writing in diary nutrients, Taiwanese researchers evaluated the effects of vitamin D supplementation by measuring reductions in pain scores in 687 menstruating women across 11 studies. We then conducted trial sequential analysis (TSA) to assess the statistical power and precision of the meta-analysis and to identify the “true” intervention effect.
“In our pooled analysis, we found that vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced the intensity of dysmenorrhagic pain, with its cumulative power supporting a ‘true’ treatment response,” the researchers wrote. wrote, concluding that vitamin D lowers levels of prostaglandins (lipids involved in menstruation). ) and inflammation.
Common symptoms, big burden
Dysmenorrhea, characterized by menstrual pain, is a common condition that affects 45% to 95% of women.
This can be either “primary” dysmenorrhea, defined as menstrual pain in the absence of a pelvic pathology, or “secondary” dysmenorrhea, characterized by menstrual pain due to a pelvic pathology or known medical condition. It can be classified into
“Dysmenorrhea is a significant global health burden and requires attention,” the researchers said. “Health care costs for patients with dysmenorrhea are 2.2 times higher than for the general population. Additionally, in some countries, the annual costs associated with the treatment of dysmenorrhea are as high as $25 million.”
Previous research suggests that vitamin D supplementation can reduce symptoms of dysmenorrhea by suppressing pain signals and reducing inflammation.
However, the Taiwanese researchers noted that some studies have reported variations in supplement levels and doses, with limited efficacy.
Vitamin D for menstrual pain
This review collected studies through a systematic search of the Cochrane Library, Embase, Google Scholar, Medline, and Scopus databases from inception to December 30, 2023.
The study is a randomized controlled trial, involving women who menstruate regularly, comparing vitamin D supplementation with a placebo or other active treatments before and after, and using a validated tool to reduce pain. Included if severity was assessed.
The primary and secondary outcomes were measured by changes in pain intensity and rescue analgesic use, respectively.
This evaluation showed that vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced pain intensity in patients with dysmenorrhea compared to controls, and subgroup analysis showed that vitamin D supplementation reduced pain in primary dysmenorrhea. However, it was found that the pain of secondary dysmenorrhea was not alleviated.
The authors noted that although some studies have suggested an association between underlying vitamin D levels and various pain-related symptoms, the specific mechanism of vitamin D on dysmenorrhea remains unclear.
Because vitamin D receptors are present in the ovaries, uterus, placenta, and pituitary gland, vitamin D, by interacting with these receptors, regulates pro-inflammatory markers and contraction-related factors in myometrial smooth muscle cells. We hypothesized that the expression could be suppressed. .
Furthermore, included studies observed a decrease in serum vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, which stimulates an increase in inflammatory cytokines and prostaglandins, worsening pain intensity. The authors suggest that it may lead to of dysmenorrhea.
The researchers noted that the results should be interpreted with caution due to the heterogeneity between studies, and larger, higher-quality studies are needed to confirm the results.
journal: nutrients
doi: 10.3390/nu16071089
“Vitamin D supplementation for patients with dysmenorrhea: A meta-analysis using trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials.”
Author: Kan-Chu Lin et al.
