Is Hair Loss Related, Any Good Advice?

[Ginger38]

I am never sure where to post these discussions.. sorry if this is not the right place. I am wondering if hair loss is linked to celiac/gluten intolerance? I do have thyroid issues and I am on thyroid medicine and have my levels checked, so it should not be linked to that. 

When I was younger I had a head full of thick hair... and in the last 10 years my hair has thinned out so much I can't even put it in a ponytail because it won't stay up. It really depresses me.. I would just like to find something I can take or use that would help my hair feel and look healthier and hopefully regrow some 

[Scott Adams]

Hair loss and thyroid issues have both been linked as symptoms of untreated celiac disease, and for hair loss, here are some articles that discuss it:

https://www.celiac.com/search/?&q=Alopecia&type=cms_records2&quick=1&search_and_or=and&sortby=relevancy 

[Ginger38]

42 minutes ago, Scott Adams said:

Hair loss and thyroid issues have both been linked as symptoms of untreated celiac disease, and for hair loss, here are some articles that discuss it:

https://www.celiac.com/search/?&q=Alopecia&type=cms_records2&quick=1&search_and_or=and&sortby=relevancy 

I am assuming untreated means not adhering strictly to the gluten free diet? 

[Scott Adams]

Definitely, even trace amounts of gluten eaten regularly can allow the autoimmune reaction that happens in celiacs to continue, and when that happens any and all of the many disorders, symptoms and risks associated with celiac disease will also not go away.

[Ginger38]

On 5/20/2022 at 4:35 PM, Scott Adams said:

Definitely, even trace amounts of gluten eaten regularly can allow the autoimmune reaction that happens in celiacs to continue, and when that happens any and all of the many disorders, symptoms and risks associated with celiac disease will also not go away.

Wow, I guess I don’t truly understand enough about all this. So what exactly happens when gluten is consumed? The immune system sees a foreign invader and I’m assuming starts attacking or something? And that causes various symptoms throughout the body?
Do the digestive pills that are supposed to help digest gluten help with gluten consumption/autoimmune reactions?  
So basically if one adheres to a strict gluten free diet for any length of time and then has gluten, all the work the body has done to heal and regulate the immune system is ruined/undone? 

[Scott Adams]

The simplest explanation is that gliadin, which is in gluten, triggers an autoimmune response in those with celiac disease that causes the body to produce antibodies that can "attack" various parts of the body and trigger inflammation, and the areas of the body that are most susceptible are usually the gut, skin or brain/nervous system, depending on the person, but it can attack any or all of these systems.  View this category to give you an idea of just how many disorders can be associated with celiac disease:

https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-amp-related-diseases-and-disorders/

[razzle5150]

On 5/19/2022 at 12:43 PM, Ginger38 said:

I am never sure where to post these discussions.. sorry if this is not the right place. I am wondering if hair loss is linked to celiac/gluten intolerance? I do have thyroid issues and I am on thyroid medicine and have my levels checked, so it should not be linked to that. 

When I was younger I had a head full of thick hair... and in the last 10 years my hair has thinned out so much I can't even put it in a ponytail because it won't stay up. It really depresses me.. I would just like to find something I can take or use that would help my hair feel and look healthier and hopefully regrow some 

my hair is thinnig too could be related

[Ginger38]

On 5/23/2022 at 1:39 PM, Scott Adams said:

The simplest explanation is that gliadin, which is in gluten, triggers an autoimmune response in those with celiac disease that causes the body to produce antibodies that can "attack" various parts of the body and trigger inflammation, and the areas of the body that are most susceptible are usually the gut, skin or brain/nervous system, depending on the person, but it can attack any or all of these systems.  View this category to give you an idea of just how many disorders can be associated with celiac disease:

https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-amp-related-diseases-and-disorders/

Wow..that’s a lot of associated conditions, kind of scary 

[Scott Adams]

True, but the good thing is that most of the risks associated with celiac disease dimmish, or fully go away, once you go gluten-free.

That, by the way, is a list of categories that contain research articles that we've summarized over many years that link the conditions to CD. Just click a category and you can read the articles.

[GF-Cate]

Unfortunately, one of the side effects of levothyroxine (too much, too little or even the type - Synthroid, Unithroid, Tirosint, etc.) is that it can also cause hair loss.

Many docs will not medicate to complete symptom relief and also don't run the full panels of blood tests truly needed to assess thyroid levels & functionality -  including blood antibodies to determine if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Grave's or Hashimoto's).