Can Sunlight and Vitamin D reduce the risk of Crohn’s Disease?

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Crohn’s Disease is a nasty autoimmune bowel disease that causes abdominal pain, inflammation and fibrous tissue buildup. It is increasing in incidence, particularly among people younger than 20,[1] a group that spends less time outdoors each passing year. Unfortunately and unnaturally, young people spend their time in indoor activities, and when venturing outdoors are advised by their parents and medical “experts” to dutifully apply sunscreen, which can reduce the production of vitamin D in the skin by up to 99%.[2]

Crohn’s is closely correlated to vitamin D deficiency, and moderate sunlight exposure coupled with winter supplementation has been recommended in the past to reduce its severity. Fifty percent of Crohn’s patients have levels of vitamin D below 20 ng/ml (very deficient) in winter and 19% in summer.[3]

Suffice it to say (without reviewing the copious research indicating that sunlight and vitamin D correlate to lower risk of many autoimmune diseases), it appears that sunlight exposure may help to reduce the risk of Crohn’s. The latest indication is a study from France, demonstrating that people living in geographic areas of lowest sunlight exposure have a substantially higher risk of Crohn’s disease.[4] This disease is just one of more than 100 that correlate closely to deficiency of sunlight and vitamin D, yet we continue to see warnings by dermatologists to avoid the sun. When will they ever learn?

Non-burning sunlight exposure is a boon to mankind, and it does not cause melanoma. Read my book for more information or see my earlier blogs on the subject of melanoma and sunlight.

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[1] Chouraki V, et al "The changing pattern of Crohn's disease incidence according to age in northern France: a constant increase in the 0-19 years age group (1988-2005)" DDW 2009; Abstract 114.

[2] Matsuoka, L. et al. sunscreens suppress cutaneous vitamin D3 synthesis. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 1987; 64:1165-68

[3] Gilman, J. et al. Determinants of vitamin D status in adult Crohn’s disease patients, with particular emphasis on supplemental vitamin D use. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006;60(7):889-96

[4] Nerich, V. et al. Low exposure to sunlight is a risk factor for Crohn's disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2011;33(8):940-945.

Vitamin D deficiency is costing Europe a fortune in lives and money!

Dr. William B Grant and his colleagues have just released a paper that analyzes the terrible financial burden that Europe is bearing due to lack of sunlight and vitamin D.[1] The diseases they mention that are related to vitamin D deficiency and have severe economic effects are “several types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, several bacterial and viral infections, and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.”

The reasons offered for the deficiency are high latitudes, indoor living (lack of sunlight exposure), lack of sufficient dietary vitamin D and lack of vitamin D fortification in most European countries. The cost is estimated at a staggering 187,000 million Euros per year.

These researchers estimate that the cost to educate and test the population and furnish the supplementation that would eliminate the deficiency—and thereby eliminate the diseases caused by it—would be about 10,000 million Euros yearly. What a great return on investment that would be! For every Euro spent on the program 18.7 would be saved.

Let’s hope that the heads of state listen to Dr Grant and his colleagues, and let’s pray that the U.S. and Canada do the same. We cannot allow vitamin D deficiency to take the lives of millions of people while we wait for more research to be sure. The research on the marvelous benefits of optimal vitamin D levels piles up weekly; the time to act is now.

Dr. Grant, by the way wrote the foreword for my book, and there is a tribute to his work therein. His dedication to informing the public and saving lives is second to none.

[1] Grant, W.B., et al., Estimated benefit of increased vitamin D status in reducing the economic burden of disease
in western Europe, Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology (2009), doi:10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2009.02.003