Vitamin D & Fibromyalgia

[Guest guest]

I have been checking Vitamin D Levels on select patients for about 1

year now. I was surprised to find that more than 75% of those that I

checked were moderately to severely deficient in Vitamin D, and this

is in Southern California where we have sunshine 340 days a year.

I noticed that my patients with fibromyalgia were deficient of

Vitamin D, 100% of the time. The more severe the fibromyalgia, the

lower the Vitamin D levels. I then looked up Vitamin D Deficiency

in my Merck Manual. The signs of Vitamin D Deficiency were muscle

aches (myalgias), joint pains (arthralgias) and generalized fatigue.

Could this be a cause of their fibromyalgia? I started treating my

patients with about 2000 IU of Vitamin D daily. A few patients have

reported feeling better, others have not. I am still collecting

data and will keep you posted. Many other studies have shown that

vitamin D deficiency has also been associated with osteoporosis,

colon cancer, breast cancer and other maladies.

So how do you get Vitamin D? Increase your sunlight exposure!

Everyone is too afraid of skin cancer so they are avoiding the sun.

Are we contributing to more colon and breast cancers than preventing

skin cancers? If you choose to supplement, most will need 1000-2000

IU. The recommended 400 IU of Vitamin D is too low.

To check your Vitamin D levels, have your doctor order a Vitamin D 25-

OH Level.

addendum: May 13th, 2008- It is important that you take Vitamin D3,

not regular Vitamin D as its not as potent. I have seen favorable

results in patients, including a drug rep whose pains have diminished

significantly..

Below is an article from NewsTarget

——

(NewsTarget) Insufficient intake of vitamin D may lead to decreased

physical strength, increased muscle weakness and increased risk of

disability in older women and men, according to a new study published

in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.

Because vitamin D deficiency is widespread, the researchers have

suggested that increasing vitamin D intake may help older adults

decrease their risk of disability and maintain better muscle strength

and physical performance.

Researchers measured the serum levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D for 976

adults over the age of 64. They also took measures of grip strength —

which is a good predictor of the risk of future disability — and

physical performance.

Twenty-nine percent of the women and 14 percent of the men

participating were found to be vitamin D deficient, as measured by

their blood levels. Compared to the participants with normal vitamin

D levels, these people scored 5 to 10 percent lower on measures of

grip strength and physical performance. This correlation was found to

be independent of other factors, including the participant's activity

level, mental function, weight and overall health.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that the body produces upon

exposure to sunlight — as little as 15 to 30 minutes, depending on

skin color, latitude and time of year. It is known to be essential

for bone health, but recent studies have suggested that it also plays

an important role in protecting against cancer, diabetes,

tuberculosis and even the common cold.

The current recommended daily allowance for vitamin D, however, is

based upon the levels needed to merely maintain healthy bones — a

level that many researchers believe may be lower than that needed for

other health benefits.

According to researcher K. Houston of the Wake Forest

University of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, " Higher

amounts of vitamin D may be needed for the preservation of muscle

strength and physical function as well as other conditions such as

cancer prevention. "

Because of this, many scientists are now recommending a daily intake

of 2000 IU, rather than the currently recommended 400 IU.