Vitamin D May Help Chronic Fatigue

It is typical following traumatic brain injury that chronic fatigue sets in and last for years.  A new study shows that this fatigue and its severity are predicted by the extent of vitamin D deficiency¹ in these patients.  I believe that this finding can be generalized to most situations of chronic fatigue, regardless of their cause.

Following traumatic brain injury there is massive inflammation within the brain.  Vitamin D is the main nutrient in your body that performs the role of immune system tolerance. When it is lacking any type of existing inflammation can persist or even be magnified (leading to possible autoimmune involvement).  Chronically inflamed brain tissue can get a person in the rut of immune cell permeation into the brain, such as monocytes and macrophages, in turn locking in the inflammation long term. 

This is a general principle of health. It has the risk for occurring in any person with post traumatic stress issues, fibromyalgia Chronic pain disorder characterized by wide spread pain. Research suggests that central nervous system pain processing signals are in a state of dysfunction causing abnormal signaling. , chronic stress, depression, etc.  This doesn’t mean vitamin D can cure everything, it means that if it is lacking, which appears to be the case in chronic fatigue, then ongoing brain inflammation can get locked into place which in turn locks fatigue into place.  Thus, any person with head-related inflammation for any reason, especially if they have energy issues following the inflammatory period or event, should ensure they are vitamin D adequate as part of whatever they are doing to try to improve themselves.