Anxiety and Depression in Adults with Celiac Disease on a Gluten-free Diet

I'm surprised by this. I think following the gluten-free diet lowers anxiety levels rather than increases it. I would like to know if their anxiety levels were higher before they started following the diet, or if they decreased over time....

I'm surprised by this. I think following the gluten-free diet lowers anxiety levels rather than increases it. I would like to know if their anxiety levels were higher before they started following the diet, or if they decreased over time....

Good question, yet, I still can identify with the researcher's analysis. Following a gluten-free diet brings about dietary and social demands that non-celiacs never need to imagine. Unfortunately, this way of life is quite demanding for young females wanting to "fit in". Note that those living alone did not display similar results.

I had a very high level anxiety disorder before getting the Celiac diagnosis and going gluten-free. While my anxiety levels did get better on some levels (no more panic attacks, no free-floating anxiety), I have certainly noticed a level of anxiety that in some ways is worse and hits me harder, although I can usually find a trigger. I don't have it all the time anymore, but when I do have it, it seems to be a deeper anxiety than I usually had before getting my diagnosis and going gluten-free.

My experience is that gluten-free diet helped depression and anxiety. Four years later I can say that dairy-free added to that. What else are these people eating? Lots of gluten-free specialty foods,with empty calories and no nutrients? Healthy fats? Do they have kids w/their own undiagnosed neurological disorders? That increases anxiety.

These numbers are confusing to me.

But, I agree with the anxiety piece. Most of the time, I can link it to when I eat out so I could guess it was cross contamination and I ate a trace of gluten. Other times, I can't find a trigger to it.

But, my anxiety definitely only started when I started a gluten-free diet.

I had much less anxiety while living alone. No contamination worries. Didn't eat out as much. I usually consume gluten containing foods, mistakenly, while eating out, being social. People/restaurants say their food is gluten-free, but many times it's not, or contaminated. This challenges my trust, which can cause anxiety. I have to have very strict boundaries, decide what is really best for me.

This diagnosis of Celiac disease is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I believe that living alone would make this a lot easier. Being married means conflicts with your spouse over the Celiac not wanting to bring food to a barbecue/party where you do not know the hosts. Even if you do know the hosts it still is very awkward and not fun at all. Traveling is really stressful also.

Everyone says to me that there is a lot of Gluten-Free food now. Well most of it is awful. Before being Celiac I could buy bread that is 40 calories a slice and the average caloric count of gluten-free bread is about 150 calories a slice.

This diagnosis of Celiac disease is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I believe that living alone would make this a lot easier. Being married means conflicts with your spouse over the Celiac not wanting to bring food to a barbecue/party where you do not know the hosts. Even if you do know the hosts it still is very awkward and not fun at all. Traveling is really stressful also.

 

Everyone says to me that there is a lot of Gluten-Free food now. Well most of it is awful. Before being Celiac I could buy bread that is 40 calories a slice and the average caloric count of gluten-free bread is about 150 calories a slice.

I have followed a gluten-free diet for 13 years and felt physically and personally healthier every year up until the past 3 years. I am now married and have 2 little kids. I often have a hard time eating well (I sometimes avoid eating simply because it is so much effort to find healthy, quick gluten-free foods, or I eat questionable foods out of necessity) and uncharacteristic anxiety affects some areas of my life quite noticeable.

I think if you wanted to you could blame alot of things on the celiac disease. I was diagnosed one - half years ago. I feel much better and my anxiety level is almost nothing, since I have been eating gluten free.

If I eat badly (gluten-free junk) I don't feel as well. Also, most of the gluten free bake goods are not that good for you.

This diagnosis of Celiac disease is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I believe that living alone would make this a lot easier. Being married means conflicts with your spouse over the Celiac not wanting to bring food to a barbecue/party where you do not know the hosts. Even if you do know the hosts it still is very awkward and not fun at all. Traveling is really stressful also.

 

Everyone says to me that there is a lot of Gluten-Free food now. Well most of it is awful. Before being Celiac I could buy bread that is 40 calories a slice and the average caloric count of gluten-free bread is about 150 calories a slice.

I am 60 years old and got diagnosed 1 year ago. I fully agree that the celiac diet tastes awful. It is no wonder women living with a spouse are depressed and have anxiety. They must make two types of meals everyday and smell it cooking knowing that they cannot eat it. Eating out is so frustrating when you have to pick and choose what you can and cannot eat from the menu or tying to find a restaurant that is gluten-free and will not cross-contaminate food. Family gatherings are the worst, watching everyone having what you cannot have.

Interesting article, but it leaves a lot of unanswered questions -- let's hope for more studies on this.

My anxiety levels spiked too on the gluten-free diet (although I also had anxiety before). My anxiety has slowly gone down over the past 6 month (I have been gluten-free for 2 years). I was found to have really weak adrenals, probably from the years of inflammation and pain from Celiac. Since supporting my adrenals over the past 6 months I have improved a lot.

I think gluten contributes to anxiety, but I am very curious as to why. I have heard that the serotonin receptors in your gut can become damaged with Celiac, which can increase anxiety. I also wonder why it seems to have gotten worse when I first went gluten-free, detox reaction maybe? I have also heard that wheat can act as an opiate sometimes, so maybe it was a withdrawal of some kind?

Lots of interesting possibilities -- let's hope that more research can help with this problem that so many of us have.

I can testify that my anxiety and depression were significantly reduced after being diagnosed. It was seriously like having a brand new life once I had been correctly diagnosed. I had been living with this since childhood and had been diagnosed with numerous other diseases; however, once I had been diagnosed, all of the other things went away. Yes! I'm not anxious at all. Happy as a new born lamb and a lil adjustment is all I needed.