RESEARCH · September 25, 2014
TAKE-HOME MESSAGE
- In this double-blind trial, patients were either given vitamin D3 supplementation or placebo for 16 weeks to determine whether the vitamin D3 affected musculoskeletal pain or headache. Of the 251 initial participants, 215 completed the follow-up visit. A total of 63% of patients reported headache within the last 4 weeks. Occurrence and localization of pain were measured. Visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were used to measure degree of musculoskeletal pain. The VAS and Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) were used to measure headache. Vitamin D level increased in the supplementation groups but not in the placebo group. Despite effective supplementation and improvements in pain scores and headache scores at follow-up, there were no differences in these scores between the vitamin D supplementation and the placebo groups.
- Vitamin D3 supplementation (25 μg/d or 10 μg/d) did not affect multiple variables associated with musculoskeletal pain and headache, including occurrence, localization, and degree of pain or headache.
Summary
Vitamin D supplementation for 16weeks did not reduce musculoskeletal pain or headache in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study among ethnic minorities living in Norway.
ABSTRACT
Immigrants from South Asia, the Middle East and Africa living in Northern Europe frequently have low vitamin D levels and more pain compared to the native Western population. The aim of this study was to examine whether daily vitamin D3 (25 μg/d or 10 μg/d) supplementation for 16 weeks would improve musculoskeletal pain or headache compared to placebo. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial recruited 251 participants aged 18 to 50 years, and 215 (86%) attended the follow-up visit. The pain measures were occurrence, anatomical localization and degree of musculoskeletal pain, as measured by visual analogue scale score (VAS) during the past two weeks. Headache was measured with VAS and the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) questionnaire. At baseline, females reported more pain sites (4.7) than males (3.4), and only 7% reported no pain the past two weeks. During the past 4 weeks, 63% reported headache with a high mean HIT-6 score of 60 (SD 7). At follow-up, vitamin D level, measured as serum 25(OH)D3 increased from 27 nmol/l to 52 nmol/l and from 27 nmol/l to 43 nmol/l in the 25 μg and 10 μg supplementation groups, respectively, whereas serum 25(OH)D3 did not change in the placebo group. Pain scores and headache scores were improved at follow-up compared with baseline. The use of vitamin D supplements, however, showed no significant effect on the occurrence, anatomical localization, and degree of pain or headache compared to placebo.
Pain
Effect of Vitamin D on Musculoskeletal Pain and Headache: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial Among Adult Ethnic Minorities in Norway