Nutritional disturbances in Crohn's disease.

A wide range of nutritional disturbances may be found in patients with Crohn's disease. As more sophisticated tests become available to measure vitamin and trace element deficiencies, so these are being recognized as complications of Crohn's disease. It is important to recognize nutritional deficiencies at an early stage and initiate appropriate treatment. Otherwise many patients, experiencing what can be a chronic and debilitating illness, may suffer unnecessarily from the consequences of deprivation of vital nutrients.