Fibromyalgia Pain Linked To Vitamin D Deficiency

A new study focuses on the connection between fibromyalgia pain and vitamin D deficiencies. The research was presented at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR). Previous studies have found low vitamin D levels in patients with fibromyalgia, and researchers believe the deficiencies are contributing to pain and fatigue.

The latest study on vitamin D deficiency focused on patients with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The report, titled “Vitamin D status and the efficacy of high-dose intramuscular cholecalciferol on musculoskeletal pain and morning fatigue in patients with chronic rheumatic diseases,” revealed that patients with these disorders had lower levels of vitamin D. In addition, patients with fibromyalgia had the lowest levels compared to the other two groups.

Researchers used intramuscular injections of cholecalciferol as a treatment for the vitamin D deficiency. These injections were administered every four weeks, and patients received a total of three doses. After treatment, patients in all three groups, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, reported lower levels of fatigue and pain. Researchers believe that vitamin D deficiencies are making “musculoskeletal pain and morning fatigue” worse for patients.

A previous study found that patients with fibromyalgia benefited from vitamin D supplements. However, researchers pointed out that one deficiency is not enough to explain the disease, and fixing the deficiency may not eliminate all of the symptoms. Nevertheless, researchers noticed a significant difference between the control group and the group that received the vitamin D supplements.

“We believe that the data presented in the present study are promising. FMS [fibromyalgia syndrome] is a very extensive symptom complex that cannot be explained by a vitamin D deficiency alone. However, vitamin D supplementation may be regarded as a relatively safe and economical treatment for FMS patients and an extremely cost-effective alternative or adjunct to expensive pharmacological treatment as well as physical, behavioral, and multimodal therapies,” said Florian Wepner, MD.