Most women, especially adolescent and young women, have to suffer through painful periods. Since they are typically put on hormones or NSAIDs with significant side effects, a safe, affordable, natural therapy would be very welcome.
Between 45% and 95% of women experience dysmenorrhoea, or painful periods. There are two types of dysmenorrhoea: primary, in which there is no underlying medical condition, and secondary, in which there is.
A new meta-analysis pooled the data from 11 controlled studies that included 687 women who experience painful periods. It concluded that vitamin D significantly decreases pain intensity in women with dysmenorrhoea. Vitamin D was effective for primary dysmenorrhoea, but not for secondary. When only women with primary dysmenorrhoea were included, the decrease in pain went from a 64% improvement to a 90% improvement. The results also show that vitamin D offers significant relief in women with vitamin D deficiency.
Another recent meta-analysis of 8 controlled studies of primary dysmenorrhoea also found that vitamin D significantly improves pain periods (Nutrients 2023,15(13),2830).
This meta-analysis offers hope of an effective, new, natural treatment for the many women who experience pain and cramping during their period.
Nutrients 2024,16(7),1089.