A new study has found that vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, might be effective in fighting Crohn’s disease, which is an inflammatory bowel disorder that affects the intestines. The findings are further evidence that support the potential importance of vitamin D in our diets.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is difficult to obtain in food, with the few exceptions being fish and fortified food-products. However, it is also naturally produced by our bodies when we are exposed to sunshine. Through a series of metabolic steps, the vitamin is then converted into its active form, also known as calcitriol, which is classified as a hormone.

After it is metabolized, vitamin D seems to play a role in numerous bodily functions, including the maintenance of calcium and phosphate levels in our body, thus affecting bone development, as well as affecting our immune system and reducing inflammation.

Because of this, vitamin D has been investigated for the treatment of Crohn’s disease, which results in inflammation of the intestines and is believed to be an autoimmune disorder. There is, however, some debate as to whether the effect on the immune system is a cause or an effect of the disease.

In the study in question, currently in press in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, doctors specifically targeted the innate immune system which is responsible for protecting us from microbial invaders. When this first line of defense does not function properly, bacterial populations can result in inflammation which can in turn lead to autoimmune disorders.

Vitamin D is believed to help modulate immune response by acting on certain genes that code for antimicrobial peptides and signal the cells to fight invading organisms. The functioning, or lack thereof, of both of these genes have been linked to Crohn’s disease.

The authors believe that their hypothesis is a simple one to test because vitamin D is easy to obtain and lately, interest in it has been increasing. An growing number of disorders is being linked back to vitamin D deficiencies, including osteoporosis, rickets, diabetes, heart disease, and, of course, Crohn’s disease.

Crohn’s disease can affect nearly any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus, though it is mostly found in the lower section of the small intestines. It affects men and women of all ages equally, though it is primarily found in people between the ages of 20 and 30 years. It appears to have a genetic component, with nearly 20% of Crohn’s patients having a blood relative with at least some sort of inflammatory bowel disease.

Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bleeding, and weight loss, though the range and severity of the symptoms varies. If you suspect that you or someone you know has Crohn’s disease, seek medical attention.

And before you go and start taking large amounts of vitamin D, speak with a physician and visit the website for the Office of Dietary Supplements, a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).