<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

The following study demonstrates vitamin D may have a key role in 
maintaining the intestinal mucosal barrier and the integrity of tight 
junctions.  It is possible a vitamin D deficency early in life could 
be a factor in triggering the onset of celiac disease as well as 
slowing the recovery of the mucosa after celiac disease is diagnosed 
and treated.  Reduced sun exposure due to modern changing life 
styles might account for an increasing incidence celiac disease and 
other autoimmune disorders.  Vitamin D deficiency at the time gluten 
is introduced into an infants diet could also play a role in celiac 
disease onset.  A previous study found babies born in summer to be 
more susceptable to celiac disease than babies born in winter.  If 
gluten is first introduced to babies some 6 months after birth, 
vitamin D level variation might account for the difference.  Nursing 
mothers also need to be sure they maintain high vitamin D levels.

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Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2007 Oct 25; 
[Epub ahead of print]
Novel Role of the Vitamin D Receptor in Maintaining the Integrity of the 
Intestinal Mucosal Barrier.
Kong J, Zhang Z, Musch MW, Ning G, Sun J, Hart J, Bissonnette M, Li YC.
Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States; 
Chicago, Illinois, United States.

http://ajpgi.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/00398.2007v1 .
http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00398.2007 .

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J Epidemiol Community Health. 2003 Jan;57(1):36-9.
Children born in the summer have increased risk for coeliac disease.
Ivarsson A, Hernell O, Nystrom L, Persson LA.
Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Epidemiology, Umea 
University, Umea, Sweden. [log in to unmask]

http://jech.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/57/1/36 .

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