VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION IN PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA. A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Anna Kołodziej; Aleksander Bogusz; Izabella Kula; Jakub Klecha; Radosław Kołodziej; Kacper Szpanelewski; Szymon Lulek; Emilia Kucab; Damian Danilczuk; Joanna Ciemięga; Szczepan Półchłopek; Katarzyna  Dziki; Wiktor Adamiec

doi:10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5756

Authors

Anna Kołodziej Saint Queen Jadwiga Clinical Regional Hospital in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0969-5211
Aleksander Bogusz University Clinical Hospital F.Chopin in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4852-0851
Izabella Kula John Paul II Municipal Hospital in Rzeszów, Rycerska 4, 35-241 Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7379-5062
Jakub Klecha Saint Queen Jadwiga Clinical Regional Hospital in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8909-9181
Radosław Kołodziej Saint Queen Jadwiga Clinical Regional Hospital in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1767-5956
Kacper Szpanelewski Saint Queen Jadwiga Clinical Regional Hospital in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2517-4535
Szymon Lulek Saint Queen Jadwiga Clinical Regional Hospital in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3827-2907
Emilia Kucab University Clinical Hospital F.Chopin in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4320-6327
Damian Danilczuk John Paul II Municipal Hospital in Rzeszów, Rycerska 4, 35-241 Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5755-1115
Joanna Ciemięga University of Rzeszów: Rzeszów, Rzeszów Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0041-1671
Szczepan Półchłopek John Paul II Municipal Hospital in Rzeszów, Rycerska 4, 35-241 Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1188-2830
Katarzyna Dziki University Clinical Hospital F.Chopin in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9380-1244
Wiktor Adamiec John Paul II Municipal Hospital in Rzeszów, Rycerska 4, 35-241 Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3322-5479

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5756

Keywords:

Vitamin D, Primary Dysmenorrhea, Pain, Vitamin D Deficiency, Prostaglandins

Abstract

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a frequent gynecological disorder that leads to repeated episodes of severe, cramping pain in the lower abdomen without any detectable pelvic pathology. It significantly reduces the quality of life and limits daily functioning in menstruating women. The main cause of PD is the excessive production of uterine prostaglandins, which results in stronger myometrial contractions, decreased blood flow to the uterus, and pain. Some recent studies have shown that vitamin D may be involved in regulating these processes due to its anti-inflammatory properties and ability to modulate prostaglandin synthesis.

The objective of this review is to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on the pain associated with primary dysmenorrhea. A literature search was conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar, focusing on clinical trials published within the last 15 years. The reviewed studies included randomized controlled trials of both high-dose and weekly vitamin D supplementation regimens.

The results show that vitamin D supplementation can have a significant effect on reducing the pain intensity, duration of symptoms, and the consumption of analgesics, particularly in women with vitamin D deficiency. Alleviation of systemic symptoms such as headache, nausea/vomiting, fatigue, and diarrhea was also reported. Interestingly, the level of clinical improvement was not always directly proportional to the increase in serum vitamin D levels. Both short-term and long-term supplementation, as well as combination therapies with other agents such as vitamin E and ginger were effective.

To sum up, vitamin D supplementation is possibly a new adjuvant therapy in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. However, more studies involving a larger number of participants are needed to determine the correct dosing and to verify its effectiveness in diverse populations.

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