Vitamin D and Joint Pain: Is there any connection?

The human body needs a wide range of nutrients to ensure effective functioning. Every nutrient has a specific role that ensures the smooth working of the body. The nutrients that the human body needs are fiber, vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, etc. All these nutrients work together to help keep up with human health. One such essential nutrient is Vitamin D, which is popular among the talks when it comes to bone health.

Human bones mainly comprise calcium and other minerals like phosphorus and potassium. Vitamin D plays a major role in regulating the use and absorption of calcium and phosphorus. And hence it’s crucial for bone and teeth formation and regulating their health. Besides, Vitamin D is often related to joint pain.

For instance, can Vitamin D supplements help relieve joint pain? Or can Vitamin D deficiency affect the condition of joint pain? In this article, we will try to discuss the link between Vitamin D and Joint pain. Let’s start with the use of Vitamin D in the human body.

Why human body need Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is essential for regulating the amount of calcium and phosphorus in the body. Calcium and phosphorus are essential for bone health and thus it can be said that Vitamin D is essential for bone health. It has raised further concerns about whether vitamin D can help improve the condition of joint pain or not? The researches is ongoing and yet the ground results are not discovered.

Further, the decline in Vitamin D levels affects bone health adversely. Vitamin D deficiency results in softening and weakening of bones. It is termed osteomalacia in adults and rickets in kids. Besides, Vitamin D is also essential for regulating other body functions. Vitamin D is responsible for strengthening immunity and also helps manage autoimmune conditions. Besides, it can also help overcome chronic conditions.

What do the studies say in support of Vitamin D for the treatment of joint pain?

Different studies have shown different results on the effects of Vitamin D on joint pain. A study found that patients with chronic diseases and those deficient in Vitamin D were most likely to benefit from Vitamin D supplements. The condition of joint pain in these patients was improved with Vitamin D supplements.

Another study discussed the effects of Vitamin D deficiency in adults above 50 years of age. It was found that older people are most likely to develop joint pain after 50 and that the condition can get worse if accompanied by Vitamin D deficiency.

Another study on autoimmune patients has concluded that people with these conditions have low Vitamin D levels. The autoimmune condition is called Rheumatoid Arthritis and attacks bone joints. The researchers concluded that low Vitamin D levels can be a complication of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common reasons for bone health issues and other immune system-related problems. The daily recommended dose of Vitamin D is 600 IU for an adult and 400 IU for a baby up to 1 year of age. However, older people above 70 years of age might need up to 800 IU of Vitamin D per day.

In case of deficiency, the common symptoms observed can be listed as below:

1.Tiredness and fatigue.

2.Joint pain and muscle pain along with weakness.

3.Pain in the bones.

4.Sometimes respiratory issues.

5.Neurological concerns like numbness and inactive brain functioning.

6.Low mood and seasonal affective disorder.

To prevent these symptoms and avoid Vitamin D deficiency, you must take the mentioned amount of Vitamin D.

Major sources of Vitamin D

The most effective ways to create Vitamin D in the human body are through exposure to sunlight or from the diet. The key sources of Vitamin D can be enlisted as below.

Sunlight: When the skin is exposed to sunlight, the body generates Vitamin D from Ultraviolet B light. You can take morning sunlight as it doesn’t feel like burning on the skin and thus it’s best to avoid midday sunlight. Besides, overexposure to the hot sun can result in skin damage. So, you need to be careful while taking in the sun.

Diet: To ensure that you have enough Vitamin D per day, you must include these foods in your diet. Oily fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel are rich in Vitamin D. Besides, fortified milk, beef liver, egg yolks are also Vitamin D sources. Besides, mushrooms and fortified cereals are the best Vitamin D sources if you are a vegetarian.

Supplements: In older adults, synthesizing Vitamin D naturally is not possible. And thus, these people need additional supplements to fulfill the daily needs of the body. In such conditions, Vitamin D supplements are effective.

However, too much Vitamin D can result in toxicity, and thus it’s best to take advice from a medical practitioner before switching to Vitamin D supplements.

Vitamin D deficiency can directly relate to joint pain and overall bone health. Although this deficiency can be overcome with proper diet and sunlight exposure. Although in some conditions, these might not be beneficial and thus you need to take advice from a professional medical practitioner. Besides, Vitamin D intake can be beneficial in improving the condition of joint pain. But there is no strong evidence for the same. And hence one can only indirectly link Vitamin D with joint pain. Besides, Vitamin D deficiency can result in other bone health-related issues and thus you need to take an adequate amount of Vitamin D.