Young Adults With Inflammatory Bowel Disease May Need To Take Dietary Supplements

According to a new European study, young adults who are suffering from inflammatory bowel disease may be at a significantly increased risk of suffering a fracture due to their low bone mass and poor bone architecture.

The research, which was presented at the World Congress on Osteoporosis 2010 in Florence, Italy last week, indicated that patients who develop Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are not only at a higher risk of having a lower bone mass density, but are also more likely to suffer from changes to the microarchitecture of their trabecular bone tissue.

The authors of the study believe the findings suggest that physicians need to adjust the way that they treat younger patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. They note that young adults who are afflicted with the condition need to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D and calcium, and should be very careful when participating in a weight-bearing exercise routine.

Common dietary sources of vitamin D include fish, fortified milk, eggs and cod liver oil. The nutrient can also be obtained through a dietary supplement.