Archive
Vitamin D and Crohn’s Disease
| Dr. Jaquelyn McCandless | 65 – 90 |
| Robb Wolf | 60 – 80 |
| www.VitaminDCouncil.org | 50 – 80 |
| www.GrassRootsHealth.net | 40 – 60 |
| Vitamin D IBD Study | 30 – 60 |
There is alot of talk about Vitamin D and its relationship to autoimmune disease and cancer. It appears that those with these diseases have very low levels of Vitamin D. And although its hard to tell which came first, Vitamin D deficiency or the disease, we know it plays an important role on a number of dimensions.
Genetic Expression – Research shows that (NOD2) gene insufficiency contributes to the development of the disease. Vitamin D signalling is a direct inducer of NOD2 expression arguing strongly that vitamin D deficiency plays a causative role in Crohn’s Disease.
Vitamin D plays a critical role in preventing and healing leaky-gut – maintenance of the epithelial barrier integrity of the large intestine by vitamin D is critical in preventing IBD. The VDR (vitamin D receptor) is required for mucosal repair andVDR expression suggesting that Vitamin D is involved in the regulation of epithelial wound healing.
Vitamin D controls Zonulin – the molecule that is the glue of tight junctions in the gut lining. If you are deficient in D, the gates will stay open.
Vitamin D acts as an anti-inflammatory immunomodulator in IBD -Vitamin D downregulated Th1 (acting as a natural TNF-a suppressor) and upregulated Th2 responses (increased IL-4 anti-inflammatory cytokines). Th17 responses – a primary driver of inflammation – were also downregulated.
Those with IBD are also prone to vitamin D intestinal malabsorption so we know that it is difficult to get enough. And that is the key question? How much Vitamin D is enough to help with healing? There are no clear answers but there are some good guidelines available.
Test Your Vitamin D 25(OH)D Levels
Just as you would test you blood levels for key inflammation markers like CRP & ESR, you should be testing for Vitamin D or 25(OH)D. And while there is no clear theraputic range to target, the above chart gives some good guidance. Dr. Jaquelyn McCandless is a pioneer in treating Autism using LDN and diet. She also treats patients with IBD and suggests the highest target of 65 – 90. The above chart from Mercola is in agreement with her. Robb Wolf and the Vitamin D Council are pretty close in the 60 – 80 range.
How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?
How much vitamin D3 (and yes you want D3) you supplement with – to get up to the target levels – depends on your situation. Where do you live? How much time do you spend in the sun? How much damage do you have to your ileum? As a result, everyone has to determine their own dosage based on their actual blood level results. For some that may mean 1,000 iu/day. Others may need 5,000 or 10,000 iu/day. Preliminary studies show that high-dose Vitamin D3 Improves Clinical Activity in Crohn’s Disease.
What kind should I take?
Vitamin D is best assimilated when it is taken with fat, so the D3 you take should be in either an MCT oil or olive oil base.
I know that I’ve just scratched the surface on Vitamin D here. In addition to the Vitamin D Council and Grass Roots Health, the Vitamin D wiki is also a great resource – www.vitamindwiki.com for further research. There are also some interesting discussions on other supplements that support vitamin d such as magnesium, zinc and K2. Making sure you get your Vitamin D levels up to theraputic levels does not insure that you’ll be cured (I wish it was that easy), but it’s cheap, safe and easy to do. So don’t wait! Get your blood levels checked and catch some rays!
“Direct and indirect induction by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 of the NOD2/CARD15-beta defensin 2 innate pathway defective in Crohn’s disease” The Journal of Biological Chemistry, January, 2010 .“
“Vitamin D and gastrointestinal diseases: inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer” Theraputic Advances in Gastroenterol, January, 2011
“US research confirms latitude variation in incidence of chronic digestive diseases.” American College of Gastroenterology, October, 2011
Crohn's Dad 