Obstet Gynecol Sci.  2021 Jul;64(4):353-363. 10.5468/ogs.20316.

Vitamin D supplementation for primary dysmenorrhea: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

• Rahnemaei FA
• Gholamrezaei A
• Afrakhteh M
• Zayeri F
• Vafa MR
• Rashidi A
• Ozgoli G

• KMID: 2518378
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5468/ogs.20316

Abstract

Objective
Recent studies have shown a possible association between vitamin D deficiency and the severity of primary dysmenorrhea. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on pain and systemic symptoms in patients with primary dysmenorrhea.
Methods
This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on female students aged 18 to 32 years with primary dysmenorrhea and vitamin D deficiency (25 [OH]D <30 ng/mL). The participants (n=116) received either 50,000 IU of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) or placebo capsules on a weekly basis for eight consecutive weeks. The outcomes were pain intensity (scored 0 to 10), number of days with pain, number of consumed pain-relief medications (per day), and severity of systemic symptoms (fatigue, headache, nausea/vomiting, and diarrhea; total score of 0 to 12).
Results
Compared with baseline, our participants who received vitamin D experienced significant reductions in pain intensity (-1.0 and -1.5 score at weeks 4 and 8, P<0.001), the number of days with pain (-1.0 day at weeks 4 and 8, P<0.001), the number of consumed pain-relief medications (-1.0 at weeks 4 and 8, P<0.001), and systemic symptoms severity (-1.0 score at weeks 4 and 8, P<0.001). No significant improvements were observed in the placebo group in terms of these outcomes.
Conclusion
Vitamin D supplementation in women with primary dysmenorrhea and vitamin D deficiency could improve systemic symptoms and reduce pain intensity, the number of days with pain, and the need for consuming pain-relief medications.

Keyword

Dysmenorrhea; Vitamin D; Cholecalciferol; Pain

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Study flow diagram.

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  Fig. 2 Pain intensity over the study period in the vitamin D and placebo groups.

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  Fig. 3 Systemic symptoms severity over the study period in the vitamin D and placebo groups. a)P <0.05; b)P <0.001.

Reference

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