People with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis do not absorb foods well, making many deficient in vitamins and nutrients. In this study, doctors measured nutrient levels in 87 people with an IBD. More than a third were deficient in vitamin D; 18.4 percent were deficient in folate (vitamin B9), and 5.7 percent were deficient in cobalamin (vitamin B12). Those with higher folate levels had lower disease activity and inflammation.
Doctors usually evaluate IBD through blood and stool samples, but these results suggest vitamin levels may be a complementary way to measure disease activity, and a possible form of treatment.
Reference: Nutrients; 2020, Vol. 12, No. 12, nu12123734
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