Your ribcage provides protection for your heart and lungs, contributes to the structure to allow for proper posture and aids in breathing. The ribcage contains 24 rib bones -- 12 on each side -- that connect to your vertebrae. Some of these ribs also connect to your sternum, or breastbone; all of your ribs are surrounded by muscles, nerves and connective tissue that support ribcage function. Sore ribs can indicate damage to the tissues that make up your ribcage, and taking specific vitamins can help to heal this damage to potentially treat sore ribs.
Vitamin D
One vitamin that might help to heal sore ribs is vitamin D. In some cases, sore and painful ribs might develop due to damage to the rib bones. Vitamin D can help your ribs to heal: The hormone regulates calcium levels, allowing calcium to localize within new bone tissue, helping to heal bone damage or fractures. In addition, consuming adequate vitamin D during childhood proves important to the health of your ribs, because vitamin D deficiency can lead to a misshapen and deformed ribcage.
Vitamin C
Consuming vitamin C might also help to heal sore or damaged ribs. Vitamin C helps your body produce collagen, a fibrous structural protein found in the bone and cartilage tissue that makes up your ribcage. If you develop sore ribs as a result of a ribcage injury, vitamin C helps your body produce new bone or cartilage tissue to heal the injury, relieving your discomfort. Consuming vitamin C also helps prevent scurvy, a condition that can weaken your bones, including your ribs.
Intake Recommendations and Considerations
You should consume both vitamin C and vitamin D via dietary sources each day to prevent a vitamin deficiency that can affect your ribs. The amounts of vitamins C and D you require vary depending on your age and sex. Men of all ages require 90 mg of vitamin C, and women of all ages need 75 mg daily. In addition, men and women under age 70 require 15 mcg -- or 600 international units -- of vitamin D daily, while people over age 70 require 20 mcg, or 800 IU each day, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.
Considerations and Warnings
Rib injuries can prove serious and debilitating and require medical attention to determine the best course of treatment. Never try to treat sore or injured ribs by taking vitamins without medical supervision. Consuming large amounts of vitamins might further harm your ribs: For example, a vitamin D overdose can cause calcium to leave your bones, potentially weakening already sore ribs. If you're interested in taking vitamins to treat sore ribs, talk to your physician about the benefits of vitamin therapy.
