Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Celiac Hair Loss

jamie111

By jamie111
in Related Issues & Disorders

Recommended Posts

jamie111 Newbie
jamie111
Posted

I was diagnosed with Celiac in Sept 2016. I have been gluten-free for 7 months. 

Pre-diagnosis: hair thinning, dry skin, head aches, awful bloating, etc. Symptoms have steadily improve with bloating here and there. Now, the past month, my hair has taken a dramatic turn for the worse with loss and thinning of hair again - but worse!! Why is this? I need help!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


PinkyGurl Explorer
PinkyGurl
Posted
43 minutes ago, jamie111 said:

I was diagnosed with Celiac in Sept 2016. I have been gluten-free for 7 months. 

Pre-diagnosis: hair thinning, dry skin, head aches, awful bloating, etc. Symptoms have steadily improve with bloating here and there. Now, the past month, my hair has taken a dramatic turn for the worse with loss and thinning of hair again - but worse!! Why is this? I need help!

Hi jamie111. I had the SAME thing!  Turned out I also had hashimotos which is often seen with celiac.  I would have your thyroid antibodies and thyroid levels checked.  My antibodies were up but my thyroid labs were "within normal". I saw my endocrine and told her of all my thyroid symptoms and she was amazing and started me on meds (very low dose) and wow what a difference!

icelandgirl Proficient
icelandgirl
Posted

Hi Jamie!

I completely agree with Pinky.  Have your thyroid fully investigated.  A lot of Dr's will only test TSH and it just doesn't tell the whole story.  You also need Free T3, Free T4, TPOAb andTgAb.  The last 2 are antibody tests.  Your TSH should be close to 1 and both Free's should be within 50-75% of the range to be optimal.  When your thyroid isn't operating optimally you can have a variety of issues, including hair loss.

Another thing to have checked is your ferritin, stored iron.  If that's low it can cause hair loss as well.

Good luck...I hope you get this figured out!

janpell Apprentice
janpell
Posted

I noticed a huge improvement once I started my iron supplements. It still grows very, very slow though but no hair loss anymore.

cristiana Veteran
cristiana
Posted
17 hours ago, janpell said:

I noticed a huge improvement once I started my iron supplements. It still grows very, very slow though but no hair loss anymore.

I think there has been a direct correlation with my anemia and hair thinning.  Unfortunately I have to limit my iron intake as I have a suspected blood disorder but I'm a rare case - under normal circumstances I'd be supplementing much more as I feel it makes quite a difference.   If I were you I'd get your iron tested and then supplement if on the low side - but make sure your levels are monitored as too much iron is a bad thing.

Some other tips I've picked up from my nutritionalist: eat sufficient protein (eggs, chicken, oily fish), fresh fruit and veg.  And from surfing the net:  make sure you are getting enough exercise; also, some people don't use hair products that contain gluten - this seems a bit controversial, but I've changed mine and I think it has helped.    

Also - are you sure your food isn't being cross contaminated as I have heard some people shed hair if they are glutened?

On that tack - something I'd love to know from other celiacs who have problems with oats (most celiacs don't) is if they feel that oats have ever caused hair loss, in the way that gluten has caused it?

Anyway, do let us know if you find any answers!

 

  • 6 months later...
Feesa Apprentice
Feesa
Posted

OMG I think you have been talking to me, I have found in the last 2 months my hair is falling out like crazy!! I am afraid of the brush now because all it does is make me cry, After reading everyone else's comments I am going to make a Dr apt and get the TSH  tests done, Sorry to hear you are going threw this. But I will say it helps people understand that they are not alone.. Thank you so much for sharing your story.   :)

vonpop626 Newbie
vonpop626
Posted

has anyone heard about this ...Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and that it can help with celiac?

 

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted
2 hours ago, vonpop626 said:

has anyone heard about this ...Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and that it can help with celiac?

 

I've read that some people with Crohn's Disease use it and think it can help them.  But I've never read about it being used for celiac disease.

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted
5 hours ago, vonpop626 said:

has anyone heard about this ...Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and that it can help with celiac?

 

Not for celiac disease.  There are some alternative sites promoting it for autoimmune issues, but no studies have been made to my limited knowledge (I am not a doctor).  Besides the side effects are GI issues!  Not great if you already have a damaged gut. 

I assume you are concerned about hair loss?  How long have you been gluten free?  Have other I issues ruled out?  

vonpop626 Newbie
vonpop626
Posted

one year!

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted
5 hours ago, vonpop626 said:

one year!

Okay, a year of being gluten free.  When was your last celiac antibodies test taken?  It should be done annually or more often if you are having issues.  It can help determine if you are actually diet compliant.

Open Original Shared Link

Ruling out celiac disease as the culprit would be helpful as your hair loss might be related to another autoimmune issue or illness.  

Autoimmune thyroid is commonly linked to celiac disease and if you are hypothyroid that can contribute to hair loss too.  

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      129,250
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    GrainFreeze
    Newest Member
    GrainFreeze
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.2k
    • Total Posts
      71.5k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Intermittent Fatigue

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      There are thirteen essential vitamins:  eight B vitamins, four fat soluble vitamins, and Vitamin C.  They all work together.   If you are deficient in one, you are probably low in the other dozen.  Celiac Disease affects the absorption of all the vitamins, and the dozen or so essential minerals, as well.  Cobalamine Vitamin B12, needs Folate B9 and Pyridoxine B6 to function properly.  Pyridoxine B6 needs Riboflavin B2.  Vitamin C is needed to interact with B12 as well.  Thiamine B1 and Niacin B3 are also needed to provide the energy for these vitamins to function properly.  If one is also low in Folate and Pyridoxine, B12 Cobalamine is not going to be able to function properly and the body doesn't bother to absorb it.   Vitamin D is safe even in high doses.  Vitamin D3 should be supplemented.  Vitamin D2 is not as well utilized because it's synthetic, not a form the body can utilize easily.  Vitamin D must be activated by Thiamine Vitamin B1.  Insufficient Thiamine B1 will make one feel "dopey".  Thiamine is needed for brain function.  The brain uses as much energy just thinking as your muscles do while running a marathon.   Multivitamins do not contain sufficient amounts of essential vitamins to correct nutritional deficiencies.  Supplementing with ALL eight B vitamins, extra Thiamine (don't use the form thiamine mononitrate because it's not absorbed nor utilized well), Vitamin C and the four fat soluble vitamins will be more beneficial than just supplementing one or two vitamins by themselves. With sufficient amounts of essential vitamins, the immune system gets regulated and becomes less reactive to other things like pollen, molds and animal dander.  Sleep apnea is frequently found in Thiamine insufficiency.  The eight essential B vitamins are water soluble and easily excreted if not needed.  The B vitamins all work together.  Supplement them together. Thiamine deficiency disorders: a clinical perspective https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33305487/  
    • Jane07
      any advice would be helpful

      By Jane07 · Posted

      i have been gluten free for about 2 yrs i had a ttg recently done my blood test was .7 higher then last time. i must be doing something wrong im still not in the normal range. What advice would anyone give?
    • Michelle Amirault-Packard
      Intermittent Fatigue

      By Michelle Amirault-Packard · Posted

      He should definitely have his vitamin D and Vitamin B12 checked.  I have celiac and i always felt tired, sometimes i described it as dopy.My vitamin D is always low at times extremely low which can affect you. But  I also did some research and contacted my doctor to see if she checked my Vitamin B12 and She said she didn’t check my vitamin B-12 because a wasn’t Anemic and the normal protocol is , if you are not Anemic they don’t test for B-12.  She had no problem doing the test for me and it came back super super deficient . So I was given a shot of B12 once a week for 4 weeks and I give myself 1 shot intramuscular once a month now for 18 years. Once your B12 is low it can take a long time to bring it back up and sustain it. I think it took about 6 months to get a decent number and about a year to get it right. I do get my Vitamin D checked but not yearly more like every other year because it is a more expensive test and I tend to always be low. I do take a vitamin D supplement but I would talk to your doctor before taking a supplement to make sure you don’t take too much especially if you are already taking a multivitamin. Because too much D can also have some bad side effects.  Celiacs tend to be able to take a higher dose due to our digestive and malabsorption issues but always talk to your doctor before taking. Other things could be making him feel extremely tired  like new allergies like pollens, animals, molds etc.. sleep apnea is a huge one( cause extreme fatigue) and some medications. Just other things he can have checked! Good luck 
    • knitty kitty
      Dr. Reddy’s Sandoz sumatriptan gluten-free?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      I suggest you eliminate dairy from your son's diet next.  Cow's milk protein, Casein, can trigger tTg IgA antibody production, the same as gluten, because casein contains segments of proteins that resemble gluten protein segments.   Mucosal reactivity to cow's milk protein in coeliac disease https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1810502/ I cannot consume dairy products.  Some people find they can tolerate A2 dairy without a reaction. Corn is another frequently hard to tolerate food because the protein zein in corn also resembles the protein structure of gluten.   Do research in Dr. Derrick Lonsdale and TTFD thiamine.  Taking TTFD really can make a dramatic difference, speaking from personal experience. https://hormonesmatter.com/energy-deficiency-asd/ Keep us posted on your progress!
    • Scott Adams
      Bowel issues

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      It sounds like you're doing everything right with your gluten-free diet, yet still experiencing significant discomfort, which must be frustrating. Since your stool sample came back normal but symptoms persist, pushing for further investigation—like a colonoscopy or biopsy—is a reasonable next step. You might also want to discuss the possibility of additional conditions, such as IBS, microscopic colitis, or other inflammatory issues, with your doctor. Tracking your symptoms, diet, and triggers in detail could help identify patterns. Don’t hesitate to advocate for yourself—if your current doctor isn’t addressing your concerns, seeking a second opinion or a referral to a gastroenterologist could be beneficial. You’re right to seek answers, and I hope you find relief soon. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful:    
×
×
  • Create New...