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- Connection Seen Between Celiac and Addison’s Disease
Connection Seen Between Celiac and Addison’s Disease
- By Jefferson Adams
- Published 12/14/2007
- Addison’s Disease and Celiac Disease
- Rating:
Jefferson Adams
Jefferson Adams is a freelance writer living in San Francisco. His poems, essays and photographs have appeared in Antioch Review, Blue Mesa Review, CALIBAN, Hayden's Ferry Review, Huffington Post, the Mississippi Review, and Slate among others.
View all articles by Jefferson AdamsDoctors are advising that people with Addison's be screened for celiac disease. However, as Addison’s is still rare overall, they are holding off recommending screening of celiac patients for Addison's. Instead, they are advocating that doctors treating celiac patients maintain a heightened awareness for signs of Addison’s, and to react accordingly.
This latest evidence is the result of a case history review of 15,000 people with celiac disease. The review was conducted by a team of doctors led by one Dr. Peter Elfstrom of Sweden‘s Orebro University Hospital.
A number of studies have shown a link between celiac disease and Addison’s disease, but little has been done to elucidate that connection. And, while this review goes farther than most, the doctors emphasize that the data is strictly preliminary, as they have looked at a relatively small number of cases and tested patients with Addison’s for celiac disease, but not vice versa.
The data show a significant connection between celiac and later development of Addison's disease, citing a hazard ratio of 11.4. The results were the same for both adults and children with celiac, and remained so even after adjustment for diabetes, and the socio-economic conditions of the patients.
Patients with existing Addison's had a significantly higher risk of celiac disease, citing a hazard ratio of 8.6.
The connection between celiac and Addison's was shown to exist both pre- and post-diagnosis for celiac disease. The researchers don’t feel that celiac causes Addison's disease or vice versa, but that they might have related or common genetic traits.
Journal of Endocrin. Metabol. 2007: 3595-3598.
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17 Responses to "Connection Seen Between Celiac and Addison’s Disease"
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01 Jan 2008 7:15:16 AM PDT I have celiac disease and was just diagnosed with Addison's disease. They are both autoimmune and I was thinking that they might have something in common. Thanks for the article.
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02 Jan 2008 9:03:44 AM PDT OK, we get it, Addison's and celiac are linked. But what is Addison's disease? What symptoms should we be aware of?
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02 Jan 2008 11:01:17 PM PDT Knowing what Addison's is and how to educate ourselves would be of great help!
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23 Feb 2008 9:41:14 AM PDT To those who want to know what Addison's disease is - Google it
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14 Feb 2009 6:30:04 PM PDT I've had Addison's for 21 years. I recently read about the link to celiac disease and recently discovered that celiac runs in my family. I am presently awaiting test results. But I will not be surprised if further studies indicate that a lot of the primary Addison's cases currently attributed to 'autoimmune' causes turn out to be the result of some type of chronic malnutrition caused by years of undiagnosed celiac disease.
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09 Dec 2009 10:19:17 PM PDT Excellent! Thank you so much. This is what I have thought over the last year but no doctor will listen while I waste away from no nutrition. I know I am celiac even tho test results say no and now I have no cortisol and lipase and post menopause. I don't know what to do now but thanks again for confirmation of what i been saying too!
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15 Dec 2010 5:04:10 PM PDT I would agree. I guessed I had celiac disease due to some symptoms. I did not test positive for the blood test, but my intestines show a different story. My parents were told I was wheat, milk and red meat sensitive when I was 14. They ignored the doctor. Now I have Addison's. I believe there is a direct connection between my "un-diagnosed" celiac disease and getting Addison's as Addison's is in 70% of the cases caused by an auto-immune disorder. Just because the blood tests are negative, it does not mean you don't have a milder form of celiac disease which will worsen over time if left untreated. They also diagnosed me as bi-polar. I am not. The mood disorder was related to the celiac disase.
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02 Feb 2010 2:00:59 AM PDT to Lea
mine happened the same way. no doctor will listen, test say no but I know i am, no cortisol(autoimmune adrenal inff,) and post meno too. NO NUTRITION THO I EAT AND EAT. and waste away everyday. i get it, they don't oh yeah no lipase either. Why????? |
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02 Feb 2010 2:07:43 AM PDT Hi Lea
The same thing happened to me. No doctor will listen, NO Nutrition. I know I am celiac and the tests say no. No cortisol ( autoimmune adrenal insuff) No lipase, post meno too. would love to gain 30 lbs. THANK YOU |
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07 Oct 2011 5:00:23 PM PDT Because of gluten intolerance/celiac it can cause stress on the body= low cortisol blood serum levels. it happened to me, but i do not have Addison's, just adrenal fatigue, which is dealt with having a strict diet and sleep/ wake cycle. up at 7 walk at 9 in bed by 10. do this for 6 months and you will feel better and get your cortisol back on track. also, i'm seeing two specialists, a G.I dr and an endocrinologist dr...i have not been diagnosed with gluten intolerance, but the elimination diet says i do, i get dermatitis herpeformus. i am about to go back to the G.I dr for a checkup, he wants to see me again, I bet he will finally diagnose me. I went on a gluten free diet before the scope and biopsy, he saw a lot of scarring but tested negative for celiac, hence gluten intolerance is what I have. my mom has it too.
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02 Feb 2011 3:52:33 PM PDT I had to tell the doctor about celiac disease! I also have Addison's. After taking cortisone and getting moon faced and arthritis from the toxic medicine, I studied and now take only herbs and food. I am a Certified Holistic Health Counselor.
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03 May 2011 8:21:18 AM PDT I was diagnosed with a gluten problem several years ago and have always suspected Addision's. Doctors said no but I never had testing to confirm. I am soon to see an endocrynologist however my concerns are the same as yours BJ. I don't want meds with side affects. Being certified in Holistic Health what do you suggest if I test positive for Addison's?
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24 Apr 2011 11:57:03 AM PDT I have confirmed Addison's (dx at age 33- I'm 38 now). It took 15 years & several misdiagnoses (Fibromyalgia/Chronic fatigue (along w/chronic migraine) before I self-referred to an endocrinologist- who finally ordered the right test.
About 2 years ago, I started developing skin rashes & infections. I did my research and learned the rash may be Derm. H. resulting from gluten intolerance. I've now avoided gluten for 3 months (I had two incidents where I accidentally ingested it though). To anyone with gluten issues (esp. if you also have Addison's), assuming you've gone gluten-free, how long did it take to feel better? Did you avoid gluten alone or gluten/dairy, etc? Thanks!! |
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15 Sep 2011 7:34:12 PM PDT Interesting article. I have had Addison's Disease for 11 years, and for 5 years I have had diarrhea constantly. I have been checked for celiac and I have tested negative. I am thinking maybe I should try a celiac diet.
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21 Apr 2012 2:06:37 AM PDT I just discovered this article and I am crying with joy, it is so wonderful when you finally have great information and then you can put everything together and have the information it takes to get well and live a much better life, I was diagnosed with Addison's last Nov and thought I was dying, my Dr. suggested there might be a link to celiac so he wanted me to start going gluten free, so in my search I found this website, I thank God for this website and all the writers that contribute to it, thank you.
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05 May 2012 1:13:08 PM PDT I figured this out on my own too. I have self treated my adrenal insufficiency for years (daily salt plus Dr Wilson's adrenal rebuilder). Over the years I developed a mucus reaction to gluten and finally went on a gluten free diet. And something remarkable happened - my sleep dramatically improved. I think part of the benefit I have experienced is from better nutrient absorption. But also my breathing is better and that contributes to better sleep. This connection between the two disorders is important.
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15 May 2012 11:20:25 PM PDT I have been having symptoms of diarrhea for years. I had no idea, until I finally went to the doctor and today I found out that I have celiac disease. My mother had Addison's disease but it was not diagnosed until she was in the late stages where she started losing the function of her organs. She ended up on Prednisone and passed away due to the complications from Addison's. All the research I have done today confirms my suspicions that these two diseases are related and that if I don't get my celiac disease under control then I could develop Addison's as well. Great article.
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