Fibromyalgia patients with low levels of vitamin D saw their pain decrease slightly after taking vitamin D supplements for several months, according to a study published in the February issue of the journal Pain. But most other symptoms remained largely unchanged.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that involves chronic, widespread pain along with other symptoms such as fatigue, poor sleep and mood changes. While a variety of medications are used to treat it, they work well in less than half of patients. As yet, there is no cure.

Paeonia lactiflora is a plant of the Paeoniaceae family, and is also known as a noble peony. This flower originates from central and eastern Asia. It first appeared in Europe in the 18th century and was for many years known as Paeonia albiflora. Peony flower appears in different colors: purple, pink, milky white and red. However, the names white or red peony, which we find in books relate to the color of the roots. This plant can be found in many parks and gardens; however, in traditional Chinese medicine, it is used for the treatment and prevention of a range of diseases.

Dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin became famous in the U.S. in 1997, almost overnight, after they were mentioned in the book The Cure for Arthritis, a bestseller by Dr. Jason Theodosakis from the Medical Faculty of the University of Arizona. The book describes about 30 clinical tests - mostly conducted in Europe - which have shown that glucosamine (derived from crab shells) and chondroitin (derived mainly from cow trachea) help in the fight against osteoarthritis.

Promising Research

Research has generally shown that glucosamine and chondroitin work significantly better than placebo in terms of relieving pain and improving mobility of patients suffering from osteoarthritis. In addition, the supplements were at least as effective as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, all of which are proved to be quite safe with very few side effects.

Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones because it helps the body absorb calcium, a key component of bone. But since the bones in a joint meeting with the cartilage, vitamin D can affect osteoarthritis.

Mode of action

Researchers believe that the "resistance" of bones - and that is their ability to present activities in which they carry weight and other loads - can affect whether or not to worsen osteoarthritis (OA).  Because people who suffer from osteoarthritis, and have "soft" bones - perhaps due to insufficient intake of vitamin D - OA may be a more difficult problem. Vitamin D also directly affects the cartilage, stimulating the cells that produce cartilage to do more.

There is much evidence showing that chemical compounds called free radicals may play a role in the cause of conditions connected to aging, including cataracts, heart conditions, some types of cancer and osteoarthritis. The good news is that chemical compounds, called antioxidants - especially vitamins C, E and beta-carotene, found in many fruits and vegetables, can neutralize free radicals and prevent them from causing damage.

Oils extracted from cold water fatty fishes are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation. At least 20 clinical studies have by now shown that consuming high doses of fish oil every day can help ease pain and inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

Based on the 2001 research made by researchers from Epsom General Hospital and the University of Glasgow, it was concluded that adding food containing fish oils to your nutrition can lead to ''a considerable appeasement of the morning stiffness and reduce the number of painful joints in patients suffering from RA''. In the research carried out in February 2000 in Journal of Rheumatology,magazine, Spanish researchers found out that patients suffering from RA lack certain essential fatty acids in their organism and they stated that was the reason why fish and certain vegetable oils have such positive effects.