[url]Is Fibromyalgia Just a Vitamin D Deficiency? [/url]
The above article by Bill Sardi is well worth reading and while I'm sure it won't provide the answer to everyone's fibro/cfs/me problems it may help some. If you have a GP willing to do [link= http://www.vitamindcouncil.com/reference/glossary-%23.shtml#bloodtest ]25-hydroxyvitaminD test[/link]. Optimal levels are around 50[link= http://www.vitamindcouncil.com/reference/glossary-U.shtml#units ]ng/mL[/link] (125nM/L) so taking sufficient vitamin d3 to raise your levels to the optimum and keeping them there for several months should show if this helps your energy/pain/mood levels.
Those who haven't got a GP willing to run the tests and prescribe sufficiently effective amounts of Vitamin D3 Cholecalciferol to correct any insufficiency can read my thread here [link= http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=426124 ]Vitamin D3 Cholecalciferol[/link]which shows you how to correct an insufficiency situation safely using cheap sources of Vitamin D3 or sunlight.
Whether or not Vit D3 is the cause of FMS or not the evidence shows it's an associated factor see
[link= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16850115&query_hl=23&itool=pubmed_docsum ]Vitamin D deficiency is common in fibromyalgia and occurs more frequently in patients with anxiety and depression[/link]
[link= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=11708429&query_hl=23&itool=pubmed_docsum ]Many patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and fibromyalgia (FM) may spend less time exposed to the sun than healthy individuals and thus might have low vitamin D levels.[/link]
[link= http://159.54.227.3/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060925/LIVING/609250324/1004 ]Vitamin D3 supplements have been shown to help people whose fibromyalgia is affected by lack of sun.
"In a Mayo Clinic study of 100 FMS patients, all 100 had sub-clinical levels of Vitamin D3," Sorem said.
"With D3 supplementation, the majority had good to great results within 72 hours," he added.[/link]
While there will be many others factors associated with this condition it is important to eliminate from the equation those that can be remedied quickly and cheaply. [url]This recent research[/url] shows 87% of UK adults were insufficient in Winter and60.9% in the Summer and that is using a measure 75 nmol/Lwhich is well below the ideal 125nmol/L and the worst level were twice as likely in the obese as in the nonobese and in Scottish participants as in those from other parts of Great Britain. Even if raising your Vitamin D3 status does not improve your FMS it will not have been a waste of time/money as [link= http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070206100608.htm ]Vitamin D Backed For Cancer Prevention In Two New Studies[/link]shows it will have halved your risk of certain common cancers.
RE: Is Fibromyalgia Just a Vitamin D Deficiency?
There is more than just vitamin D for fibromyalgia. Vitamins are good but it does not correct dislocated and / or pinched nerves in the body. It take a kind of specialist in Alternative Medicine to reset those nerves. In Canada, they are found in two provinces only.
Good Luck on your vitamin D
Joe
Edit: To add signature
RE: Is Fibromyalgia Just a Vitamin D Deficiency?
Fibromyalgia is a complex problem in which symptoms of anxiety and depression frequently occur.
In the latest Vitamin D and Fibromyaligia research they used as "normal" Vitamin d status a level (50 nmol/l or greater) which is far too low. (125nmol/l) is optimal. However those people in their survey with deficiency status ((<25 nmol/l))or veryLow levels 25-50 nmol/l had worse levels of anxiety and depression than those with the highest levels (albeit these levels could be raised to safer levels)
It follows that any medical specialist treating Fibromyalgia needs to ensure that their patient is aware of the fact that 70% of fibromyalgia sufferers do have abnormally low levels of vitamin d andthe 30% who have "normal" levels (and fewer fms symptoms) would do even better if their vitamin d status were raised to optimal.
The averageVitamin d status in Canadais similar to the UK where 9 out of 10 of us have levels below 75nmo/l in Winter and 6 out of 10 remain insufficient throughout the Summer. Any medical fibromyalgia specialist who fails to take account of the Vitamin D status of their patient is both negligent and incompetent imo.
RE: Is Fibromyalgia Just a Vitamin D Deficiency?
Any specialist in Dislocated and / or pinched nerves like I, knows that vitamin D has nothing to do with fibromyalgia. People think you can treat / reset dislocated and / or pinched nerves with vitamin D, you are dead wrong. I have treated / relieved pain(fibromyalgia) in many patients and vitamin D was not the question and not even the answer. Somebody is barking at the wrong tree.
Symptoms of anxiety and depression are not even close to relieve fribromyalgia.
Good Luck with your vitamin D
Joe
RE: Is Fibromyalgia Just a Vitamin D Deficiency?
ORIGINAL: painlessjoe
......I have treated / relieved pain(fibromyalgia) in many patients and vitamin D was not the question and not even the answer. Somebody is barking at the wrong tree.
Every post I put online is supported by peer reviewed published evidence. It certainly isn't me who is barking.
The failure of medical specialists to recognise the epidemic of Vitamin d deficiency is regrettable.
An example of the way Vitamin D deficiency is diagnosed and treated as Fibromyalgia is shown [link= http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=17396471 ]here[/link] A 37-year-old woman was referred to our endocrine clinic for management of her long-standing hypothyroidism. Her main complaints were muscle aches and pains that started about a year ago. The symptoms progressed to generalized muscle weakness. She described difficulty in getting out of her chair and in climbing stairs. She had an extensive work-up done by her neurologist and rheumatologist, including nerve-conduction studies and a muscle biopsy. The evaluation was normal, and she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. She had gastric bypass surgery in 1998 and lost 150 pounds since the operation. She also has had lactose intolerance and a compression fracture without trauma. Her weight was 314 pounds. She had proximal muscle weakness. The rest of her physical examination was normal. Serum laboratory values are listed in Table 1. Based on the laboratory values, she was diagnosed as having severe vitamin D deficiency. She was started on 50,000 IU of vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol) once a week for 6 months. Now her 25 hydroxyvitamin D level is 40 ng/mL, and her muscle strength has improved
It is a pity that in this example Ergocalciferol was used to correct the deficiency. If you are interested,Google The Case Against Ergocalciferol (VitaminD2) as a vitamin supplement for a detailed explanation of the reasons why Cholecalciferol Vitamin D3 is a better safer choice.
The point is that many people are diagnosed with fibromyalgia who are also Vitamin D deficient or insufficient (they have vitamin dlevels below the optimal 50ng/mL - 125nmol/L)Whilepatients continue to have a low vitamin d status, so will thepoor muscle strength, joint pain, depression and anxiety and other FMS like symptoms. To ensure peak physical and mental performance, it's important for everyone to get limited but regular exposure to direct sunlight during the day,if this isn't possible then they should supplement with an effective level of Vitamin D3 Cholecalciferol. More details in this thread [link= http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=426124 ]Vitamin D3 Cholecalciferol[/link]