have good reason to get their vitamin D levels checked.
New research published in the May 2020 issue of the Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences evaluated the impact that vitamin D has on patients who experience this type of chronic pain (1). They looked at the medical records of 62 patients who experience non-specific neuromuscular pain and fatigue. In addition, they checked each patient’s serum vitamin D levels.
The patients who participated in the study suffered from a variety of body aches, neck and back pain, and fatigue. They gave the patients vitamin D supplementation, even though they had access to sunlight on a regular basis. The serum vitamin D tests showed that all of the participants had less than what is considered to be a healthy level, and nearly 63% of them had a severe deficiency.
Almost half of the patients, 30 of them, reported that they had improvements in their systems following the vitamin D supplementation. The researchers conclude that there is a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among those who have non-specific neuromuscular pain and fatigue. They also report that supplementation leads to a significant improvement in symptoms.
It’s a good idea for everyone who has this chronic pain condition to have their vitamin D level checked to see if that may be a contributing factor. This is especially true for those who live in areas of the country that don’t get a lot of sunshine.
About Vitamin D
According to the National Institutes of Health, Obtaining Vitamin D is possible from some foods, such as:
- Fatty fish
- Beef liver
- Cheese
- Mushrooms
- Fortified milk
- Other fortified foods, such as cereals
Your body can also make it if you get adequate sunlight. Those who do not get enough of it may experience medical problems. Vitamin D deficiency is currently being researched in connection to such health issues as autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hypertension, bone disorders, and cancer.
To get your vitamin D levels checked, you can ask your doctor for a test. If your levels are low, your doctor will provide you with information on supplementation to correct the deficiency. It’s a quick test that is well worth taking considering the issues that can arise from a deficiency.
Sources:
Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences. Vitamin D Levels in Patients Presenting with Non-Specific Neuromuscular Pain and Fatigue in Ethiopia. May 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32874076/
National Institutes of Health. Vitamin D Fact Sheet. https://ods.od.nih.gov/pdf/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer.pdf
