Research published online in Clinical Rheumatology (July 19, 2006) examined vitamin D status in 75 patients with fibromyalgia.
Participants completed two validated questionnaires—the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Serum vitamin D levels were also measured. Just over 13% of the subjects were vitamin D deficient, defined as levels below 25 nmol/L, and an additional 56% had low vitamin D levels (below 50 nmol/L).
Patients who were vitamin D deficient had higher HADS scores (median score 31) compared to those with low vitamin D levels or normal levels (median scores of 22.5 and 23.5, respectively), indicating greater symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The findings suggest a possible association between low vitamin D status and the anxiety and depression commonly seen in patients with fibromyalgia.
