Increased appetite

[BrianG]

I’ve been on a gluten-free diet for 4-5 months and my appetite is still very strong most of the time. I’m tired of always feeling hungry and I’m gaining weight. Is this normal?
Is there anything I can do to lessen my appetite?

Will this eventually go away? 

[Scott Adams]

Gaining weight could be normal for some people with celiac disease who are in recovery, and this is often caused by the recovery of damaged villi, so you are now absorbing nutrients better. Some people with celiac disease are actually overweight because they feel like they are starving all the time, and they actually are, so they over eat to compensate. To heal the villi it can take up to two years, so it's possible that your feeling hungry all the time will diminish over time.

[knitty kitty]

@BrianG,

What are you eating?  Are you filling up on gluten free facsimile foods?  Are you following any specific diet (fodmaps, AIP)?  

Are you gaining weight from putting on muscle or are you putting on fatty pounds in the abdominal region?

Can you give us a typical day's intake?

[BrianG]

I’m just avoiding foods with gluten, no special diet. Gaining fat not muscle. Yes I’m eating gluten-free pasta, gluten-free bread etc. almond flour products. Lots of fruit.  

[knitty kitty]

Be aware that gluten free facsimile foods are not required to be enriched with vitamins and minerals like their gluten containing counterparts.  Vitamins and minerals are destroyed in the processing of wheat, so the government mandates adding vitamins and minerals to wheat products.  

Gluten free processed products are not required to add vitamins and minerals although they undergo similar processing.  

You need Thiamine (Vitamin B1) to process carbohydrates and turn them into fuel for every cell in your body.  When you are running low on thiamine, your body takes a short cut in order to ration thiamine and stores carbohydrates as abdominal fat.  

There's eight B vitamins that all work together with thiamine.  You may want to consider taking a B Complex supplement.  Discuss this with your dietitian or nutritionist (part of proper follow up care for Celiacs), who can also guide you to a more nutrient dense diet.  I like the Autoimmune Protocol diet (AIP diet) by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, a doctor with Celiac Disease. 

Hope this helps! 

 

 

 

[MADMOM]

  On 7/5/2021 at 8:11 PM, Scott Adams said:

Gaining weight could be normal for some people with celiac disease who are in recovery, and this is often caused by the recovery of damaged villi, so you are now absorbing nutrients better. Some people with celiac disease are actually overweight because they feel like they are starving all the time, and they actually are, so they over eat to compensate. To heal the villi it can take up to two years, so it's possible that your feeling hungry all the time will diminish over time.

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i’m the same i’m gluten free now 6 months and in last 2 i’ve gained 10 pounds - not what i needed my weight was normal prior to dx - normal for my height is what i was referring to - i’ve gained more around belly and thighs which i don’t like however i am feeling much better so i’m assuming i’m healing - i watch what i eat too and i’m having a hard time losing it 

[Jackie Garrett]

  On 7/1/2021 at 4:19 AM, BrianG said:

I’ve been on a gluten-free diet for 4-5 months and my appetite is still very strong most of the time. I’m tired of always feeling hungry and I’m gaining weight. Is this normal?
Is there anything I can do to lessen my appetite?

Will this eventually go away? 

Expand Quote  

Hello Brian

I found when I went on medication it made me so hungry I gained well over 2 stone in a matter of 2 months all I wanted to do was eat, now I have my own theory as to why this happened to me, I didn’t realise at the time and have now found out after all these years that I was milk/ lactose intolerant and my body can not break down lactose, hence accumulation of acids I have always had a good appetite I think because of this, so when I went on the medication which contained lactose it made me more acidic and more hungry, so when I came off the meds and stopped ingesting milk and things that contain lactose, it’s in so many things you wouldn’t believe it’s in, and not always listed on the ingredients, I started to feel less hungry, I tried to eat lots more veg, and followed a healthy diet, like fruit, but not too acidic fruit, I like to have watermelon, honeydew, bananas red apples grapes, blueberries and sometimes an orange they are more acidic but the odd time I didn’t think would hurt  to have an orange. I dropped acidic drinks and that included tea and coffee, I drink more water and weak peppermint tea or camomile,  but only one a day if that and alcohol on the odd occasion, but not acidic wine just a lager or something diluted, so my acid levels came down and the constant hunger eventually went, now in my case I believe the milk was the start of my health problems, all my symptoms have gone away it takes time, this is just my theory and my case. I stopped my meds because i felt it was safe to do so ( it was only precautionary that I was on them) I wouldn’t recommend anyone to do that without speaking with their doctor or check that they don’t contain lactose there ma be alternatives, and if you do come off milk make sure you still get your calcium and vitamins from another source, we have to do things safely. And maybe one day when our stomach linings have had a rest from all these extra acids we may be able to go back sensibly to eating and drinking these things again but only in moderation. Good luck Brian 

[BrianG]

What medication were you taking? 

[Jackie Garrett]

  On 7/8/2021 at 4:39 PM, BrianG said:

What medication were you taking? 

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Aspirin, Avorstatin, Ramilpril and Bisoprolol all contain Lactose, they made me feel unwell and really hungry I just wanted to eat so much it was horrible, at the time I didn’t know I was Lactose intolerant   it’s only recently that I have found out a lot medicines contain Lactose, hence feeling unwell. They made me very acidic too.

[trents]

It is normal to put on some weight after going gluten free if you are a celiac. Your body is now more efficiently absorbing the nutrition in the food you eat. Adjustments in what you eat (as opposed to how much) and activity levels are key to losing weight. Also, you might want to look into the keto diet. It does work.