Vitamin D May Reduce Fibromyalgia Pain

A small Austrian study of patients with severe pain and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) suggests that supplementation with cholecalciferol was effective in reducing pain. Researchers concluded that this economical therapy with a low side-effect profile may be helpful in patients with FMS. The study was published in February 2014 Pain.

In the trial, 30 women with FMS, who had serum cholecalciferol levels below 32 mg/mL, were randomized to treatment or control groups. The goal was to achieve serum cholecalciferol levels between 32 and 48 mg/mL for 20 through oral supplementation with cholecalciferol. Reevaluation was performed in both groups after a further 24 weeks without cholecalciferol supplementation.

Pain was evaluated on several scales and questionnaires, including a visual analog scale, the Short Form Health Survey 36, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire.

Investigators reported a marked reduction in pain over the treatment period in the group that received the cholecalciferol supplementation. The pain reduction was significant as rated on the visual analog scale scores, which correlated with scores on the physical role functioning scale of the Short Form Health Survey 36. Furthermore, optimization of calcifediol in FMS had a positive effect on the pain perception.

Further studies of larger number of patients are needed, but the researchers said cholecalciferol may well be considered in patients with FMS.