Inflammatory bowel disease is the name of a group of disorders that cause the intestines to become inflamed (red and swollen). The inflammation lasts a long time and usually comes back over and over again. Inflammation often leads to ulceration and eventually scar tissue can form. Inflammatory bowel disease is a term used to refer to two diseases, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
In a study that appeared in the journal, Nutrition (epublished ahead of print on April 8, 2011), the amount of undercarboxylated osteocalcin was measured in 47 patients with Crohn’s disease and in 40 patients with ulcerative colitis. The levels were found to be significantly higher in these patients than they were in healthy controls. The buildup of the undercarboylated osteocalcin is likely due to a deficiency of vitamin K. Also, the severity of the disease in the Crohn’s patients was proportional to the vitamin K deficiency. Low vitamin D levels were also found in patients with inflammatory bowel disease when compared to healthy controls.
