Vitamin D deficiency in joint pain: Effects of vitamin D supplementation

Objective: This chapter reviews the evidence of the role of vitamin D deficiency in joint pain and the effects of vitamin D supplementation on joint pain.

Results: There are inconsistent results from the observational studies that explored the association between vitamin D deficiency and joint pain relating to major musculoskeletal conditions. Some reported a weak, but statistically significant association with knee and hip joint pain and the association was apparent only in people with moderate vitamin D deficiency.

There are only a few randomized placebo-controlled trials that have explored the effect of vitamin D supplementation on joint pain. The available evidence suggests that there is no clinically significant benefit of vitamin D supplementation for knee pain. The nonrandomized clinical trials reported a small beneficial effect on joint pain.

Conclusion: The available evidence suggests that vitamin D supplementation may not have a significant effect on the management of joint pain.