Irritable bowel syndrome and vitamin D insufficiency:

There is existing research noting a possible correlation between vitamin D insufficiency and irritable bowel syndrome. The etiology of irritable bowel syndrome is unknown with the goal of the health care provider being symptom control. There are studies suggesting insufficient vitamin D levels may cause an inflammatory response in the gut leading to symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Out of 118 patients in a private gastroenterology practice in rural Western Pennsylvania, 62 individuals with the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome had vitamin D blood levels drawn within the last 5 years. The diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome was broken down into IBS/ diarrhea, IBS/ constipation, and IBS/mixed. The expected value from the Chi-Square test as derived from a proportional analysis of low vitamin D levels in the general population of the United States is 19.8. The observed value from this study is 30, a 10.2 value higher than the expected value. The Chi-square test indicated significance, thereby the (30) IBS patients (48.3%) the total patients with low levels of vitamin D as compared (32) IBS patients (51.1%) of the total patients with normal levels of Vitamin D, where Chi-square (1, n = 62) = 7.6, p < .006. The study showed a possible correlation between insufficient vitamin D levels and irritable bowel syndrome in a small rural gastroenterology practice in Western Pennsylvania. Further investigation into a possible correlation between vitamin D insufficiency and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in the adult patient would be a positive step towards this challenging functional bowel disorder.