Scientists have long known that vitamin D helps people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and now they finally know why. A new Mayo Clinic-led study shows how vitamin D essentially reprograms the immune system to stop attacking the beneficial bacteria living in the gut.
The findings, published in Cell Reports Medicine, build on years of clinical observation linking vitamin D deficiency to worse IBD outcomes. However, unlike previous research, the new study maps the precise immune mechanism at work—a detail that could reshape how doctors approach treatment.
Rebalancing the Microbiome With Vitamin D
Researchers gave vitamin D to 48 patients with inflammatory bowel disease over 12 weeks. Despite being a small study without a control group—limitations the authors acknowledge—it was unique in the depth of testing for each patient.
We had a problem loading this article. Please enable javascript or use a different browser. If the issue persists, please visit our help center.
