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  • Jefferson Adams
    Jefferson Adams

    Could Childhood Trauma Be Causing Celiac Disease?

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    New findings by a team of researchers at McMaster University show a strong correlation between childhood stress and trauma, and the presence of celiac disease in adults.

    Could Childhood Trauma Be Causing Celiac Disease? - Image: CC PDM 1.0--picsulove
    Caption: Image: CC PDM 1.0--picsulove

    Celiac.com 08/07/2019 - Could childhood stress and trauma help drive the development of celiac disease in adulthood? New findings by a team of researchers at McMaster University show a strong correlation between childhood stress and trauma, and the presence of celiac disease in adults.

    In their opinion, the findings indicate a need for psycho-social assessments in clinical gastroenterology practice. Such assessments could help researchers to better understand the factors driving the development of celiac disease and lead to improved care of celiac patients.

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    The data showed that substance abuse among family members during childhood, and neglectful parenting were significantly more common in people with celiac disease, compared to healthy controls. The analysis also showed a small, but significant, correlation between early-life events and the severity of constipation.

    The data showed no connection between early-life events and diarrhea, abdominal pain or extra-intestinal symptoms, say the researchers.

    Although preliminary, the data indicates that psychological treatment could benefit some people with celiac disease. Not every celiac disease patient has severe symptoms, but severe symptoms may be an indication that something else is going on, says Dr. Noejovich. 

    University of Chicago celiac expert, Dr. Stefano Guandalini, says that early-life stressors likely interact with genetic factors, including "delivery by C-section, frequent viral infections in the first couple of years of life, use of antibiotics, a large amount of gluten in the first two years, and a diet rich in red meats, fats and refined sugars. 

    It is not clear exactly how early life trauma might actually contribute to celiac disease development or severity, but, says Dr. Guandalini, "one may speculate that in this case, too, perturbances of the gut microbiota related to the stress may be at play.

    Further prospective studies are needed to confirm the findings, but Jason Tye-Din, MD, PhD, the head of the celiac research laboratory at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, in Parkville, Australia, called the findings intriguing. 

    He says that psychological factors like "anxiety and depression are well reported in patients with established celiac disease, and there is good evidence to support a role for psychological counseling, although this tends to be underdone in real-world practice."

    He ads that, "If confirmed, this would set the scene for interesting future research to define the specific trigger and how the adverse [celiac disease] effects are mediated."

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    Guest Ella

    Between the ages of 9 and 12 I experienced childhood trauma and was under a lot of stress.  I was diagnosed with celiac at the age of 61.  I never had any if the classic signs of celiac.  Mine was discovered by a colonoscopy primarily for polyp monitoring.  I was very surprised to learn I had celiac disease.  I NEVER EVER would have correlated the celiac disease with childhood stress or trauma. 

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    Guest Victoria

    Posted

    Yes,

    these findings make sense to my case as I ate a diet full of red meats as well as experiencing neglect, abuse, stress, depression, anxiety and large amounts of antibiotics. 

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    Guest hmm,

    hmm,

    I lived a very happy life, very little stress, and was well liked as a child and adolescent and became diagnosed at age 55

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    Hellodee2

    I had plenty of childhood trauma (molested by father at age 4 and more). I have severe constipation now. I had anorexia as a teen. Yup, I'm a walking celiac diagnosis. I even quit smoking around the time my doc thinks I developed Celiac. Yikes.

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    Guest Jan

    I didn't have much trauma, but was always sick as a child which I was given lots of antibiotics.  This lead to anxiety at an early age and depression as an adult.  I was diagnosed with Celiac at the age of 38.

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    M.cool
    On 8/13/2019 at 11:24 AM, Guest Ella said:

    Between the ages of 9 and 12 I experienced childhood trauma and was under a lot of stress.  I was diagnosed with celiac at the age of 61.  I never had any if the classic signs of celiac.  Mine was discovered by a colonoscopy primarily for polyp monitoring.  I was very surprised to learn I had celiac disease.  I NEVER EVER would have correlated the celiac disease with childhood stress or trauma. 

    Same with me had a lot of childhood trauma and stress and at age 60 diagnosed with celiac disease, CVS also

     

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    Guest Sick as a child

    Posted

    This is really Interesting. I was diagnosed with Celiac at age 60. As a child I was molested by cousins, being the only girl in our family. Was afraid to tell. Sick a lot...took iron shots, B12 & gammaglobulin shots. Missed diagnosed for 23 + years until I finally got so sick, lost so much weight, looked gray, the diagnosis finally came from a colonoscopy. 

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    Guest colette

    Posted

    I grew up with a lot of emotional violence in the home, my mother became an alcoholic when i was in 6th grade, and i experienced many other traumatic events during my teenage years (including sexual assault) and i was diagnosed at age 16. i have a first cousin who was also diagnosed around the same time as me, though he’s a few years older. I don’t believe he’s had any trauma, but clearly the genetic factors are there. 

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    trents
    6 hours ago, Guest colette said:

    I grew up with a lot of emotional violence in the home, my mother became an alcoholic when i was in 6th grade, and i experienced many other traumatic events during my teenage years (including sexual assault) and i was diagnosed at age 16. i have a first cousin who was also diagnosed around the same time as me, though he’s a few years older. I don’t believe he’s had any trauma, but clearly the genetic factors are there. 

    Yes. Emotional trauma can be the trigger for activating latent celiac disease.

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    Scott Adams

    You might find this article interesting:

     

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    QuiZZical
    On 8/13/2019 at 7:44 PM, Guest hmm, said:

    hmm,

    I lived a very happy life, very little stress, and was well liked as a child and adolescent and became diagnosed at age 55

    Hello

    From reading your comment, (13/8/2019) I am going to assume you to be a male; the emphasis re stress, it’s not just emotional.  

    Could you have been an individual, who suffered physical stress/trauma, during adolescence/adulthood from (peer pressured) intense team sports/injuries?

    it seems, there only needs to moment in time, that leaves us ‘vulnerable’ to become susceptible?

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    trents
    On 8/13/2019 at 11:44 AM, Guest hmm, said:

    hmm,

    I lived a very happy life, very little stress, and was well liked as a child and adolescent and became diagnosed at age 55

    The celiac triggering stress factor can also be medical in nature such as a viral infection.

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    Jefferson Adams is Celiac.com's senior writer and Digital Content Director. He earned his B.A. and M.F.A. at Arizona State University. His articles, essays, poems, stories and book reviews have appeared in numerous magazines, journals, and websites, including North American Project, Antioch Review, Caliban, Mississippi Review, Slate, and more. He is the author of more than 2,500 articles on celiac disease. His university coursework includes studies in science, scientific methodology, biology, anatomy, physiology, medicine, logic, and advanced research. He previously devised health and medical content for Colgate, Dove, Pfizer, Sharecare, Walgreens, and more. Jefferson has spoken about celiac disease to the media, including an appearance on the KQED radio show Forum, and is the editor of numerous books, including "Cereal Killers" by Scott Adams and Ron Hoggan, Ed.D.

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