Vitamin D Supplementation for Nonspecific Musculoskeletal Pain in Non-Western Immigrants:
A Randomized Controlled Trial
Ann Fam Med November/December 2012 vol. 10 no. 6 547-555
Ferdinand Schreuder , and colleagues
Background
Many non-Western immigrants suffer musculoskeletal pain that is hard to treat.
This study examines the effect of high-dose vitamin D on nonspecific persistent musculoskeletal complaints in vitamin-D-deficient non-Western immigrants.
What This Study Found
High-dose vitamin D supplementation may have a positive effect on persistent musculoskeletal pain among vitamin D-deficient patients. A study of 84 non-Western immigrants in Western Europe, a population prone to vitamin D deficiency and musculoskeletal problems, revealed a small positive effect on pain 6 weeks after supplementation with 150,000 IU of Vitamin D3 on vitamin D-deficient patients.
Specifically, patients randomized to receive vitamin D supplementation were significantly more likely than those in a control group to report pain relief 6 weeks after treatment (35% vs 20%). The former were also more likely to report an improved ability to walk stairs (21%t vs 8%). In a nonsignificant trend, patients receiving vitamin D over 12 weeks were more likely to have an improvement than patients receiving it over 6 weeks.
Implications
The authors call for future investigation involving greater numbers of participants with longer follow-up and higher doses.
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Summary by VitaminDWki
- Single 150,000 IU dose to group which is typically very vitamin D deficient, then check 6 weeks later
- Pain relief reported 35% vs 20% of the control group
- Impoved ability to walk stairs 21% vs 8% in the control group
Comment by VitaminDWiki
A larger dose could have been given (say 200,000 IU), and the dose could have given every two weeks
Overview Loading of vitamin D