Approximately 50 million adults in the United States struggle with chronic pain, the American Academy of Pain Management says. Common causes of pain include injury, arthritis and lower back pain. Chronic pain is best managed by your doctor. Taking certain vitamins may help with pain relief.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a unique vitamin because the chief source of this essential nutrient is exposure to UV light. Deficiency of vitamin D is widespread and a common cause of treatable chronic pain, the Vitamin D Council reports. In fact, a deficiency of vitamin D significantly increases the risk of widespread common pain in women, reports K Atherton of the UCL Institute of Child Health. In a study published in the May 2008 issue of Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, Atherton found that vitamin D deficiency increased the risk of chronic pain in women by more than 50 percent. Besides sunlight, sources of vitamin D include fatty fish, shellfish, fortified orange juice and mushrooms.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that shields joints and nerves from damage that can cause pain, Hee Kee Kim of the University of Texas Medical Branch reports. In research published in the May 2006 issue of Pain, Kim discovered that supplementing with vitamin E reduces nerve pain. The current RDA for vitamin E is 15mg per day, the Office of Dietary Supplements says. Vitamin E-rich foods include wheat germ, peanuts, corn, kiwi and walnuts.
B Complex Vitamins
B-complex vitamins include a number of water-soluble vitamins including thiamine, riboflavin and folic acid. In an animal model of chronic pain, Reyes Garcia of Col. Casco de Santo Tomás found that high doses of B-complex vitamins significantly reduced pain. You can find B-complex vitamin supplements in many supplement stores. Dietary sources of B vitamins include fortified cereals, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin C
Like vitamin E, vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects nerve cells from damage. Paul E. Zollinger of the Ziekenhuis Rivierenland found that supplementing with vitamin C helped reduce pain levels in a group of wrist fracture patients. Vitamin C-rich foods include mangoes, bananas, oranges and broccoli.
References
- AAPM: Pain Issues
- Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases: Vitamin D and chronic widespread pain in a white middle-aged British population: evidence from a cross-sectional population survey
- Vitamin D Council: Vitamin D Deficiency Syndrome
- ODS: Vitamin E
- Pain:Analgesic effect of vitamin E is mediated by reducing central sensitization in neuropathic pain
- Proc West Pharmacol Soc: Analgesic effect of B vitamins in formalin-induced inflammatory pain.
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