Research Explores The Link Between Lower Micronutrient Levels And Chronic Pain

Lower levels of definite vitamins and minerals were recovered to beryllium associated pinch chronic symptom successful a precocious completed study led by researchers astatine nan University of Arizona Health Sciences and published successful Pain Practice. 

This is nan first study to return a precision medicine attack to chronic symptom connected a ample standard by broadly examining micronutrient levels of group pinch and without chronic symptom and exploring nan incidence of chronic symptom successful group pinch aliases without micronutrient deficiencies. The findings could pass personalized nutritional strategies to thief negociate chronic pain.

"I dainty chronic symptom patients, and oftentimes we don't travel up pinch a diagnosis. But conscionable because location isn't a room that will thief you doesn't mean you're not successful pain. It's conscionable intends that our knowing of symptom is constricted to date," said elder writer Julie Pilitsis, MD, PhD, caput of nan U of A College of Medicine – Tucson Department of Neurosurgery and personnel of nan Comprehensive Center for Pain & Addiction.

The investigation squad focused connected 5 micronutrients commonly associated pinch chronic pain: vitamins D, B12, and C, folate and magnesium. They examined nan micronutrient position of 3 groups: group without pain, group pinch mild-to-moderate chronic symptom and group pinch terrible chronic pain.

They recovered that for vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate and magnesium, group pinch terrible deficiencies were much apt to person terrible chronic pain. Conversely, little levels of vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate and magnesium – and a greater incidence of those debased levels – were seen successful group pinch terrible chronic pain.

"The uncovering that amazed america nan astir was that Asian females had higher vitamin B12 levels than expected," said co-author Deborah Morris, PhD, a investigation laboratory head successful nan Department of Neurosurgery, explaining that B12 deficiencies were seen successful different gender, title and ethnicity groups. "Asian females pinch terrible chronic symptom had nan highest vitamin B12 levels overall. We were expecting it to beryllium lower."

The results varied for vitamin C, wherever males pinch mild-to-moderate and terrible chronic symptom were much apt to person debased and borderline debased levels of vitamin C than males without chronic pain. Men pinch borderline and terrible vitamin C deficiency were besides much apt to person chronic pain.

Participant information came from nan National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Database, wherever nan largest enrollment has travel from nan University of Arizona-Banner Health program.

"The findings that are coming from analyzable demographic studies specified arsenic this 1 show that we can't conscionable make assumptions for each diligent that walks successful nan office," said Pilitsis, who is simply a personnel of nan BIO5 Institute.

"Our study crossed various chronic symptom conditions successful a large, divers organization recovered that definite vitamins and mineral deficiencies are much predominant successful group pinch chronic pain, and peculiarly successful immoderate successful circumstantial group and taste groups," Morris added. "Our extremity is to amended nan value of life for group pinch chronic symptom and trim opioid usage, and these findings person nan imaginable to do that arsenic portion of a holistic attack to symptom management."

A November 2024 information little from nan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that astir 25% of U.S. adults are surviving pinch chronic pain, which is associated pinch decreased value of life, opioid misuse, accrued worry and depression, and unmet intelligence wellness needs.

Morris and Pilitsis collaborated pinch researchers astatine Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Grigore T. Popa successful Romania, and Vrije Universiteit Brussel successful Belgium.

Source:

Journal reference:

Goon, M., et al. (2025). Micronutrients and Chronic Pain: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis. Pain Practice. doi.org/10.1111/papr.70053.