Low Cholesterol

[ivyandwill]

Hello everyone.  I am new to this forum and am not actually diagnosed Celiac, but over the years I've put two and two together and deduced that my body doesn't tolerate gluten.  I'm not sure if it is my damaged gut that is sensitive or if gluten played a part in damaging it.  Either way, I have a history of allergy, intolerance and bowel issues etc that seem to reduce with a gluten free diet.  My children are similar.

Anyway, my recent issue is my cholesterol results.  They are very low.  I am in Australia and I know we do it differently, but here are my numbers:

Total: 3.4
HDL: 2.2
LDL: 1.1
Trigl: 0.4

Apparently anything under 4 is too low.  I had the same sort of result about 4 years ago.  Of course, I can't find a GP to discuss this possibility with me because they all believe you can never be too low - but current research is indicating otherwise and that is of concern to me.  

I have been gluten free since my second child was born, 8 years ago, but not strictly the entire time.  The times I've deviated I have ended up back on my cycle of irritable bowel and always seemed to be around the times I had multiple miscarriages and major depression.  Hard to say which caused which, but I'm wondering if in that time, despite not being overly strict, could I have started to heal?  That is to assume I do actually have Celiac disease, or similar.  I am wondering if I should possibly be more serious about my gluten issues and if I could expect to see some healing and changes in my cholesterol numbers.

I am wondering if other people have been successful in healing and in turn increasing their numbers back into the normal range?  I'm trying to repair my gut with GAPS style methods as well as maintaining a Paleo style diet.  I need perhaps to put more attention into this.

I'd love any advice you have on this issue and also keen to know if the gene testing is sensitive to gluten intake like the antibody test is?  I had the antibody test years back but I was already gluten free and the GP didn't tell me.  It obviously came back negative.  I'm wondering if I should ask for the gene test?

Thank you kindly for your help. 
x

 

[greenbeanie]

I've had low cholesterol in the past too, and it has come up into the normal range since I've been gluten free. I don't have a clear diagnosis either, but had decades of symptoms that improved hugely once I completely eliminated all gluten very strictly. Being gluten- light for years didn't really help that much - it was the last little bit that made all the difference.

I'm in the U.S. and my cholesterol was reported with different numbers, but I think my total cholesterol was around 130-something when the lower end of the lab's normal range was 160, and my "good" cholesterol was low too. I eat meat and eggs a couple times per week, and I was eating a lot of cheese and yogurt then too, so there's really no reason it should have been low. High cholesterol actually runs in my family. My doctors said that low cholesterol was great, and they even congratulated me on it! Anyhow, it wasn't super low like some people's, but given that I was having tons of other digestive problems at the time, I was annoyed that they brushed it aside so quickly. At my most recent test, my total cholesterol was 165, just into the normal range. My "good" cholesterol (I always forget which one that is...) was still very slightly low. My ANA also went from positive (not a high titer) to negative in that time.

Good luck!

[ivyandwill]

Thank you Greenbeanie.  I feel certain I have some sort of gluten issue and I wondered if this particular development indicates I should be more vigilent about my gluten intake.  I haven't had gluten for ages really, but I don't check vitamins and medicines very often, nor hair or skin products.   

[cyclinglady]

Gene testing is not affected by what you eat (otherwise, your eye color would change all the time! ). Gene testing can help rule out celiac disease. Some 30 to 40 % of people carry genes that could trigger or turn into celiac disease. Most never get celiac disease.

You must adhere to the diet 100% in order to get the health benefits if you seriously suspect that you have celiac disease. That means avoiding cross contamination, etc. I am sorry that your doctor was not knowledgeable about celiac disease. You can remain gluten free but it would be nice to get a diagnosis in your family.

My husband is gluten free. He received poor advice from his doctor 13 years ago. He refuses to do a challenge. But he will tell you that I have received more support from medical and family. Because of my diagnosis, our doctor easily ordered my daughter to be tested. (Anemia was my major symptom.)

My cholesterol has been very low. I too, got a pat on the back. Now I know from my research that I am at a high risk for diabetes and heart issues. Hummm...diabetes dx a year after my celiac disease dx.

The good news is that my gut is healing so I am absorbing fats. My total cholesterol is in the normal range and my HDL increased and my triglycerides lowered on a Low Carb, High Fat gluten free diet that helps me stabilize my blood sugar.

I hope this helps.

[nvsmom]

My numbers are low or on the low end of normal too.  It is not that uncommon for a celiac to have low cholesterol.

[ivyandwill]

Thank you so much cycling lady.  Yes, just having one diagnosis in the family would help.  I have a daughter who is suspected celiac and we are more strict with her.  She's had her adult teeth come through marked, as I've read is quite typical for those with celiacs.  She's only been gluten free for maybe years and there's definitely been some cross contamination in there.  I just recently read that we can't even share a toaster with a gluten bread.  Is that correct?

Thanks nvsmom, it seems so common and yet Dr's don't seem interested.

[cyclinglady]

Sounds like you need "Newbie 101", which is a thread under our coping section. It contains valuable tips. Here is the link:

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/

[Cpbatchelor]

Cholesterol and Celiacs was not something I had put together until recently. I have my endoscopy with biopsy for celiacs in Jan but had my yearly physical with my PCP last week. Had been gluten free mostly paleo for 6 months prior to physical. PCP says that my cholesterol numbers are fine. My total cholesterol went up 10 points from 171 to 181. HDL went from 44 to 38. LDL went up from 117 to 119. Triglycerides went down from 54 to 52. The Triglyceride drop was interesting as it was at 54 since 2012 even after a 50 pound weight loss which was interesting to me. I find it interesting to see the differences. This is the highest my HDL has been since I started seeing this PCP 4 years ago, 36 was my lowest number with a 38 back in 2012. Looking forward to going back to a gluten free diet after endoscopy in Jan and see what the 2015 physical next November shows. 

[corrinne]

I've always been told that my low cholesterol (under 130 when 160 is normal) is great. "You'll live forever!" I have heard from more than one doc also heard: "you have the blood work of an 19 year old athlete" and "I've never seen cholesterol this low!" I used to be proud, but now I am suspicious.....thanks for this forum....