Vitamin D For Chronic Pain

Vitamin D is known for its many beneficial health effects. In the case of a vitamin D deficiency – which is very widespread nowadays – the administration of vitamins leads to noticeable improvements in the state of health. Vitamin D can even help to relieve pain in chronic pain conditions – as researchers announced in May 2017. Together with good sleep hygiene, vitamin D is said to be able to relieve the pain of arthritis, fibromyalgia, menstrual cramps, and back problems.

Vitamin D for chronic pain

Vitamin D is vitamin that is actually not a vitamin at all, but more of a hormone, since the body can produce it in sufficient quantities – but only when the sun is shining and the skin comes into contact with enough UVB radiation.

Vitamin D ensures, among other things, strong bones and teeth. It strengthens the immune system, thus reducing susceptibility to infections, has an anti-inflammatory effect, lifts the spirits, and improves – if there was a vitamin D deficiency beforehand – most chronic diseases.

While the role of vitamin D in bone metabolism has now been very well researched, it is becoming increasingly apparent that vitamin D is also indispensable for many other biological processes – for example in the processing of pain signals and in the regulation of the wake-sleep cycle.

Vitamin D, pain and sleep disorders: The connections

We now know that sleep disorders can increase pain and vice versa. How exactly vitamin D fits into these relationships, however, was previously unclear. A corresponding study has now been carried out by researchers from the Department of Psychobiology at the Federal University of São Paulo in Brazil and published in May 2017 in the Journal of Endocrinology.

In their review, the Brazilian researchers examined the latest studies on the relationship between vitamin D, sleep, and pain. The focus was in particular on chronic pain, e.g. B. for back problems, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and menstrual cramps. Chronic pain now affects more people than heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined. Therefore, chronic pain is also the main reason for a visit to the doctor.

Vitamin D and good sleep relieve chronic pain

Pain is regulated by the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) together with the peripheral nervous system. The latter consists of nerves in the body that transmit the pain signal to the brain and spinal cord. From there, the person then finds out exactly where it hurts and how badly.

The immune system is also involved in pain intensity. It interacts with the peripheral nervous system e.g. B. via inflammatory processes, which can increase the pain sensitivity of those affected enormously. Likewise, the quality of sleep can affect pain. The worse and less you sleep, the more intense the pain.

Now, since vitamin D is involved in both sleep quality and inflammatory processes (it acts as an anti-inflammatory), it may also affect pain sensitivity through both of these pathways. Study author Dr. Monica Levy Andersen thus wrote in her summary:

“We can assume that an appropriate vitamin D intake with the right sleep hygiene makes pain therapies more effective.”

Vitamin D promotes sleep quality

dr Andersen’s team showed the connection between vitamin D and sleep quality based on 19 studies from 2011 to 2017. For example, vitamin D can improve restless legs syndrome, which in turn leads to significantly better sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea, which is associated with severe impairment of sleep, can also be alleviated by a healthy vitamin D level. Many of the analyzed studies also directly examined the influence of vitamin D on overall sleep quality and sleep duration.

Vitamin D for pain conditions

Another 16 studies (published between 2008 and 2017) looked at the link between vitamin D and chronic pain. The studies looked at arthritis pain, musculoskeletal pain, fibromyalgia pain, cancer, and back pain. Here, too, a positive influence of vitamin D was shown.

For example, here we explain how vitamin D can improve chronic fibromyalgia pain:

• Vitamin D for Fibromyalgia
• Vitamin D improves both: sleep and pain

Since chronic pain and sleep disorders influence each other and vitamin D plays an important role in both problems, the regulation of vitamin D levels is of enormous importance here.

In the case of chronic pain, you should therefore always ensure good sleep hygiene and also check your vitamin D level. Both measures lead – according to Dr. Andersen – to better success of any pain therapy. The quality of life of those affected would be improved by these simple measures and healthcare costs could be massively reduced.

Good sleep hygiene for chronic pain

Good sleep hygiene includes the following points (of course not only for chronic pain):

• Going to bed at the same early time every day, e.g. at 10 p.m.
• Get up at the same early time every day, e.g. at 7 a.m.
• Provide fresh air in the bedroom.
• Sleeping when it is dark (shutters, blinds, or thick curtains)
• Comfortable pillow, matching mattress
• Do not watch exciting or stressful films before going to bed, preferably no news, some of which are worse than some thrillers
• Avoid screens before going to bed (at least 1 to 2 hours) as their light can lower melatonin levels and thus make sleep worse
• End the day relaxed: relaxation exercises, listening to nice music or similar.

Regulation of vitamin D levels in chronic pain

The following measures are required to regulate the vitamin D level in pain therapy:

Determine current vitamin D levels

• Determine the required vitamin D dose according to the measured vitamin D values
• Purchase an appropriately dosed vitamin D preparation or have it prescribed and take it
• Check the vitamin D level at regular intervals and adjust the dose accordingly.