While there may be no direct correlation between vitamin D and foot pain, research has demonstrated that an inadequate level of vitamin D in the body can exacerbate chronic pain. Considering that a deficiency in vitamin D can cause brittle bones in adults -- and rickets in kids -- it is logical to assume that people with inadequate levels of vitamin D could suffer from foot pain as a result.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin found in salmon, mackerel, sardines and cod liver oil. It is used to fortify other foods, including milk, breakfast cereals and some juices. It can also be taken in supplement form. It is produced in the skin when you go out into the sunshine as well.
Healthy Bones
Vitamin D is crucial for healthy bones. When it reaches the small intestine, vitamin D helps absorb calcium, which is vital to the hardness and strength of your bones. People who are deficient in vitamin D are only able to absorb 33 to 50 percent as much calcium as the rest of us, writes internist Dr. Neil Gonter on the Health Central website. This can lead to rickets in kids and brittle bones in adults.
A 2009 study at the Mayo Clinic, published by "Pain Medicine," found that 25 percent of people with chronic pain had low levels of vitamin D. To relieve their pain, the vitamin D deficient group required more morphine for a longer period of time.
Vitamin D Benefits
In recent years, exciting results from research into vitamin D has been popping up with regularity. The National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements summarizes the current state of research by noting there is evidence that vitamin D may be protective against some cancers, including colon, breast and prostate cancers. Vitamin D also may help with autoimmune diseases, relieve osteoporosis and help prevent rickets.
At-Risk Populations
A number of groups are at extra risk for vitamin D deficiency, states the Office of Dietary Supplements. These include breast-fed infants, since the supply of vitamin D in mother's milk is inadequate; adults over 50, who don't synthesize vitamin D as well as younger people; people with limited exposure to the sun; people with dark skin, who don't produce as much vitamin D from sun exposure; and those who can't readily absorb fat, who are obese or who have undergone gastric bypass surgery.
Supplements
Current recommendations for vitamin D supplements from Dr. Gonton, writing on the Health Central website, are as follows: 200 international units, or IU, for kids and adults up to the age of 50; 400 IU for those aged 51 to 70; and 600 IU for people over 70. Alternatively, you can spend 10 minutes in the sun without sunscreen a few times per week. But don't overdue it, since unprotected sunlight is a leading cause of skin cancer.
Considerations
Vitamin D can help prevent chronic and non-specific musculoskeletal pain, which could include foot pain. More importantly, vitamin D can protect against a range of other conditions and illnesses. You can get your vitamin D level checked with a blood test at your doctor's office.
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