Male question...Gluten & ED

[GF2011]

I became gluten free in 2011 as I was diagnosed with non-celiac gluten sensitivity.  As of the last roughly few months I started to incorporate gluten back into my diet as I was tired of the lifestyle and honestly thought I was healed do to cheating with gluten products and my symptoms were little to nothing - at least at first (I'm a husband with a Lg. family that eat anything they want so I thought let's try it again).  However after about the first 30 days along with some more common gluten symptoms creeping in I started experiencing difficulty maintaining an erection when in no time in the past since this time was there ever a problem in that area at all.  So I thought it was more so me needing to lose a little weight (240lbs 6' 2") or eat healthier in general.  After about 75 days on gluten and nothing else working (lost 10 pounds from exercise) and the problem getting much worst it came to light that it could be the gluten.  It was only until now I see that gluten can mess with horomones??? I have been completely gluten free for 10 days since my gluten beige and I haven't had to much change happen in the male area yet.  Has anyone had this trouble before and did the ED clear up?

Thanks in advance...

 

 

[trents]

How old are you? Have you had your testosterone levels checked?

You say it "came to light that it could be the gluten." Do you mean that it occurred to you that gluten could be causing the ED or do you mean you were told that by a physician or somehow ran across information to that effect? I personally have not heard of a connection between gluten sensitivity and ED but that doesn't mean there isn't. I don''t keep up with the science connected with gluten issues like I used to and maybe research has more recently shown there is a connection. 

[Ennis-TX]

Not heard of gluten sensitivity issues with it, but I know when my celiac got really bad and almost killed me on gluten, since then and even after healing I have NO SEX DRIVE. I had no interest in sex, self pleasure or other wise. Odd for someone only in their 20s, but I just seemed to have lost all drive to do anything related to the matter. I threw it up to my body being damaged and prioritizing healing, growing, etc. over reproduction.

On a side note it could be your age setting in, it could be your body fighting the gluten in the background and prioritizing it. I know in some people gluten can effect blood pressure and blood flow this would lead to ED issues. If it causes nerve issues in you like some it could also effect it. More info on your age and diet would help. There are certain food that KILL testosterone levels and some that help amplify them. There is a balance between estrogen and testosterone in your body that is effected by what you eat, working out, sleep patterns, and environment. They weave a intricate web of effects that you have to monitor and adjust as it is different for each person (I am working on body building and studying this)

Do not expect to see improvements in only 10 days, gluten effects can linger for months, might suggest waiting a bit longer.

[plumbago]

Hi GF2011,

Do you know if you have hypertension? Or diabetes?

“Normal male sexual function requires a complex interaction of vascular, neurological, hormonal, and psychological systems…Nitric oxide plays a significant role, and … loss of erection … occurs when nitric oxide-induced vasodilation ceases….Low NO levels are found in people with diabetes, smokers, and men with T deficiency.” Causes can be “decreased blood flow and inadequate intracavernosal oxygen levels when atherosclerosis involves the hypogastric artery or other feeder vessels…” Source: Diabetes and Erectile Dysfunction by Chu and Edelman.

They also recommend: “Initial labs should include HbA1c, free testosterone, thyroid, and prolactin levels.”

Terry Wahls, MD implicates general inflammation “with leaky blood vessels, the immune cells may burrow into the walls, deposit cholesterol and inflammation molecules into the blood vessels, and clog and narrow veins and arteries. Leaky gut is not just about the GI; it happens largely because of our processed grain-based diets.”  Pretty general, I realize, and as far as I know she doesn't mention ED specifically (but does note the overall sperm count of males has been dropping worldwide).

 

[GF2011]

Everyone - Thanks for the quick responses with all the info. so far.  I was asked a number of questions above and here to answer.  I am 32 years old and have not ever had my testosterone checked before (I will after this discussion).  The only change in my diet that I made just shy of 30 days before any type of dysfunction showed up was when I started incorporating gluten back into it after so many years.  My sleep pattern has been off as well (My last two physicals I have had borderline high cholesterol.  I was told my blood pressure was fine (don't recall the numbers right off hand).  

My thought process was that maybe the inflammation caused by the gluten could mess with testorone levels or a certain part of the erection process either directly or indirectly?

[trents]

Are you on any prescription meds? Particularly, a statin?

[trents]

After doing some research, apparently there is a connection between Celiac Disease and sex drive. Here are just a couple of links I found:

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