Delayed Puberty?

[dan95]

Hi guys im new here. Im a 18 year old (almost 19) male and ive been struggleing with many symptoms for the past 2/3 years and think i have celiacs. i started my gluten free diet a couple of days ago but have a few questions.

Since i was about 16 i have hardly changed or developed atall and seem to have stopped at the end of stage 4 in puberty, im still fairly skinny, have no facial hair and basically still look about 16. anyway my question is, if i do have celiacs, will my development resume once the gluten leaves my system and if i continue the diet?

thanks, Dan.

[IrishHeart]

Hi Dan,

 

Please do not stop eating gluten until you get tested for celiac disease.You need to be consuming it for the testing to be accurate.

 

You do not really have delayed puberty, hon--that pertains to kids younger than you who have not matured physically at all. 

 

 

Honestly, it is unwise to assume you have this disease and go gluten free without first seeing if this is what is causing your symptoms. Other conditions could cause these symptoms, too, and the list is long--like diabetes, thyroid disease, other endocrine conditions that affect hormones, etc ---so you really want to have a medical doctor help you get to the bottom of what's causing this. It may not be celiac and to go G F may just make you even more thin, hon.

 

Do not despair! Just try to get to the cause of these symptoms so you can  feel better!

 

But if celiac IS causing the symptoms, yes, I would think these things will all rectify themselves in time. 

[dilettantesteph]

Celiac disease can cause delayed puberty:

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Open Original Shared Link

 

I agree with Irish about the diagnosis.  If you want to be taken seriously by medical professionals,  school officials etc. in the future, you would be better off getting a solid diagnosis before starting the GFD.

 

If gluten is causing a delay in puberty, removing it should solve the problem.  I think those references will say that.