Supplements
fibromyalgia correlates with ferritin
📅 Last reviewed: 2026-07-15 ⓘ
Evidence ladder
How far up the ladder this claim has climbed. A high consensus on a low rung means "consistent so far," not "proven in people."
Top evidence so far: All trials, pooled (Meta-analysis)
How the studies fall
What the evidence shows
Fibromyalgia is associated with lower serum ferritin, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 vs controls (object generalized to all three; ferritin used as the anchor node).
The evidence (11)
| Source | Grade | Stance | Quality | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mustafa M et al 2026 · study_type: observational | observational | tested-null | low | Cross-sectional study of 274 IBD patients (51 with comorbid FM); FM patients were more likely to have low Vitamin D levels than those without FM. |
| Kim H et al 2024 · study_type: observational | observational | contradicts | low | Two-sample Mendelian randomization in 461,857 participants; higher (not lower) genetically-predicted iron was associated with increased chronic widespread pain risk (OR 1.01, p=0.029); no significant association for copper, zinc, or magnesi |
| Pervaz H et al 2026 · study_type: observational | observational | mixed | low | Cross-sectional study of 241 FMS patients (ACR 2016 criteria); serum vitamin B12 and ferritin were significantly lower in patients with neuropathic pain vs those without (p=0.001, p=0.005). |
| Bingol MK, Akturk S, Buyukavci R, Zontul S 2025 · J Coll Physicians Surg Pak | observational | mixed | low | FMS: B12 and ferritin vs severity/neuropathic pain partial and inconsistent |
| Kucuk A, et al. 2021 · Rom J Intern Med | observational | supports | moderate | Ferritin/B12/folate status linked to FMS vs healthy controls. |
| Okan S, et al. 2019 · Croat Med J | observational | supports | moderate | FMS cohort: low ferritin frequent and associated with worse depression/anxiety/sleep but not severity-correlated |
| Zeng W et al 2025 · study_type: observational | observational | supports | moderate | Two-sample Mendelian randomization; genetically higher copper was associated with increased FM risk (OR 1.095), while genetically higher iron was associated with decreased FM risk (OR 0.440); no association for selenium/zinc. |
| Cure O et al 2024 · study_type: observational | observational | mixed | moderate | Retrospective cross-sectional study, 174 FM patients vs 186 healthy controls; magnesium and ferritin were significantly higher in controls than FM (i.e. lower in FM, p<0.001/p<0.001), B12 and folate showed no significant difference, and vit |
| Ismail O, et al. 2025 · Musculoskeletal Care | meta-analysis | supports | moderate | Fibromyalgia patients had significantly lower serum ferritin, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 than controls. |
| Telli H et al 2024 · study_type: observational | observational | mixed | moderate | Cross-sectional study of 660 nociplastic-pain patients; vitamin D and B12 were lower in patients with chronic widespread pain, while ferritin and hemoglobin were elevated (not lower) in this group. |
| Mader R, et al. 2012 · Rheumatol Int | observational | contradicts | moderate | Non-anemic FM patients showed NO reduction in serum iron or ferritin vs controls |
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