Vitamin D deficiency is associated with more moderate to severe pain following breast cancer surgery and an increased consumption of opioid drugs, finds research published in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.
Breast cancer patients with low levels of vitamin D (below 30 nmol/L) may benefit from taking supplements before undergoing a radical mastectomy, suggest researchers.
How vitamin D may affect pain
There is emerging evidence suggesting that vitamin D helps control how pain is felt and processed by the body. This is likely due to its anti-inflammatory effects and action on the immune system.
Vitamin D deficiency is also commonly reported among patients with breast cancer.
