Research published in Pediatrics (2006; 118(5):1950–1961) examined the relationship between vitamin D status and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children and young adults.
The study included 130 participants between the ages of 8 and 22, including 94 with Crohn’s disease and 36 with ulcerative colitis. Vitamin D deficiency was present in 34.6% of the subjects. Serum vitamin D levels tended to be lower in participants with darker skin pigmentation.
The degree of vitamin D deficiency was also related to disease activity. Inflammation was assessed using the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), a nonspecific marker of inflammation. ESR levels were inversely associated with vitamin D status, meaning lower vitamin D levels were linked with higher levels of inflammation.
