Vitamin D is often called the “sunshine vitamin” because our bodies make it when our skin is exposed to sunlight. Most people know it helps build strong bones and supports our immune system.
But now, new research suggests it might also help people who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD.
This includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, which are long-term illnesses that cause pain, diarrhea, and inflammation in the gut.
A team of researchers in Bulgaria, led by Dr. Antonia Topalova-Dimitrova, wanted to understand how vitamin D levels relate to inflammation in people with IBD. Their study was published in the journal Medicine.
They looked at the blood of 92 people with IBD and compared it to 14 healthy people. They measured how much vitamin D was in their blood and also looked at signs of inflammation, such as certain blood proteins and white blood cell counts.
The results were striking. People with IBD had much lower levels of vitamin D in their blood than healthy people. On average, their vitamin D levels were around 16 ng/mL, while healthy people had about 26 ng/mL.
Experts usually say that anything below 20 ng/mL is too low. Shockingly, over 98% of the IBD patients had low or even very low vitamin D. One-third were clearly deficient, and two-thirds didn’t have enough. In contrast, many of the healthy people had normal vitamin D levels.
The study also showed that as vitamin D levels went down, inflammation markers went up. In simple terms, people with less vitamin D had more signs of inflammation in their bodies.
One of these markers was CRP-C, a protein that usually rises when something is wrong, such as during an infection or flare-up of a disease. This suggests that vitamin D may help control inflammation in the gut. However, the study doesn’t prove that low vitamin D causes inflammation — only that the two seem to happen together.
Why does this matter? People with IBD are already at risk of low vitamin D. Their bodies might not absorb it well due to damage in the gut.
They may also stay out of the sun more, either because of feeling tired, being unwell, or taking medications that make their skin more sensitive. All of these things can lead to vitamin D levels dropping even further, which could make their condition worse.
Other studies have also found that low vitamin D is linked to worse outcomes for IBD. People with low levels might have more symptoms come back after getting better. They may not respond as well to certain treatments. Some may even be more likely to need surgery.
So what can people do? One option is to eat more foods with vitamin D, such as fatty fish like salmon, eggs, and fortified milk or cereals. Another option is to get a bit more sunlight each day — but always safely, without burning the skin.
And finally, some people might need to take vitamin D supplements. These can be in tablet or liquid form, but it’s important to talk to a doctor before starting them. Taking too much vitamin D can also be harmful.
This research is part of a growing interest in how nutrition and vitamins can help manage chronic illnesses. While scientists still need to learn more, this study adds to the evidence that keeping vitamin D levels up might help reduce inflammation and improve life for people with IBD.
If you or someone you know has IBD, it might be worth asking the doctor to check vitamin D levels. A small test and a simple supplement could make a big difference.
If you care about gut health, please read studies about how high blood pressure medicine might affect your gut and origin of Parkinson’s disease is in the gut.
For more information about gut health, please read studies that your gut can help lower your blood pressure: here’s how and from shock to awe: a zap in the gut could be the new insulin for people with diabetes.
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