Can Vitamin D cure pain of Fibromyalgia?

Vitamin D, an essential vitamin needed for strengthening of bones, also called as “sun-shine vitamin” because vitamin D is produced from the body when skin absorbs sunlight. Recent research and studies show that Vitamin D has more versatile effects than previously thought as particularly when it comes to maintaining a healthy immune system and boosting mood.

Normal levels of vitamin D are very important for maintaining many vital functions of our body. Low levels of vitamin D can cause severe problems such as asthma, cold, Seasonal affective disorder, and even chronic pain and fibromyalgia.

From the above statement we can say that taking large amount of Vitamin D can help us to combat fibromyalgia but this is not just yet. Studies have shown that people who have pain especially fibromyalgia are more deficient in Vitamin D as compared to the people who don’t have pain.

However, it’s not clear which came first; people in pain may get less sun (presumably because they may be more likely to stay inside, due to pain), which could lead to a vitamin D deficiency, rather than vice versa—a vitamin D deficiency leading to pain and it is also not clear that taking adequate levels of vitamin will help to relieve pain or fibromyalgia symptoms such as lack of energy and difficulty in sleeping.

In our body vitamin D is secreted when skin is exposed to sun light, it requires only 10 to 15 minutes to make an adequate amount but even than most of the people remains deficient of the normal amount of this vitamin. A study was conducted in 2003 which showed that 93% of the people with pain were lacking the normal levels of vitamin D.

Sun screening for vitamin D deficiency is as easy as a blood test and it can be covered up with a few minutes of sunscreen- free time in the sun, supplemental pills and by taking foods like eggs, mushrooms or any other foods rich in Vitamin D.

Getting vitamin D from natural sources will prevent you from up taking of too much vitamins since the body makes amount only which is required. Although it is difficult to overdose vitamin D but if you higher doses of vitamin D which cam cause hypercalcaemia, a higher concentration in levels of calcium in body which can lead to failure of kidney and increase in levels of phosphates which can effect bone density.

Many who lack vitamin D—especially during the dark and dreary winter months when sunlight isn’t abundant—do turn to supplements. In 2008, Americans spent $235 million on vitamin D supplements, up from $40 million in 2001.

Can vitamin D help us to manage the pains of fibromyalgia? We can have the answer of this question by reading the text below.

Regory A. Plotnikoff, MD, the medical director at the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, in Minneapolis said that many Americans are reporting that including vitamin D in their diet is helping them to reduce their pain, increase energy and better sense of well being.

However Dr Micheal Hooten, an assistant professor of anesthesiology noted that patients in pain may be more inactive and spend less time in sun than the people who are pain free. He said “they may stay indoors most, their diet may be altered which may predispose them to develop a vitamin D deficiency”.

In the study of 267 chronic pain patients, 66 had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Over half of the participants had such intense pain that they were using opioid painkillers daily.

“If you’re choking down 150 milligrams of morphine per day, you don’t have energy, you feel lousy, you’re staying at home all the time,” he says. “Clinicians should be suspect of chronic pain patients. What we measured justifies screening for [vitamin D deficiency].”

For now, more research is needed to determine whether exposure to more vitamin D will truly help cut fibromyalgia pain.

Vitamin D can help diminish pain caused by osteomalacia, a softening or weakening of the bones caused by a severe, long-term lack of vitamin D. Researchers aren’t sure how many people suffer from osteomalacia, says Dr. Hooten, but it can be misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia or other conditions.

Even If an adequate level of vitamin don’t lessen pain but can potentially prevent 150,000 causes of cancer annually. Simply,taking too much vitamin D can have much positive effects.