Investigation of the Short-term Effects of Vitamin D with Core Stabilization Exercise on Lipid Status in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency is prevalent in patients with low back pain, while vitamin D deficiency links to chronic musculoskeletal pain and dyslipidemia. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of vitamin D with core stabilization exercise on lipid status in patients with chronic low back pain.

This quasi-experimental study was conducted in women with chronic low back pain. First, 48 patients were selected using the availability sampling method, and then they were randomly divided into four groups: control, exercise, vitamin D, and exercise + vitamin D (combined). Exercise and combination groups performed eight weeks of core stabilization exercises with different levels of Vitamin D, and combined groups received 50,000 IU vitamin D per week. Serum markers of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and cholesterol-HDL were measured before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed by paired t-test, ANOVA, and Kruskal Wallis tests with a significant level of less than 0.05.

The results showed that 74.26% and 25.64% of the patients had deficiency and insufficient vitamin D, respectively. Also, eight weeks of research interventions were associated with a significant reduction in triglyceride levels, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and increased HDL cholesterol. In addition, the effect of the combined intervention was more significant in reducing triglycerides and cholesterol than exercise intervention and in lowering LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol compared to the other two interventions (p < 0.05).

It seems exercise training, vitamin D intake, and a combination of these non-pharmacological interventions can improve lipid status in patients with chronic low back pain, but combination therapy is more effective.