Vitamin D values inversely associated with inflammation in patients with ulcerative colitis
(Originally published on 15 August 2016)
In other research vitamin D has been shown to protect against colitis by helping to maintain the integrity of the intestinal wall.
This time, the researchers wanted to assess whether low vitamin D values could be associated with increased mucosal inflammation (loss of mucosal integrity and increased inflammatory cytokines).
230 patients were evaluated, vitamin D levels were measured as well as a number of other inflammatory parameters.
The mean vitamin D concentration was 21.8 ng/mL. An inverse associationwas found between vitamin D levels and inflammation. A concentration of less than 20ng/mL was associated with lower vitamin D receptor expression, lower mucosal integrity, and higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-8).
This is just another piece of research showing that it is crucial to assess vitamin D levels and act accordingly.