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Rapidly Greying Hair While On Gluten Challenge?

greenbeanie

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greenbeanie Enthusiast
greenbeanie
Posted

This sounds strange, but I'm only 37 years old (female), and prematurely greying hair does not run in my family. I've been doing a gluten challenge for the last month, and I swear that I'm getting a dozen new grey hairs every day. It's definitely not my imagination - others have noticed my hair changing color too.

 

My hair is normally dark brown, and it's short so the grey is pretty noticeable. I've had the occasional hair grow in grey since my early 30's, but I've gotten more in the last few weeks than in the previous seven years combined! I've been gluten-light for most of my adulthood (though not suspecting celiac until recently), but for the past month I've had moderate amounts of wheat every day in preparation for testing.

 

Could gluten really be causing my hair to turn grey so quickly?  That sounds so crazy...Perhaps it's just the stress from the tests. I've been waiting a week for my blood test results (no news yet), and I have another month to wait before I see the GI doctor. If gluten is causing this, I'm afraid my whole head will be grey by then!

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notme Experienced
notme
Posted

since i have been gluten free, my hair isn't as gray as it used to be.  at all.  and it doesn't break and split as easily.  i have been able to grow it (lengthwise) longer than i have been able to since i was a teenager.  i think it's because my healed intestines are able to absorb the nutrients that i wasn't getting before.  i can go 6-8 wks without coloring it (i am 50) instead of 4-6 because it just isn't as gray.  so, if i had to guess, yup, it's gluten  :(  

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pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

Yes.

Hypothyroidism is also known to cause premature greying and grey eyebrows. I've had both...

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powerofpositivethinking Community Regular
powerofpositivethinking
Posted

I continue to be amazed at all the connections to gluten, nutrient absorption and how they show in the human body.  i love that on this site, you can post what's happening with your body, and it's so comforting to hear you're not the only one  :)  

 

although I can't relate with premature greying, i can believe that the connection between a gluten challenge and grey exists despite if there are no PubMed articles to back it up  :lol:

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Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted

Premature greying and autoimmune disease is a connection that's pretty well known in the medical field.  I saw a photo once of two identical twins; one had an AI and the other didn't.  The difference in their appearance was amazing.

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bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

Mom (who had celiac) went gray almost overnight. At least it seemed that way. I can't remember now if it was before or after her celiac diagnosis.

 

As a side note, I notice you spell it grEy. I know I must sound crazy, but I DO have a touch of synesthsia, and to me, grAy was always a bluish gray, and grEy was a more brownish grey. As a matter fo fact, I am having my house painted grAY, even as we type.

 

OK, enough of my foolishness, back to our regularly scheduled topic...

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Fire Fairy Enthusiast
Fire Fairy
Posted

39 and lots of white hair. Color every two weeks with Henna, white roots show up far to well.

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pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

39 and lots of white hair. Color every two weeks with Henna, white roots show up far to well.

You and me both!!! Ugh.

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Dozey Apprentice
Dozey
Posted

Hi, have you been tested for b12 deficiency. It can cause premature greying.

Jo

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GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

I have gone prematurely gray twice!!!  Once in my early 40s prior to diagnosis -- the graying slowed about 2.5 years gluten-free (timing of my complete elimination diet) --- sadly I had a few very bad autoimmune flares during years 3-4 and I went nearly gray ---

 

Good NEWs -- I haven't had to dye my roots in over three months and I have only a few grays around my ears -- seems it really is an indication of absorbing nutrients properly that returns with healing -- at least in my case.  Oh and my hair is less wiry and once again simply toooo wavy!

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frieze Community Regular
frieze
Posted

copper....probably not absorbing it well.

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GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

take your pick...I wasn't absorbing B12 D, K, Copper, and Zinc in both instances.

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Fire Fairy Enthusiast
Fire Fairy
Posted

Oh deer! I thought once white always white so I was not concerned. My hair is just getting whiter. One Grandmother went White in her 20's. The other still had a lot of Black hair when she passed at 93. Before being diagnosed I thought the white was just genetic.

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GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

Oh deer! I thought once white always white so I was not concerned. My hair is just getting whiter. One Grandmother went White in her 20's. The other still had a lot of Black hair when she passed at 93. Before being diagnosed I thought the white was just genetic.

 

It can be genetic -- I have a friend that went white in his 20s...he remains the picture of health in every way.

 

just saying for me...seems it was an indication of malabsorption :)

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greenbeanie Enthusiast
greenbeanie
  • Author
Posted

Well, nice to know I'm not alone, at least!

 

I did get some blood test results today - I'll post that on a separate thread. I'd also requested vitamin level tests (incl. B12, K, magnesium, zinc, and copper), but my doctor wouldn't run them. Hopefully the GI doctor that I'm seeing next month will agree to run the vitamin and mineral tests.

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