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Gluten induced body odor?


justwantcure

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justwantcure Newbie

Hi everyone, I'm getting a blood test for Celiac next week, but I've been dealing with this really embarrassing problem and it's really made my life difficult. For the past 2 years I've had strong body odor, described as fecal/sulfur like. This body odor only began when I was hired to work in a bakery (it's so gross, I'm sorry). Before this I've been on long plane rides and out in public with no complaints, but now it's impossible for me to even go to the movie theater.

 

I've seen ENTs for this, dentists, etc. -- no tonsil stones, gum disease, cavities. No doctors seem to have any idea what this could be. My only clue is it began when I started working at the bakery, and I'm constantly inhaling gluten for hours each day. The weird thing is I can't smell this on myself but everyone around reacts the same, so it has to be from me. Also forgot to mention, I had a blood panel done to see if it could be diabetes - and it came back with a severe B12 deficiency and vitamin D deficiency. My doctor said the normal level for B12 should be 1200, but mine was at 200.

 

Has anyone here dealt with something similar? I'm not sure what else I can do. I know for a fact it's not TMAU since my in-laws reacted to me recently, but before that I would see them often and there was no complaints about any smells. And I traveled a lot on planes before all of this too (maybe 6 or more times a year) and there was zero reactions.


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Scott Adams Grand Master

There are others who have posted on this topic, and these links might help:

 

Awol cast iron stomach Experienced

Hi i don't recall that I had a smell per se. I do know that after detoxing after the Gluten challenge. I was sweating out at night rest time as if I was running a high fever from illness. My husband even noticed it was unusual.

Are you still working at the bakery? Did you finish all your celiac testing?

If so then my opinion would be to support your body in detoxing and support your gi tract in replacing microflora-probiotic to hopefully get back your homeostasis and natural scent.  It's possible your body was actively fighting hard with constant exposure at the bakery to detox any inhalation\ possible ingestion.  I am not a Dr but someone with gi issues and  DH who went a long time misdiagnosed. I went alternative routes to cope with whatever I had that didn't seem to be fixed by my former misdiagnosis'.

It sounds like you are on right track getting that vitamin d deficiency and b12 issue addressed. 

For me I use several ways to detox depending on what feels right for you

Drinks tons of water

Dandelion tea

Acupuncture

Epsom salt bath

Exercise

Many of these help me you could find the one that works best for you or a combination of them. 

Best wishes

Posterboy Mentor
On 4/18/2019 at 11:28 AM, justwantcure said:

Hi everyone, I'm getting a blood test for Celiac next week, but I've been dealing with this really embarrassing problem and it's really made my life difficult. For the past 2 years I've had strong body odor, described as fecal/sulfur like. This body odor only began when I was hired to work in a bakery (it's so gross, I'm sorry). Before this I've been on long plane rides and out in public with no complaints, but now it's impossible for me to even go to the movie theater.

 

I've seen ENTs for this, dentists, etc. -- no tonsil stones, gum disease, cavities. No doctors seem to have any idea what this could be. My only clue is it began when I started working at the bakery, and I'm constantly inhaling gluten for hours each day. The weird thing is I can't smell this on myself but everyone around reacts the same, so it has to be from me. Also forgot to mention, I had a blood panel done to see if it could be diabetes - and it came back with a severe B12 deficiency and vitamin D deficiency. My doctor said the normal level for B12 should be 1200, but mine was at 200.

 

Has anyone here dealt with something similar? I'm not sure what else I can do. I know for a fact it's not TMAU since my in-laws reacted to me recently, but before that I would see them often and there was no complaints about any smells. And I traveled a lot on planes before all of this too (maybe 6 or more times a year) and there was zero reactions.

justwantcure,

I don't know if this will help you are not ...but it is worth a shot.

There  is a genetic condition than cause you to smell like rotting fish.

https://www.medicinenet.com/fish_odor_syndrome_trimethylaminuria/article.htm#how_do_people_inherit_fish_odor_syndrome_trimethylaminuria

You said B.O. but are you sure it's not your breath?

I used to have an ulcer (being undiagnosed) that caused a condition called "dragon breath" or bad breath on steroids....my friends would tell me I had bad breath ...despite brushing my teach regullarly.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081123222846.htm

It was bad enough ...I could cup my hand and test my breath for it's smell and I was repulsed by the smell and when I have encountered other's with dragon breath ....I can usually tell them it' an ulcer (I can stand 10 feet away) and still smell their breath....It is quite an abnormal thing.

Bad breath is also known as Halitosis ...but when it is ruining your life...it is probably most likely from an ulcer and you don't know you have one.

try buying your some mastic gum ...it really works wonders for ulcers.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-97549/A-gum-cure-stomach-ulcers.html

I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advice.

Posterboy,

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    • Scott Adams
      Elevated tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG-IgA) levels are highly specific for celiac disease, and they are a key biomarker used in its diagnosis. However, there are some rare instances where elevated tTG-IgA levels have been reported in conditions other than celiac disease. While these cases are not common, they have been documented in the literature. Below are some examples and references to studies or reviews that discuss these scenarios:  1. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)    - NCGS typically does not cause elevated tTG-IgA levels, as it is not an autoimmune condition. However, some individuals with NCGS may have mild elevations in tTG-IgA due to intestinal inflammation or other factors, though this is not well-documented in large studies.    - Reference: Catassi, C., et al. (2013). *Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity: The New Frontier of Gluten-Related Disorders*. Nutrients, 5(10), 3839–3853. [DOI:10.3390/nu5103839](https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5103839)  2. Autoimmune Diseases    - Elevated tTG-IgA levels have been reported in other autoimmune conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, autoimmune hepatitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This is thought to be due to cross-reactivity or polyautoimmunity.    - Reference: Sblattero, D., et al. (2000). *The Role of Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase in the Diagnosis and Management of Celiac Disease*. Autoimmunity Reviews, 1(3), 129–135. [DOI:10.1016/S1568-9972(01)00022-3](https://doi.org/10.1016/S1568-9972(01)00022-3)  3. Chronic Liver Disease    - Conditions like chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis can sometimes lead to elevated tTG-IgA levels, possibly due to increased intestinal permeability or immune dysregulation.    - Reference: Vecchi, M., et al. (2003). *High Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease: A Role for Gluten-Free Diet?* Gastroenterology, 125(5), 1522–1523. [DOI:10.1016/j.gastro.2003.08.031](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gastro.2003.08.031)  4. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)    - Some patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis may have elevated tTG-IgA levels due to intestinal inflammation and damage, though this is not common.    - Reference: Walker-Smith, J. A., et al. (1990). *Celiac Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease*. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 10(3), 389–391. [DOI:10.1097/00005176-199004000-00020](https://doi.org/10.1097/00005176-199004000-00020)  5. Infections and Parasites    - While infections (e.g., giardiasis) are more commonly associated with false-positive tTG-IgA results, chronic infections or parasitic infestations can sometimes lead to elevated levels due to mucosal damage.    - Reference: Rostami, K., et al. (1999). *The Role of Infections in Celiac Disease*. European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 11(11), 1255–1258. [DOI:10.1097/00042737-199911000-00010](https://doi.org/10.1097/00042737-199911000-00010)  6. Cardiac Conditions    - Rarely, heart failure or severe cardiovascular disease has been associated with elevated tTG-IgA levels, possibly due to gut ischemia and increased intestinal permeability.    - Reference: Ludvigsson, J. F., et al. (2007). *Celiac Disease and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Population-Based Cohort Study*. American Heart Journal, 153(6), 972–976. [DOI:10.1016/j.ahj.2007.03.019](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2007.03.019)  Key Points: - Elevated tTG-IgA levels are highly specific for celiac disease, and in most cases, a positive result strongly suggests celiac disease. - Other conditions causing elevated tTG-IgA are rare and often accompanied by additional clinical findings. - If celiac disease is suspected, further testing (e.g., endoscopy with biopsy) is typically required for confirmation. If you’re looking for more specific studies, I recommend searching PubMed or other medical databases using terms like "elevated tTG-IgA non-celiac" or "tTG-IgA in non-celiac conditions." Let me know if you’d like help with that!
    • MaryMJ
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    • trents
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    • Jack Common
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