Many IBS Patients Suffer from Vitamin D Deficiency

The irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) population exhibits significant levels of vitamin D insufficiency and would benefit from screening, suggests a new pilot study.

Researchers at the University of Sheffield (United Kingdom) and Cultech (Port Talbot, United Kingdom) conducted a randomized, double blinded, three-arm parallel design study of vitamin D, placebo, or a combination of vitamin D and probiotics in 51 IBS patients. Study participants were further stratified according to whether they were vitamin D replete or insufficient, as determined by a blood test at baseline and exit. IBS symptoms were assessed by validated questionnaire, and dietary intakes were assessed by food frequency questionnaire.

The results showed that 82% of the IBS cohort in the study was vitamin D deficient, to such a degree that repletion levels could not be adequately recruited. The researchers also found a significant association in the baseline data between circulating vitamin D level and quality of life. Subsequent Vitamin D supplementation succeeded in significantly improving vitamin D level, although the IBS symptoms themselves were not significantly improved during the pilot study. The study was published on December 21, 2015, in BMJ Open Gastroenterology.

“IBS is a poorly understood condition which impacts severely on the quality of life of sufferers. Our work has shown that most IBS sufferers in our trial had insufficient levels of vitamin D,” said lead author Bernard Corfe, PhD, of the University of Sheffield molecular gastroenterology research group. “Furthermore there was an association between vitamin D status and the sufferer's perceived quality of life, measured by the extent to which they reported impact on IBS on life.”

IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion. It is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any detectable organic cause. In some cases, the symptoms are relieved by bowel movements. Diarrhea or constipation may predominate, or they may alternate (classified as IBS-D, IBS-C or IBS-A, respectively). IBS may begin after an infection (post-infectious, IBS-PI), a stressful life event, or onset of maturity without any other medical indicators.

Related Links:
University of Sheffield
Cultech