Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Have a Higher Risk For Osteoporosis

According to the American College of Gastroenterology a study of 161 patients with iriitable bowel disease such as ulcerative coloitis and Crohn's disease found that 22% of the patients had a reduction in bone density and a diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis. Of those with low bone density 50% were younger that 40 years old and 40% were deficient in Vitamin D 25-hydroxyvitamin D below 30 ng/mL. The individuals low in Vitamin D had nine times the risk of developing osteoporsis. This is another reason that everyone should get their vitamin D levels checked along with a Dexa scan for preventing osteoporsis.