Vitamin D and Fibromyalgia

Most people, not just those with fibro, have low levels of vitamin D. I have always supplemented with vitamin D3, even though I live in sunny Florida. It was just recently that my doctor started checking my exact levels and he discovered that even with taking vitamins D3 supplements I was still on the absolute lower end of the spectrum! So he has up me to 5,000mcg a day. I do feel like I feel a bit better, less pain, more energy (a little.) I am curious now my next visit to see how much my levels have gone up. Real curious.

http://www.prohealth.com/fibromyalgia/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=18746&B1=EM021214F

Good List of Supplements for Fibromyalgia - from WebMd

http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/fibromyalgia-what-you-need-to-know-10/herbs-supplements?ecd=wnl_fib_031511

Click on the article link above, it's a good list and explanation of top supplements for fibromyalgia. Some of the I have not heard of, so will have to look into, and some I already take!

- Anthocyanidin.
- Capsaicin.
- Magnesium and malic acid supplements.
- SAM-e (S-Anenosylmethionine).
- St. John’s wort.
- Valerian.
- Vitamin D supplements.

The Best Supplements for Fibro

This is a really good post, as an intor to taking supplements for fibromyalgia. She lists the reasons why someone may consider trying supplements and herbs, and the best ones to start with and why:

http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/130504/fibromyalgia?ic=6042

- Magnesium (search my blog for magnesium, I have several other posts on this, I take it and has helped me lot with my sleep too)
- Malic Acid (I take this as well, and this is also found in green apples! Yay!)
- 5-HTP (I have not tried this but have read very good things about it. BE CAREFUL as this can sometimes interact with some prescriptions.)
- Vitamin D (I take this as well, for some reason fibromites have a deficiency in this vitamin)
- Sam-e (This has helped not just my mood but also my pain and joints, love it)
- Ginger (Yup, take this too, anti-inflammatory and good for energy so take in the morning)

Vitamin D a Chronic Pain: New Research

When I was first diagnosed with fibro one of the initial tests done was checking my vitamin D levels, as it seems for some reason a lot of fibros have low vitamin D. My levels were of course very low, so my doctor put me on 2000 IU's vitamin D/day. Within 3 months I got my levels back up into the normal range, and I continue to take 1000 IU's/day. Its one of the many supplements that I take that I feel makes a difference in my health. (Even if someone does not have fibro keeping your vitamin D levels in check are a good idea!) It may not be a "cure" but I think it is one of the stepping stones in helping me feel better and healthier! Seems like studies are just now being done and coming to the forefront on how these low vitamin D levels relate to our chronic pain and fibro. I love how the article starts off describing "general pain that doesn’t respond to treatment." -- helloooo fibro! :)

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/features/vitamin-d-deficiency-and-chronic-pain-link?ecd=wnl_cbp_022411

"Plotnikoff notes that vitamin D is a hormone. 'Every tissue in our bodies has [vitamin] D receptors, including all bones, muscles, immune cells, and brain cells,' he says.
And in March 2009, researchers at the Mayo Clinic published a study showing that patients with inadequate vitamin D levels who were taking narcotic pain drugs required nearly twice as much medication to control their pain as did patients with adequate D levels."

"Plotnikoff says that there is no evidence from randomized, controlled trials that replenishing vitamin D levels will cure chronic pain. 'But it doesn’t hurt to do it,' he notes.
So if you've got chronic pain, it can’t hurt to ask your doctor to check your vitamin D levels. 'I believe this is absolutely medically indicated, and it should be the standard of care for everyone with chronic, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain,' Plotnikoff says.

If you have severe vitamin D deficiency, any efforts to boost your D levels should be done by consulting with your doctor. Too much vitamin D can be dangerous and lead to an excess accumulation of calcium in your blood, which can lead to kidney stones.