Vitamin Information Center

High intake of Vitamin D can reduce chronic pain in women, a new study has suggested. A team of researchers from the Institute of Child Health in London found that women suffering from chronic pain may benefit from an extra daily dose of vitamin D, which comes from sunshine and fortified milk.

Called the “sunshine vitamin” because of its exceptional quality of being produced by the body by just basking in the warm sun, low levels of the vitamin D may contribute to women’s chronic pain that can cause complications such as sleep disorders, loss of appetite and depressiondefine or other serious disorders.

The British researchers reached their findings after studying 7,000 women and men aged 45 in England, Scotland and Wales. In their study the researchers found that chronic widespread pain is linked to low levels of the vitamin D in women, but surprisingly not in men.

Lead researcher Dr Elina Hyppnen of the Institute of Child Health in London and colleagues found that all women, irrespective of whether they were smokers, non-drinkers, overweight or underweight, reported higher rates of chronic pain due to vitamin D deficiency. However, vitamin D levels appeared to make no difference to the number of male participants who reported pain symptoms.

The researchers, who reported their findings in the latest edition of the ‘Annals of Rheumatic Diseases’ journal, found that women with vitamin D levels between 75 and 99 nanomoles of 25-hydroxy-vitaminD (25(OH)D) per liter of blood, a level believed necessary for good bone health, had the lowest rates (8%) of chronic pain, while women with vitamin D levels of less than 25 mmol/liter had the highest rates (14.4%) of this type of pain.

As the deficiency of vitamin D only affects women, the researchers believe female hormonesdefine may have some role to play in women’s chronic pain.

Though the latest research suggested that vitamin D levels could play a role in some cases of chronic pain in women, but lead researcher Hyppnen thinks the follow-up studies are needed to confirm the findings.

Still she thinks, “If I had chronic pain I would certainly check I was getting enough vitamin D.”

But, Kate MacIver of the Pain Research Institute at Liverpool University cautioned that high intake of Vitamin D supplements to prevent or treat chronic pain could result in Vitamin D toxicity and high blood calcium levels.

Technically a hormone, Vitamin D is produced within the body when the skin is exposed to the ultraviolet B (UVB) rays in the sunlight. Known as sunshine vitamin, it is also found in oily fish, egg yolks and margarine.

The basic function of vitamin D is to regulate the levels of calcium and phosphorous in the blood, thus helping to build strong bones and healthy teeth. It’s also believed to strengthen the immune systemdefine and possibly prevent some forms of cancerdefine, including prostate, breast and especially colondefine cancer.

Deficiency of Vitamin D can occur due to inadequate dietary intake of preformed vitamin D, malabsorption of vitamin D, or too little exposure to sunlight. The deficiency can lead to problems such as liver or kidney disorders or hereditary disorders. In adults, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, as well as rickets in children and osteoporosis in pregnant and post menopausal women.

As little as 30 minutes of early morning or late afternoon sunlight on the face, hands and arms two or three times a week can supply the entire Vitamin D one needs. In addition, many experts recommend 400-600 IU a day for people over the age of 50 and 800 IU for those over the age of 70. For younger adults, 200-400 IU a day is probably sufficient.

You are female, over 50, post-menopausal and you keep breaking bones. In fact, you need a hip or knee replacement. The diagnosis? Most likely, your problem will be blamed on osteoporosis.

But the real reason you have brittle bones could be a vitamin D deficiency.

In a recent review of women with osteoporosis hospitalized for hip fractures, 50 percent were found to have signs of vitamin D deficiency, according to Dr. Kenneth Mathis, chairman of orthopedic surgery at the Methodist Center for Orthopedic Surgery in Houston, Texas.

It isn’t only older women who are suffering due to the deficiency. “I am seeing many active, young women and men who have dangerously low vitamin D levels,” said Dr. Mathis.

Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by abnormally porous bone that is fragile and tends to be compressible like a sponge, rather than strong and dense like a brick. In the U.S., more than 10 million people have osteoporosis and an additional 34 million more have low bone density.
The bone disorder is a serious health problem in the U.S. In fact, 50 % of white women will experience a bone fracture due to osteoporosis in her lifetime and 20 % of those who experience a hip fracture will die within a year of the fracture.

A long-term deficiency of vitamin D contributes to osteoporosis because it reduces calcium absorption. The vitamin regulates the amount of calcium that remains in the blood and how much moves into bones and teeth. In addition, vitamin D has also has been found to reduce the risk of breast, colon and ovarian cancer.

“I believe if these people begin taking the daily recommended amount of vitamin D when they are younger, and get their levels tested regularly, that they might be able to prevent osteoporosis and certain cancers when they get older,” Dr. Mathis stated.

Sources of vitamin D include fortified milk, cod liver oil, certain fish (sardines, tuna, salmon and mackerel), yogurt and sunlight. Unfortunately, people who wear a sunscreen with a SPF of 8 or more may have a difficult time converting sunlight into vitamin D.

According to Dr. Mathis, most adults over age 50 should take a daily supplement of vitamin D, if they don’t think they are getting the daily recommended amount (adults under age 50, including pregnant women, need 200 IU of vitamin D daily, people over age 50 need 400 IU daily and those over 70 need 600 IU per day).

However, taking too much vitamin D is not a healthy idea. Dr. Mathis noted the correct amount is important because vitamin D is stored in the liver and in fatty tissues. The vitamin is not water soluble like B vitamins or vitamin C so it cannot leave the body as easily if taken in excess. Vitamin D in very high dosages can build up too much calcium in the blood, leading to kidney stones and/or kidney failure.

One of Dr. Mathis’ patients, sixty-year-old Darlene Yates, was found to have a vitamin D deficiency and she has begun a strict vitamin D regimen to build up her levels following several episodes of broken bones.

She reports her energy has improved and she feels better in general after the treatment.
“I’m hoping that I can get to where I don’t break any more bones and have to have any more surgeries,” Yates said. “If I would have known about the link between vitamin D and bone weakness 40 years ago, you can bet I would have done something about it.”

The term vitamin D covers a range of compounds including ergocalciferol (vitamin D₂ ) and colecalciferol (vitamin D₃ ). These two compounds are equipotent and either can be used to prevent and treat rickets. Continue Reading…