AD: This contains a paid-for mention but is my own words.
Today I’m back with another nutrition guide (you might find my guides on other vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D the importance of magnesium and what role does omega 3 play in IBD?) and today we’re going to discuss vitamin A and crohn’s disease. Why is this vitamin important for those of us with IBD and how can we ensure we get enough of it? We often talk about things like Vitamin C and Vitamin D but Vitamin A is also important!
Why vitamin A is important for good gut health…
Vitamin A’s role in our gut health is all to do with our microbiome and the fact that vitamin A plays a role in our immune system. It’s also important for other key functions in the body such as improving our vision and helping our bone and reproductive health. Levels of vitamin A in our intestines help control the immune response of our gut which is why vitamin A is particularly important for IBD.
Why vitamin A is important for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis…
Studies have shown a high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in people with Crohn’s disease-with 29% of Crohn’s patients found to be deficient compared to a control group of 12% (source). This may be partly why people with Crohn’s disease have an overactive immune system since we know that vitamin A plays a part in controlling this response and without it, it could cause immune system problems that cause a flare.
Of course, in general, those with IBD are also at risk of malnutrition and our small and large bowel may struggle to absorb nutrients from food, including vitamin A, which explains why we may be deficient too.
In turn, many people with IBD may struggle with bone complications such as osteoporosis due to steroid use and lack of calcium; again vitamin A is thought to help with bone health so it’s important we try to increase our vitamin A levels if we are actually deficient. However, it’s important to note studies have not found vitamin A to have any kind of remission-inducing effect on IBD.
How can we get Vitamin A from our diet?
Firstly, it’s important to consider your individual needs here. Your doctor may be able to advise if you need to supplement your vitamin A levels or if you’re particularly at risk and should be tested for a deficiency. A quick reminder: if you’re pregnant, you should not take vitamin A supplements and in general, high supplementation levels are not recommended. Instead, vitamin A can be found in a rich supply in many foods.
Beko has created a really useful calculator which can tell you which amount your age group and gender may need of vitamin A.
They also have facts by parts of the country: did you know that Yorkshire and Humber have the lowest levels of vitamin A in the country, and London the highest? They also have a guide to which foods are particularly high in vitamin A which is a great starting point for improving your vitamin A levels through food alone.
For example, sweet potatoes contain 122% of your daily value whilst carrots come up top at 148%. Other good sources are mango, butternut squash, and pepper. Why not make my sweet potato hash browns or mango rehydration smoothie to get your vitamin A fix?
It’s also worth taking a look at foods high in vitamin C (such as kiwi fruit, strawberries, and orange) as these too are important to consume.
Have you ever checked your vitamin A levels? Is it something you’re deficient in?
Very informative article! Importance of essential nutrients especially vitamins is vital and important in enhancing our immunity levels. Also, it is preferable to get our vitamins from our food rather than supplements.