THE EFFECT OF LOW VITAMIN D LEVELS ON RECURRENT MUSCLE CRAMPS

Abstract

Muscle cramps are a common and often debilitating condition with a multifactorial etiology. Emerging evidence implicates vitamin D deficiency as a potential contributor to cramp occurrence due to its role in calcium homeostasis and muscle function. The aim of this study was to check whether serum vitamin D levels were linked to the frequency and intensity of adults’ frequently occurring muscle cramps.  A study was performed using data from 240 adults who reported frequently cramping their muscles.  Each subject was considered sufficient, insufficient or deficient based on the 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in their serum.  Data on how often, how severe and their biochemical values (calcium, magnesium and PTH) were gathered using ANOVA, multivariate regression, descriptive statistics and information on lifestyle.  The more muscle cramps I experienced and the more intense they were, the less vitamin D I seemed to have.  Deficient women displayed better results on the VAS and cramp frequency than both the Insufficient group and Sufficient group, by 3.1 and 6.4 (p < 0.01) and by 2.2 and 5.1 (p < 0.01).  The mean PTH level for the Deficient group was 57.8 pg/mL, indicating hyperparathyroidism to manage the lack of vitamin D.  Their activities and time spent in the sun was less than any of the other groups.  High PTH indicated more cramps, whereas low vitamin D indicated having fewer and less severe cramps (r = -0.62 and -0.59).  Less physical movement and changes in the calcium-PTH relation both contribute to the independent link between low vitamin D and increased and intense muscular cramps.  It is highlighted from these findings that lifestyles and supplements can help reduce idiopathic muscular cramps, so further D vitamin testing should usually be done in those with idiopathic cramps.