Vitamin D for Fibromyalgia & CFS from About.com

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Sunday August 29, 2010

Vitamin D is one of the most frequently recommended supplements for people with

fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, and with good reason. But is your

supplement doing enough for you?

Vitamin D is responsible for a host of functions in your body -- bone health,

cellular replication, insulin production, immune function, heart heath ... the

list goes on and on. Deficiencies are linked to all kinds of symptoms and

illnesses, including chronic pain, muscle weakness, arthritis, diabetes,

osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and autoimmunity. It

also makes you need up to twice as much of an opiate pain killer.

Now get this -- at least one study has shown that about 25% of us with these

conditions are deficient. Odds are good that many more of us aren't technically

deficient, but in the lower end of the " normal " range.

For years now, I've been taking 1,250 I.U. of vitamin D every day. I also make

sure to get at least a little sunlight on a regular basis and I try to eat foods

that contain it. But get this -- my levels are consistently in that low end.

Some researchers believe we have problems properly absorbing nutrients, and I

have to think there's something to that.

A lot of doctors refuse to treat people who are on the low end, but technically

not deficient, when it comes to lots of things (vitamins, hormones, etc.)

Fortunately, my doctor isn't one of them. My fibromyalgia symptoms are pretty

well controlled, yet while several types of pain have diminished, I still have a

huge amount of muscle pain. She looked back at my test results and saw that my

vitamin D tended to be barely in range and had me tested again. The nurse later

called to tell me that the " acceptable " range is 30-100, and I came in at 39.

The doctor had told me she's seeing muscle pain drop off in a lot of patients

when she gets them up to about 60 or 70.

I've just started a prescription mega-dose of vitamin D -- 50,000 I.U. twice a

week for 6 weeks, then 2,000 daily after that, along with periodic re-checks.

After just 2 doses, I have to say, I'm feeling better overall. My head is

clearer, I'm sleeping better, waking up easier, and yes, my muscle pain isn't

nearly as bad as it was a few days ago.

That said, I certainly don't advocate upping your own supplementation to extreme

levels! There's a reason these mega-doses are by prescription only -- too much

vitamin D is potentially toxic. What I do suggest is asking your doctor to

check your levels, treat a deficiency, and, if you're on the low end of normal,

talk about options.

So what if you're on the lower end and your doctor won't treat you? Some people

may decide to up their supplements, and if that's what you do, please be

careful! Know the side effects of too much and keep a close eye on yourself.

Even if your doctor doesn't agree with what you're doing, TELL HIM/HER ABOUT IT

and ask to be rechecked a couple of months down the road. Decisions about your

health care are yours to make, but keeping your doctor informed can help you

avoid potentially serious problems.