Fibromyalgia is a painful disorder which causes fatigue, pain and more. It affects around 340 million people worldwide and currently no one is sure what causes it to develop. The good news is that by making positive lifestyle changes, exercising regularly and improving your diet, you can relieve the painful symptoms associated with fibromyalgia and treat this disorder. In this article I’m going to be focusing on the impact of diet on fibromyalgia and more specifically looking at which vitamins can be used to treat it.

Which Vitamins Have A Positive Impact On Fibromyalgia?

Ensuring that you get the RDA for all 13 vitamins is very important for good health. However, studies have shown that certain vitamins can have a positive impact on fibromyalgia and that by increasing your intake of these vitamins, you can minimize the pain associated with this condition. The list below outlines the vitamins that can be used to treat fibromyalgia and the supporting evidence behind them:

1) Vitamin B12:A small study of 30 women (of which 12 suffered from both fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and 18 were perfectly healthy) found that the women who suffered from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome had very low levels of vitamin B12 in their cerebrospinal fluid. In addition to this, a number of studies have shown that consuming high levels of vitamin B12 can reduce fibromyalgia related depression. Collectively, these studies suggest that consuming adequate amounts of vitamin B12 can minimize many of the negative symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.

2) Vitamin C:This article from the University Of Maryland Medical Center suggests that consuming between 500mg and 1,000mg of vitamin C each day may relieve the painful symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.

3) Vitamin D:This articlehighlights a number of studies which have linked vitamin D deficiency with bone and muscle pain in fibromyalgia sufferers. The results suggest consuming and producing adequate amounts of vitamin D (by exposing to your skin to sunlight on a daily basis) can significantly reduce fibromyalgia related pain.

4) Vitamin E: This article cites a study from Rheumatology International published in May 2006 which concluded that fibromyalgia sufferers are subject to increased oxidative stress. It suggests that by taking between 1,074mg and 2,074mg of vitamin E each day, you can protect against this oxidative stress and treat fibromyalgia.

What Are The Best Food Sources Of These Vitamins?

Now that you know which vitamins are effective at treating fibromyalgia, you need to make them part of your diet. The good news is that there are plenty of vitamin rich foods out there and the list below contains four excellent sources of vitamins B12, C, D and E to get you started:

1) Almonds: Almonds are a brilliant source of vitamin E and contain 9mg per 35g serving. They taste great on their own but can also be ground up and added to yogurts or chopped up and fried with fish.

2) Milk: Milk is a highly versatile, health boosting drink with a 250ml glass providing you with1.3mcg of vitamin B12 and 2.9mg of vitamin D. You can drink it on its own or combine it with eggs to create a tasty, nutrient packed omelet.

3) Oranges: Oranges are one of the richest sources of vitamin C around and contain animpressive 69.7mg per fruit. They’re really easy to carry and are a perfect healthy snack that you can eat at any time during the day.

4) Salmon:Salmon packs a serious nutritional punch with a 4 oz. serving containing 6.6mcg of vitamin B12 and 26.4mcg of vitamin D. When it comes to eating salmon, there are plenty of choices including quick and easy smoked salmon or hot and juicy grilled salmon.

Summary

Filling up on vitamins B12, C, D and E can make a big difference to the pain you experience as a fibromyalgia sufferer and can even treat the condition completely. So if you’ve tried countless pain killers without success, changing your diet could be the answer. Start making the effort to add more of these vitamins to your diet today and take your first steps on the path to fibromyalgia recovery.