Vitamin D linked to better pain management, study finds

A paper published in the Journal of Endocrinology, has indicated that Vitamin D supplementation combined with good sleeping habits may help manage pain-related diseases.

The paper reviewed published research on the relationship between vitamin D levels, sleep and pain management, and reported that levels of vitamin D combined with good quality sleep could help manage conditions including arthritis, menstrual cramps and chronic back pain.

Previously published studies have shown that vitamin D can affect the body's inflammatory response, which also alters pain sensation. Several clinical studies have reported that vitamin D levels are associated with sleep disorders.

Chronic pain conditions not only affect sufferers' quality of life but also negatively impact upon health service time and budgets.

A link between sleep disturbances and pain has long been established but a role for vitamin D has not been fully investigated. The findings suggested that vitamin D supplementation combined with good sleep quality could increase the effectiveness of pain management treatments, for diverse conditions.

The review, by Dr Monica Levy Andersen and colleagues at Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, investigated data on the role of vitamin D in pain-related conditions or sleep disturbances.

Dr Levy Andersen confirmed: “We can hypothesize that suitable vitamin D supplementation combined with sleep hygiene may optimize the therapeutic management of pain-related diseases, such as fibromyalgia.”

"It is necessary to understand the possible mechanisms involved in this relationship, including immunological and neurobiological pathways related to inter-relationship among sleep, vitamin D and pain.”