VITAMIN D AND INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES

Vitamin D is a sterol which has functions like hormone. It improves immune system by stimulating antimicrobial agents in intestinal tract. Therefore; it is thought that deficiency of vitamin D is a risk factor for inflammatory bowel diseases. Inflammatory bowel diseases are chronic inflammatory diseases of the intestinal tract. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are the two major phenotypes of inflammatory bowel diseases. These diseases have an increased incidence and great impact on the quality of life of the affected persons and their families. Vitamin D deficiency prevelance was frequently defined in people with inflammatory bowel diseases by various studies. Therefore the aim of this review is to evaluate the relation between vitamin D and inflammatory bowel diseases