Vitamin D supplementation helps maintain normal intestinal permeability and reduces inflammation in people suffering from Crohn’s disease, reports United European Gastroenterology.
Researchers at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, have found preliminary evidence that vitamin D helps treat Crohn’s disease and can prevent its recurrence by keeping the gut barrier functioning properly and reducing inflammation in the body.
The study involved 27 people diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, who were in remission at that time. The investigators gave the patients 2000 IU (international units) of vitamin D or a placebo each day for three months. Then they assessed the results of their actions.
They found that people supplemented with vitamin D were less likely to develop leaky gut syndrome, one of the first symptoms of Crohn’s disease recurrence.
In patients with the highest concentration of vitamin D in the blood, a reduction in the inflammation of the body was also observed, which was manifested by a reduction in the number of C-reactive proteins (CRP) and an increase in the amount of cathelicidines (peptides with bactericidal properties). These patients also reported an overall improvement in quality of life.
This is the first study in Crohn’s disease patients to show the effect of vitamin D supplementation on intestinal permeability and the concentration of antibacterial peptides. Its results are in line with previous studies that have suggested that vitamin D plays a large role in maintaining normal gut barrier function, the researchers conclude.
Crohn’s disease is a chronic disease of unknown etiology characterized by inflammation of the walls of the gastrointestinal tract. Its occurrence is accompanied by abdominal pain, constant diarrhea and excessive fatigue. People with Crohn’s disease often require hospitalization and generally complain of a significant reduction in their quality of life.