Vitamin D deficiency common in patients with IBD

Among patients with inflammatory bowel disease, poor vitamin D status correlates with lower bone mineral density, according to findings published in the June issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology. "A higher incidence of osteoporosis and fractures is a recognized complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)," Dr. William D. Leslie and colleagues from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, write. Of the 101 subjects in the study, only 22 (21.8%) had optimal serum 25OHD levels (75 nmol/L or greater). Six patients (5.9%) had deficient levels, 38 (37.6%) had insufficient levels, and 35 (34.7%) had marginal levels. Higher serum 25OHD was associated with greater bone density at the lumbar spine (p < 0.01), total hip (p < 0.05), and total body (p < 0.05).

Bonnie - I would venture to say that when these subjects optimized their vitamin D levels, they saw improvement in their IBD as well. The study did not mention this however.