A 22-year-old male presents with persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, and weight loss. He has a family history of irritable bowel disease. What should be the considerations?
These symptoms, along with his family history, could suggest inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. IBD can impair absorption of nutrients, including Vitamin D, and people with IBD are often found to be deficient in Vitamin D. Therefore, assessing his Vitamin D levels and considering supplementation could be beneficial, along with further investigations like endoscopy and biopsy to confirm the diagnosis of IBD.