EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENTATION ON MASTALGIA SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN : A STUDY ON PAIN ALLEVIATION AND NUTRITIONAL INSUFFICIENCY

Abstract

Background & Aim
Mastalgia, or breast discomfort, is a prevalent condition primarily affecting women and rarely, men. While it often resolves on its own and is typically moderate, approximately 15% of affected women require medical intervention. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the growth and development of the mammary gland. However, the impact of vitamin D deficiency on breast pain and the potential benefits of supplementation in alleviating symptoms are not well understood. The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in reducing pain in women with mastalgia and correcting vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency in these patient population.
Materials and Methods
The study enrolled 30 patients with a mean age of 34.50 ±10.27 years, ranging from 18 to 53 years. Female patients of age 18 years and above presenting with cyclical and non-cyclical mastalgia, after taking a detailed patient history along with drug history. A breast examination was completed along with an ultra-sonogram of the breast to exclude other potential causes of breast pain. Patients with Vitamin D3 deficiency and insufficiency were prescribed Vitamin D3 supplementation of 60,000 IU once weekly for 12 weeks along with analgesics for 4 weeks as per pain scale score and <5 was not prescribed any analgesics, 6-8 was prescribed twice a day and 9-10 was prescribed thrice a day.
Results
At baseline, 94.28% of patients had vitamin D insufficiency. After vitamin D supplementation, mean vitamin D levels significantly increased from 18.15±5.83 ng/ml to 29.73±5.03 ng/ml (P<0.0001). Pain assessment using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) showed a significant reduction in pain scores over three months, from 7.9±1.09 on the first day to 2.52 ±1.53 in the third month (P<0.001). 90% of patients reported reduced mastalgia after vitamin D supplementation. A comparison of patients with and without analgesic consumption revealed that analgesic use had a significant impact on pain reduction. However, vitamin D supplementation resulted in improved vitamin D levels and reduced VAS scores in both groups.
Conclusion
The study underscores the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among patients with mastalgia and illustrates the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in correcting this insufficiency and reducing mastalgia symptoms.