If you’ve done any research on gut health, you already know how important a well-functioning gastrointestinal tract is to support optimal immune function (since most of our immune system is actually located in our gut!). It turns out that vitamin D plays a key role in critical immune defenses and, in turn, helps optimize overall gut health.*
“The vitamin D pathway is important in the regulation of immune responses and gut health. There are different genes regulated by the vitamin D receptor that can affect the integrity of the intestinal barrier and immune defenses in the gut,” * Adrian F. Gombart, Ph.D., biochemistry professor at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, previously told mbg.
But immune function isn’t the only aspect of vitamin D supports GI health! in a Cross-sectional analysis 2020 published in nature communicationsThe researchers found that men with higher concentrations of the hormonally active form of vitamin D showed a greater diversity of gut microbiomes (which is a key indicator of optimal gut health), including the type of gut microbiota that produces the postbiotic butyrate. *
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