Hailed as an invaluable remedy for health woes as diverse as high blood pressure, a bad mood, and dry skin, it’s starting to seem like vitamin D can solve just about any problem. Except, that is, where some types of knee pain are concerned. Vitamin D supplementation does not reduce the symptoms or progression of knee osteoarthritis, according to a major new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In a random, double-blind clinical trial of 146 adults with knee osteoarthritis, participants who regularly received 2,000 IUs of vitamin D (more than double the recommended dose) didn’t experience any reduction in pain compared to participants who were dosed with a placebo. The findings come as a surprise to experts, who suspected that the sunshine vitamin—which is known to be vital for bone health—would also help slow the progression of arthritis in the knee bones and joints. And previous research was promising: In one observational study, adults with low levels of vitamin D were three times more likely to suffer from knee osteoarthritis. “Most likely, the results of the observational study were confounding,” says lead study author Timothy McAlindon, DM, MPH, Chief of the Division of Rheumatology at Tufts Medical Center. Other potential explanations? People with knee pain aren’t able to get outside as often, making low vitamin D levels a side effect of osteoarthritis rather than a cause. The study length might be a factor, too. “We can’t rule out that a longer [vitamin D] intervention could’ve had some effects,” McAlindon says. If vitamin D isn’t a surefire solution, then what can you do to stave off knee pain—or soothe discomfort that’s already there? Three simple tips: Keep your weight in check. Extra pounds can put stress on your knees, McAlindon says. Maintain a healthy weight to increase your odds of having healthy knees (especially if you have a family history of knee osteoarthritis)—or to help ease any existing discomfort. Do the right kinds of exercise. Walking, swimming, and bicycling are great ways to stay moving and keep knee muscles strong without exerting too much pressure. Activities to avoid? Basketball, soccer, skiing, and football. “The pivoting motion puts your knees at risk,” McAlindon says. Consider orthotics. They can act as cushions to reduce force in the foot, ankle, and knee, plus help correct any misalignments in the feet and knees that could cause pain, McAlindon says. More from Prevention: The New Reason To Strengthen Your Knees Questions? Comments? Contact Prevention’s News Team!
