It’s well-known that Vitamin-D is necessary for good health and that insufficient levels of Vitamin D may increase risk for problems like cognitive impairment, heart disease, asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic report that people with inadequate Vitamin D intake were more likely to take nearly twice the amount of narcotic pain medications such as fentanyl, morphine and oxycodone to control chronic pain.

The study also found a strong link between being overweight and Vitamin-D deficiency. Lead study author Dr. Michael Turner reminds us that Vitamin D is stored in fat cells and the more fat cells there are, the less the vitamin is available for use by the body.

To physicians, Dr. Turner says,”If you have a patient with chronic, diffuse, difficult-to-diagnose pain — especially pain that you think is musculature – you should strongly consider checking the Vitamin D level on that patient.”

Read more about Vitamin D deficiency and control of chronic pain at this link.