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Resurrecting The Celiac-Mono-Fatigue Connection

AlwaysLearning

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AlwaysLearning Collaborator
AlwaysLearning
Posted

Does anyone out there have any understanding of the connections between celiac and mononucleosis, interleukin 15, and long lasting symptoms of mono (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) amongst celiacs?

 

I was doing a ton of reading last night that led me to believe that mono is a common trigger for activating the genes that celiacs may have had previously, but hadn't been turned on - therefore activating their celiac disease. And that once activated, interleukin 15 is the molecule that celiacs overproduce which tells the T cells to go on the attack against gluten peptides, and that this molecule also has a connection to mono.

But everything I was reading was at least four years out of date. Has the science gotten any better? Have I oversimplified the scientific language I was reading last night? Did I misunderstand something?

And for as many people as are mentioning fatigue as a symptom even after they've gone gluten free, should they be looking into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in addition to celiac and blame the Epstein Barr Virus instead of gluten for some of their symptoms?

Curious minds want to know.

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nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

I know there is a connection but that's all I really learned. I had celiac symptoms 15 years before I had mono, and after having mono I was in a fairly symptom free time of my life so I am pretty sure it didn't kick it off for me... But that is just me.

 

I know it is connected to SLE as well.

1desperateladysaved Proficient
1desperateladysaved
Posted

I believe I had symptoms early, such as I lost the enamel off my teeth, but it was after a bout of mono there were undeniable symptoms.  I noticed bloating, fatigue, and sensitivity to perfumes and cigarette smoke.  I am currently thinking that the celiac brought on the stress that allowed the mono to devastate me.  I guess I may never really know for sure.  Incase you are curious, I have 2 DQ2 and  2 DQ8 genes which means I got the genes from both sides of the family. 

BeccaMeadows Newbie
BeccaMeadows
Posted

Hmm... never heard of mono leading to celiac disease, although I got mono in grade 10 and was laster diagnosed with celiacs in grade 12 after years of symptoms.  Have heard of mono leading to type 1 diabetes though, and there is a connection between diabetes and celiac diease. 

 

Can rationalize though that it would be a lot harder to recover from mono if someone with celiac was eating gluten, or eating gluten would lead to mono especially if exposed to the virus, even if years prior to. 

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

One of my sons had a six month serious autimmune symptom flare ... this was before our dx ... interesting thing was when he was finally feeling better docs tested him for mono....they could determine he had had mono but not when.

Sorry I have no recent research into the connection.

mommy2krj Explorer
mommy2krj
Posted

I have nothing to share that points in any direction but find it interesting as my friend who passed away had mono when we were teenagers and ended up having Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis (and probably Celiac though she was never tested for it!) in her adult years.

 

I find the connection interesting and wish they would pursue it further.

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