Vitamin D and tension-type headache: causal association or epiphenomenon?

Abstract

Background-Purpose: Low serum vitamin D (VD) has been already associated with a series of highly prevalent pain-related conditions, including fibromyalgia, migraine and chronic widespread pain. Considering the potential interplay between VD and pain signalling pathways, the association of VD with tension-type headache (TTH) was reviewed.

Methods: A multifaceted narrative approach assessing the relationship of serum VD with TTH and TTH parameters, as well as the efficacy of VD supplementation for the prevention of TTH, was fostered. MEDLINE, CENTRAL and EMBASE were comprehensively searched for this purpose, while Google Scholar was also explored according to a structured approach. ClinicalTrials.gov and European Union Clinical Trials Register were explored for ongoing prevention trials.

Results: Although available evidence was suggestive of an association between VD and TTH, mainly of the chronic type, the causal nature of the association remains to be determined. Considering the lack of longitudinal evidence, this relationship could arguably reflect behavioural patterns of headache sufferers. On the other hand, evidence principally originated from tertiary clinical settings (severe comorbidity burden) and researchers tend to report a concomitant association of both entities with generalized musculoskeletal compromise. In this context, the association between TTH and VD may represent nothing more than a secondary by-product of the simultaneous relationship of other comorbid diseases-conditions with both TTH and low serum VD. Regarding its efficacious properties, only one ongoing trial specifically designed to explore the efficacy of VD in chronic TTH in adults was retrieved.

Conclusions: There is no evidenced based indication for VD supplementation in TTH.

Keywords:

• 25-hydroxyvitamin D
• 25(OH)D
• cholecalciferol
• ergocalciferol
• primary headache disorder

Disclosure Statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statement

Data sharing not applicable – no new data generated.

Additional information

Funding

No specific funding was received for the present work.