Vitamin D – did you know it can impact on pain?
Vitamin D is a vitamin many of us already know about. A couple of the bigger implications we know of are its role in our immune health, and the impact deficiency can have on bone density and strength as we (particularly women) age. But did you know that Vitamin D deficiency can have an effect on pain?
There are a number of studies that have shown a correlation between vitamin D levels and chronic pain, as well as intensity of pain levels following a musculoskeletal injury. Some research also shows that pain levels increase as vitamin D levels decrease, and that supplementation of Vitamin D can bring pain levels down. Low vitamin D has also been associated with post menopausal women experiencing lower back pain (1) and supplementing vitamin D in deficient fibromyalgia patients showed a significant improvement in pain and quality of life (2).
The research as yet has not determined exactly how Vitamin D affects pain, however there are some theories around the fact that Vitamin D acts as a hormone in the body which could potentially affect the vitamin D receptors in genes involved in pain signalling pathways. These receptors have been found in many tissues in the body that are involved in pain sensation, perception and modulation. There are also theories around Vitamin D having an effect on the gut microbiota, inflammatory cells that are released during inflammation and injury and our opioid receptors. (3)
While supplementing Vitamin D may not fix everyone’s pain, it is worth getting your levels checked, especially going into winter, to ensure that they are at an optimal level. Here in Australia we do get a lot of sun, however due to the harshness of our UV the majority are told to cover up – hats, shirts, sunscreen, which reduces our exposure and potentially reduces the amount of Vitamin D we get from being outside.
During the seasons when the UV is below 3, spend some time outdoors with your skin uncovered to get your Vitamin D fix (4). While we don’t tend to get enough Vitamin D from diet alone, some foods that contain Vitamin D include eggs, milk, herring and sardines. If you do get your levels checked and you require supplementation, we usually recommend a spray or liquid for better absorption.
If you need support with this, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
References:
1. Blackmore’s Institute. Low vitamin D linked to back pain. Blackmore’s Institute. 2020.
2. Helde-Frankling M, Björkhem-Bergman L. Vitamin D in Pain Management. International journal of molecular sciences. 2017 Oct 18;18(10).
3. Blackmore’s Institute. Vitamin D’s vital role in pain modulation. Blackmore’s Insttitute. 2021.
4. Cancer Council. Vitamin D - How much sun do we need? Cancer Council.