Updated

A study of 184 women undergoing mastectomy found that those with vitamin D deficiency were three times more likely to experience moderate to severe pain in the first 24 hours after surgery. Deficient patients also used substantially more of the opioid painkiller tramadol. The deficient patients additionally received slightly more fentanyl during surgery and experienced more postoperative nausea, suggesting vitamin D status could influence surgical recovery and pain management.