Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Any sort of hair regrowth

bonbena

By bonbena
in Related Issues & Disorders

 Share

Recommended Posts

bonbena Rookie
bonbena
Posted

Hi all, 

I am a 21 year old male who was recently diagnosed with celiac. I have been balding significantly in a diffuse pattern, and my hairline has also receded a bit too. I was wondering if anyone, particularly males, have been able to regrow hair in any way after following a gluten free diet? Thanks in advance

PS I have also had body-wide hair loss, particularly in my armpits. Any insight on this would be useful too. Thanks so much

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Welcome! 

Your hair loss could very well be due to active celiac disease.  Celiac disease is autoimmune.  That means you are at risk for other autoimmune disorders like thyroiditis or alopecia.  Make sure your thyroid is functioning properly and because you have diagnosed celiac disease, insist on a full thyroid panel which includes thyroid antibodies.  Autoimmune thyroiditis is very commonly linked to celiac disease.  

I have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis too.  I can run hypothyroid which causes symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and hair loss. When my Hashimoto’s is flaring, I have experienced bouts of hair loss, even my my eyebrows are affected, but with time, my hair regrows.

If you have alopecia, it may very well improve if you adhere to a strict gluten free diet.  I found that if I trigger my celiac disease with gluten exposures, it triggers or causes my other autoimmune disease to flare.  They are all linked.  

Your doctor should run a full vitamin and mineral deficiencies panel.  That is recommended by leading celiac centers.  Celiacs can be deficient in so many vitamins.  For example, I was very low on iron which caused anemia.  I supplemented with iron until I was able to absorb it from food.  That took a few months, but then I was already a gluten free expert, since my hubby had been gluten-free for 12 years prior to my diagnosis.  Since you are new to the diet, expect to make mistakes and expect a few setbacks.  That is normal!  

Request those tests, avoid gluten like crazy (like do not eat out unless the place is 100% gluten free at least until you feel well or your celiac antibodies have normalized) and give your self time to heal.  Most members take a year to recover from celiac disease.  It is hard to be patient, I know!  

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

Hi bonbena,

Nutrient deficiencies can cause hair loss, as CL said.  Iron anemia is one possible cause.  If you eat red meat you should be getting some iron form that.  But there are some foods that interfere with iron absorption, like dairy, eggs, spinach to name a few.  So avoid those foods for a few hours before or after eating meat, fish, etc.   It can take months to recover from iron deficiency.  Iron supplements may be a good idea if your doctor confirms the anemia.  After you have been gluten-free for a few months your intestine should be healing.  And then your body can start absorbing nutrients efficiently again.

bonbena Rookie
bonbena
Posted
  • Author
On 12/19/2019 at 12:17 PM, cyclinglady said:

Welcome! 

Your hair loss could very well be due to active celiac disease.  Celiac disease is autoimmune.  That means you are at risk for other autoimmune disorders like thyroiditis or alopecia.  Make sure your thyroid is functioning properly and because you have diagnosed celiac disease, insist on a full thyroid panel which includes thyroid antibodies.  Autoimmune thyroiditis is very commonly linked to celiac disease.  

I have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis too.  I can run hypothyroid which causes symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and hair loss. When my Hashimoto’s is flaring, I have experienced bouts of hair loss, even my my eyebrows are affected, but with time, my hair regrows.

If you have alopecia, it may very well improve if you adhere to a strict gluten free diet.  I found that if I trigger my celiac disease with gluten exposures, it triggers or causes my other autoimmune disease to flare.  They are all linked.  

Your doctor should run a full vitamin and mineral deficiencies panel.  That is recommended by leading celiac centers.  Celiacs can be deficient in so many vitamins.  For example, I was very low on iron which caused anemia.  I supplemented with iron until I was able to absorb it from food.  That took a few months, but then I was already a gluten free expert, since my hubby had been gluten-free for 12 years prior to my diagnosis.  Since you are new to the diet, expect to make mistakes and expect a few setbacks.  That is normal!  

Request those tests, avoid gluten like crazy (like do not eat out unless the place is 100% gluten free at least until you feel well or your celiac antibodies have normalized) and give your self time to heal.  Most members take a year to recover from celiac disease.  It is hard to be patient, I know!  

Thanks for the detailed answer!

BuddhaBar Collaborator
BuddhaBar
Posted

I'm a woman, but I lost about 20% of my hair due to celiac disease. Been gluten free for 6 months, but my hair hasn't grown back. It's still thin. 

Beverage Proficient
Beverage
Posted

If it was just male pattern, I do not believe you would see hair loss in other locations.  Get screened for Celiac Disease if you have not already done so.  Have you asked your doctors if you have alopecia?  I have read that people with one auto-immune disease, will on average develop 2 - 3 auto-immune diseases.  So it could be alopecia or a vitamin deficiency, or something else, but it is your body telling you that something is not right and you need to pursue it.

  • 2 weeks later...
Swimkick Newbie
Swimkick
Posted

I am a female with celiac and food intolerances and struggle with thinning hair. Anytime I get cross-contamination, my hair falls out. One supplement that helped me is New Nordic Hair Volume which is gluten- and dairy-free. Regular biotin supplements don't help for some reason. It might be worth asking your medical provider if a supplement or hair restoration shampoo and conditioner might help. As the others said, staying gluten-free is critical.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


AnonyousCda Contributor
AnonyousCda
Posted

Might think about taking amino acids for hair, nails growth. Lysine, Cysteine. Proline is for healthy tendons.  

Another supplement is "Horsetail" good for hair growth, nails.  May contain silica which is superb in strengthen bones, teeth. Besides Amino acids add extra Vitamins (all the Bs accept niacin) and Minerals with Iron free. 

Caution on minerals intake that could cause digestive issues from number 2.  Niacin is my personnel achillies heel.  Stop drinking pop, and soy candy.  The Liver needs a break from time to time. Eat proteins first, then two hours later eat carbs.  

Fenrir Community Regular
Fenrir
Posted

With us fellas it's hard to tell if it's celiac or bad luck on the genes. 

I have thin/balding hair but I'm 42. My hair has always been sorta thing though. Could have been Celiac Disease might just be normal male baldness. Either way, my hair didn't grow back after I went gluten-free but I was diagnosed in my late 30's. 

AnonyousCda Contributor
AnonyousCda
Posted

My hair was light/thin and also balding.  Been taking extra amino acids and other supplements (Glutathione (has 3 amino's in it Cysteine, Glycine, glutamic acid) Lysine, Horsetail. Just google search others.  I also use gluten free shampoo with added supplements/vitamins like biotin for the hair.  B-6 and B-12 vitamins.  I don't take Iron supplements.  Since I eat enough dark organic chocolate.  I didn't go Gluten free until age 33. This site looks positive. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-vitamins-hair-growth#section1

As always is costs to stay healthy for anyone suffering food allergies. 

AnonyousCda Contributor
AnonyousCda
Posted

My bad.  My hair did get fuller and gotten back some forehead balding.  Hair grows back fast, and fingernails growth is better than in the past years.  Compared to the same age of my father.   I would have a complete head of hair, he was bald mostly forehead to the top and thin all around.  The B-12 is also in keeping the hair from turning gray to fast.  wink. wink. 

  • 2 weeks later...
Felix Nuts Tomcat Apprentice
Felix Nuts Tomcat
Posted

I am female was was pretty bald for a long time due to celiac disease.  Slowly, and it took several years, my hair began to return after being gluten free.  11 years gluten free I have a full very dense scalp of hair and have hair in places on my head, that I don't remember there being hair.  I probably had celiac disease all of my life.

  • 1 month later...
Coeliac789 Newbie
Coeliac789
Posted

Thank you so much. Your post gives me hope as I had such thick hair but during medical school my coeliac disease was diagnosed and I lost hair rapidly in clumps. I lost so much self confidence as my scalp is visible and I’m gluten free since January this year so do hope I see improvement. Along with vitamins etc fingers crossed! 

  • 7 months later...
knitty kitty Grand Master
knitty kitty
Posted

Hair loss is a symptom of Thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency.

  • 1 year later...
Wheatwacked Veteran
Wheatwacked
Posted
Quote

people with an iodine deficiency may also suffer from hair loss 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/iodine-deficiency-symptoms#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5

Iodine is absorbed in the small intestine. If you are reaching the minimum RDA like most Americans and have malabsorption syndrome (from Celiac) you will be deficient.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,902
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Patty6133
    Newest Member
    Patty6133
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      New (possible) celiac diagnosis

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @Judy M! Yes, he definitely needs to continue eating gluten until the day of the endoscopy. Not sure why the GI doc advised otherwise but it was a bum steer.  Celiac disease has a genetic component but also an "epigenetic" component. Let me explain. There are two main genes that have been identified as providing the "potential" to develop "active" celiac disease. We know them as HLA-DQ 2.5 (aka, HLA-DQ 2) and HLA-DQ8. Without one or both of these genes it is highly unlikely that a person will develop celiac disease at some point in their life. About 40% of the general population carry one or both of these two genes but only about 1% of the population develops active celiac disease. Thus, possessing the genetic potential for celiac disease is far less than deterministic. Most who have the potential never develop the disease. In order for the potential to develop celiac disease to turn into active celiac disease, some triggering stress event or events must "turn on" the latent genes. This triggering stress event can be a viral infection, some other medical event, or even prolonged psychological/emotional trauma. This part of the equation is difficult to quantify but this is the epigenetic dimension of the disease. Epigenetics has to do with the influence that environmental factors and things not coded into the DNA itself have to do in "turning on" susceptible genes. And this is why celiac disease can develop at any stage of life. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition (not a food allergy) that causes inflammation in the lining of the small bowel. The ingestion of gluten causes the body to attack the cells of this lining which, over time, damages and destroys them, impairing the body's ability to absorb nutrients since this is the part of the intestinal track responsible for nutrient absorption and also causing numerous other food sensitivities such as dairy/lactose intolerance. There is another gluten-related disorder known as NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or just, "gluten sensitivity") that is not autoimmune in nature and which does not damage the small bowel lining. However, NCGS shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. It is also much more common than celiac disease. There is no test for NCGS so, because they share common symptoms, celiac disease must first be ruled out through formal testing for celiac disease. This is where your husband is right now. It should also be said that some experts believe NCGS can transition into celiac disease. I hope this helps.
    • Judy M
      New (possible) celiac diagnosis

      By Judy M · Posted

      My husband has had lactose intolerance for his entire life (he's 68 yo).  So, he's used to gastro issues. But for the past year he's been experiencing bouts of diarrhea that last for hours.  He finally went to his gastroenterologist ... several blood tests ruled out other maladies, but his celiac results are suspect.  He is scheduled for an endoscopy and colonoscopy in 2 weeks.  He was told to eat "gluten free" until the tests!!!  I, and he know nothing about this "diet" much less how to navigate his in daily life!! The more I read, the more my head is spinning.  So I guess I have 2 questions.  First, I read on this website that prior to testing, eat gluten so as not to compromise the testing!  Is that true? His primary care doctor told him to eat gluten free prior to testing!  I'm so confused.  Second, I read that celiac disease is genetic or caused by other ways such as surgery.  No family history but Gall bladder removal 7 years ago, maybe?  But how in God's name does something like this crop up and now is so awful he can't go a day without worrying.  He still works in Manhattan and considers himself lucky if he gets there without incident!  Advice from those who know would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Scott Adams
      Patiently Waiting to See Results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      You've done an excellent job of meticulously tracking the rash's unpredictable behavior, from its symmetrical spread and stubborn scabbing to the potential triggers you've identified, like the asthma medication and dietary changes. It's particularly telling that the rash seems to flare with wheat consumption, even though your initial blood test was negative—as you've noted, being off wheat before a test can sometimes lead to a false negative, and your description of the other symptoms—joint pain, brain fog, stomach issues—is very compelling. The symmetry of the rash is a crucial detail that often points toward an internal cause, such as an autoimmune response or a systemic reaction, rather than just an external irritant like a plant or mites. I hope your doctor tomorrow takes the time to listen carefully to all of this evidence you've gathered and works with you to find some real answers and effective relief. Don't be discouraged if the rash fluctuates; your detailed history is the most valuable tool you have for getting an accurate diagnosis.
    • Scott Adams
      Gluten free beer ?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      In this case the beer is excellent, but for those who are super sensitive it is likely better to go the full gluten-free beer route. Lakefront Brewery (another sponsor!) has good gluten-free beer made without any gluten ingredients.
    • trents
      Patiently Waiting to See Results

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @catsrlife! Celiac disease can be diagnosed without committing to a full-blown "gluten challenge" if you get a skin biopsy done during an active outbreak of dermatitis herpetiformis, assuming that is what is causing the rash. There is no other known cause for dermatitis herpetiformis so it is definitive for celiac disease. You would need to find a dermatologist who is familiar with doing the biopsy correctly, however. The samples need to be taken next to the pustules, not on them . . . a mistake many dermatologists make when biopsying for dermatitis herpetiformis. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.