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

Low Testosterone And Gluten...


JerryK

Recommended Posts

JerryK Community Regular

A couple years ago, I was diagnosed with low testosterone. As with many things medical

it wasn't "quite low enough" to treat, but at the time I had the testosterone level of an

80 year old. (I'm 46) I went round and round with my HMO trying to convince them to

give me a trial of testosterone, to no avail. So I've had this low level for a while now,

it comes and goes. My libido has been pretty non-existent at times, which was quite a

dramatic change from the most of the first 40 years of my life.

Now suddenly after a couple days without gluten, I feel like a jack-rabbit on a date. I'm plenty

frisky, but also wondering what gives?? Not that I'm complaining or anything....

Same thing happened a week and a half ago when I abstained from wheat for a while.

Anyone have any ideas about this?


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



natalunia Rookie

I don't know, but I know my hubby (43) had his testosterone checked about 2 weeks ago and it was 249, when 240-1150 is the range. Our general practitioner sent him to a urologist (why? this is an endocrine problem), and the urologist has sent him to an endocrinologist. I have been having him eat gluten free at home alot, but I know he eats burgers and goodies at work, so maybe I need to have him go gluten free completely...

JerryK Community Regular

Yeah they tested mine 3 times. 240ng/dl 250 and 340. Pretty pathetic. They sent me to

a endocrinologist who looked at me and said I was fine. They didn't like it much when I argued with them and told them I had the testosterone level of an 80 year old. They opted not to treat it, treating it would mean that low testosterone is a medical condition. Medical conditions cost money to treat. Something our

HMOs are scared of.... :ph34r:

Funny if it turns out celiac disease was the culprit....my T level sure seems up now :rolleyes:

Nantzie Collaborator

Hey! My husband has low testosterone. He's on Androderm patches and not gluten-free. I suspect he might be either celiac or gluten-intolerant though. When he goes on the Atkins diet (gluten-free) occasionally, he does feel better. He just isn't open to exploring the possibility of celiac.

The thing that makes me wonder if you might be on to something here is that if he's doing Atkins and runs out of his patches, he doesn't get the same plummet in energy and libido that he usually gets.

Hmm...

<_<

Nancy

tarnalberry Community Regular

I can at least tell you that it isn't necessarily the cause of low testosterone in women, as I have been testosterone deficient after going gluten-free. My doctor is willing to treat it, however. (And my insurance pay for it.) I did make sure, though, to address it as a quality of life issue (fatigue which interfered with my job, irritability which interfered with social interaction) and not just a sex drive issue, as the medical profession is want to downplay the importance of treating sex drive medically.

In so far as celiac disease can make it hard for you to absorb the items that your body needs to build testosterone, yes, it could contribute. It is not traditionally strongly correlated.

Archived

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

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - Scott Adams replied to Jmartes71's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      1

      Natural remedies

    2. - Scott Adams replied to miguel54b's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Gluten and short-term memory.

    3. - Scott Adams replied to Suze046's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Reintroduction of Gluten

    4. - Scott Adams replied to Rejoicephd's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      2

      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

    5. - Scott Adams replied to Mykidzz3's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      1

      High Cost of Gluten-Free Foods


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,368
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Valary West
    Newest Member
    Valary West
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      While it's always important to approach internal use of essential oils with caution and ideally under the guidance of a qualified professional, your experience highlights the potential of complementary approaches when traditional medicine falls short. Many in the community are also interested in the intersection of natural wellness and gluten-free living, particularly for managing systemic inflammation and its various symptoms, so sharing your story is valuable. Your observation that it may also be helping with bloating is fascinating, as that could point to an overall reduction in inflammation. Thank you for sharing what is working for you!
    • Scott Adams
      It's interesting how a single, clear moment—like struggling during a game—can suddenly connect all the dots and reveal the hidden impact of gluten exposure. Your experience with short-term memory fog is a very real and documented symptom for many individuals with gluten sensitivity, often occurring alongside the other issues you mentioned like mood disturbances, sleep disruption, and digestive irregularity. It's a frustrating and often invisible effect that can make you feel unlike yourself, so that moment of clarity, though born from a tough dominoes match, is actually a powerful piece of self-knowledge. Identifying a specific culprit like that steak strip is a huge win, as it arms you with the information needed to avoid similar pitfalls in the future and protect your cognitive clarity. You are definitely not alone in experiencing this particular set of neurological and physical symptoms; it's a strong reminder of gluten's profound impact on the entire body, not just the digestive system. Supplementation may help you as well.  The most common nutrient deficiencies associated with celiac disease that may lead to testing for the condition include iron, vitamin D, folate (vitamin B9), vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.  Unfortunately many doctors, including my own doctor at the time, don't do extensive follow up testing for a broad range of nutrient deficiencies, nor recommend that those just diagnosed with celiac disease take a broad spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement, which would greatly benefit most, if not all, newly diagnosed celiacs. Because of this it took me decades to overcome a few long-standing issues I had that were associated with gluten ataxia, for example numbness and tingling in my feet, and muscle knots--especially in my shoulders an neck. Only long term extensive supplementation has helped me to resolve these issues.      
    • Scott Adams
      Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS. What you're describing is a very common and frustrating experience when reintroducing gluten after a period of avoidance, and your timeline is perfectly consistent with a non-celiac gluten sensitivity. While a celiac reaction can be more immediate, a sensitivity reaction is often delayed, sometimes taking several days to manifest as your body's inflammatory response builds up; the fact that your symptoms returned a few days after reintroduction is a strong indicator that gluten is indeed the culprit, not a coincidence. Your doctor's advice to reintroduce it was necessary to confirm the diagnosis, as the initial negative celiac test and subsequent improvement on a gluten-free diet pointed strongly towards sensitivity. Many in this community have gone through this exact same process of elimination and challenging, and it's wise to reintroduce gently as you did. Given your clear reaction, the best course of action is likely to resume a strict gluten-free diet, as managing a sensitivity is the primary way to control those debilitating symptoms and allow your body to heal fully.
    • Scott Adams
      Your suspicion is almost certainly correct, and you are wise to be cautious. Draft cider is a very common and often overlooked source of cross-contact because the same tap lines are frequently used for both beer and cider; unless a bar has a dedicated line for gluten-free beverages, which is rare, the cider will run through tubing that has previously contained gluten-containing beer, contaminating your drink. The fact that you didn't react at a clean brewery suggests they may have had more meticulous practices or separate lines, but this is the exception, not the rule. Many in the community have had identical experiences, leading them to strictly avoid draft cider and opt for bottled or canned versions, which are poured directly from their sealed container and bypass the contaminated tap system entirely. Switching to bottles or cans is the safest strategy, and your plan to do so is a smart move to protect your health. PS - here are some articles on the topic:    
    • Scott Adams
      Your post really highlights the financial and emotional struggle so many families face. You are not alone in feeling frustrated by the high cost of gluten-free specialty items and the frustrating waste when your daughter can't tolerate them. A great place to start is by focusing on naturally gluten-free whole foods that are often more affordable and less processed, like rice, potatoes, beans, lentils, corn, eggs, and frozen fruits and vegetables—these are nutritional powerhouses that can form the basis of her meals. For the specialty items like bread and pasta, see if your local stores carry smaller, single-serving packages or allow returns if a product causes a reaction, as some companies understand this challenge. Regarding vitamins, that is an excellent next step; please ask her doctor to prescribe a high-quality gluten-free multivitamin, as insurance will often cover prescribed vitamins, making them much more affordable. Finally, connecting with a local celiac support group online can be a treasure trove of location-specific advice for finding the best and most affordable products in your area, saving you both time and money on the trial-and-error process. 
×
×
  • Create New...