Vitamin D in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Mechanisms of Action and Therapeutic Implications

Background:

Vitamin D is an immunoregulatory factor influencing intestinal homeostasis. Recent evidence supports a central role of this micronutrient in the course of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). This narrative review aims to provide a general overview of the possible biological mechanisms of action of vitamin D and its therapeutic implications in IBD.

Methods:

A systematic electronic search of the English literature up to October 2021 was performed using Medline and the Cochrane Library. Only papers are written in English that analyzed the role of vitamin D in IBD were included.

Results:

In vitro and animal studies reported that vitamin D signaling improves epithelial barrier integrity regulating the expression of several junctional proteins, defensins, and mucins, modulating the inflammatory response, and affecting gut microbiome composition. Recent studies also suggest that vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among IBD patients and that low serum levels correlate with disease activity and, less clearly, with disease course.

Conclusions:

An increasing body of evidence suggests some role of vitamin D in the pathophysiology of IBD, nonetheless, the underlying mechanisms have been so far only partially elucidated. A strong correlation with disease activity has been reported but its implication in the treatment is still undefined. Thus, studies focused on this issue, the definition of vitamin D levels responsible for clinical effects, and the potential role of vitamin D as a therapeutic agent are strongly encouraged.

Story Source:

Nutrients. 2022 Jan 9;14(2):269. [doi: 10.3390/nu14020269] Vitamin D in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Mechanisms of Action and Therapeutic Implications. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35057450/