Vitamin D supplementation for diffuse musculoskeletal pain: Results of a before-and-after study

Background: Several studies have shown that vitamin D supplementation could be useful for treating diffuse musculoskeletal (DMS) pain in adults.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of correcting a vitamin D deficiency (≤ 50 nmol/l) on DMS pain and quality of life in adults.

Methods: A pragmatic prospective study was conducted in a general practice setting in the Rhone-Alps area between 1 February and 30 April 2009. Patients between the ages of 18 and 50 years old who consulted their general practitioner (GP) for DMS pain or chronic unexplained asthenia and had a deficient serum 25 (OH) D level with no signs of any other disease were enrolled in this study. The patients received high doses of vitamin D supplements (400 000 to 600 000 units). Mean pain evaluation scores were evaluated before and after vitamin D supplementation using mixed models and accounting for repeated measures.

Results: Before vitamin D supplementation, the adult study cohort (n = 49) had an adjusted mean serum 25 (OH) D level of 23.7 nmol/l, a mean pain evaluation score of 5.07 and a mean quality of life score of 3.55. After vitamin D supplementation, the adjusted mean serum 25 (OH) D level increased to 118.8 nmol/l (P < 0.001), the mean quality of life score increased to 2.8 nmol/l (P < 0.001) and the mean pain evaluation score decreased to 2.8 (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: In this small before-and-after study, vitamin D supplementation decreased pain scores in adult patients with diffuse musculoskeletal pain and vitamin D deficiency. These results must be confirmed by further studies.