Vitamin D Inadequacy May Exacerbate Chronic Pain

Vitamin D Inadequacy May Exacerbate Chronic Pain

Newswise - Approximately one in four patients who suffer from chronic
pain also have inadequate blood levels of vitamin D, possibly
contributing to their ongoing pain, according to a new study. Patients
lacking sufficient vitamin D also required higher doses of morphine
for a longer period of time.

Researchers recorded the serum vitamin D levels of 267 adults
undergoing outpatient treatment for chronic pain, as well as their
pain medication (morphine) dose and duration of use, and physical and
general health functioning.

Of the patients tested, 26 percent had vitamin D inadequacy. Among
these patients, the morphine dose was nearly twice that of the group
with adequate vitamin D levels. In addition, the vitamin D inadequacy
group used morphine for an average of 71.1 months versus 43.8 months.
The vitamin D deficient group also reported lower levels of physical
functioning and had a poorer view of their overall health.

It has long been known that inadequate levels of vitamin D can cause
pain and muscle weakness, according to the study author, W. Michael
Hooten, M.D., medical director, and anesthesiologist at Mayo
Comprehensive Pain Rehabilitation Center, Rochester, Minnesota.
Previous studies also have suggested that pain-related symptoms of
vitamin D inadequacy respond poorly to pain medications.

However, "this is the first time that we have established the
prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy among a diverse group of chronic
pain patients," Dr. Hooten said.

"The implications are that in chronic pain patients, vitamin D
inadequacy is not the principal cause of pain and muscle weakness,
however, it could be a contributing but unrecognized factor," Dr.
Hooten said.

Vitamin D inadequacy can be "easily and inexpensively" treated "with
essentially no side effects" using a prescription supplement, once or
twice a week for four to six weeks, Dr. Hooten said. Further study is
needed to determine whether treating inadequate vitamin D levels will
result in improvements to the overall general health for patients with
chronic pain.

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