Gluten Issues and Vitamin D

[Midwestern]

Hello All.  Can anyone point out any recent studies on the impact of taking vitamin D for those with gluten issues and the outcomes?

I have been gluten free for about 10 years and am a person who is extremely sensitive to the smallest amount.  For example, if my wife eats something glutinous and takes a drink from her plastic water bottle and I take a drink from the same bottle, my throat starts to close up a bit, my face itches, I have stomach pains, etc etc.  

Over the last two and a half years, as a result of the covid pandemic, I have been taking 10,000 international units of vitamin D as it has been recommended by several respectable doctors (several studies in South Africa showed a strong correlation between covid symptoms and vitamin D levels... low D levels had greater severe covid symptoms and high vitamin D levels resulted in very mild covid symptoms).   Around the beginning of all this, coincidentally, our family physician said most people are low on vitamin D and he recommended at least 4,000 units per day from December to May due to increased sunlight.

Then several months ago I accidentally consumed food containing gluten.  No reaction.  I was confused.  So several times I have tried subjecting myself to gluten products with only a tiny bit to start and then things like eating actual sandwiches, pizza, etc.  Astonishingly I have no symptoms.  No stomach pain, no brain fog, no throat sensations, nothing.  

I can't contribute it to being gluten free for 10 years because every now and then I'd accidentally get 'glutened' and have a reaction.  The only other factor that has changed is taking vitamin D for the two and half years and I never used to take vitamin D supplements.

I understand that vitamin D is an important vitamin related to gut health and many genetic processes in the body and has a huge impact on illness prevention, etc.  So I am not sure how else to explain this phenomenon.  I even ate a sugar-coated donut the other day with not a single adverse reaction.  I am not planning on eliminating my gluten free diet but I must confess that I am stumped as to what is going on.

I would like to hear folks' thoughts and if anyone has study information to share, that would be appreciated.

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, Midwestern!

Can you clarify for us if you have been officially diagnosed with either celiac disease or NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) at some point in time? Or, did you just take it upon yourself to experiment with gluten free eating in response to a suspected problem with gluten? There is testing available specifically designed to detect celiac disease but there is not currently any testing for NCGS available. A diagnosis of NCGS is made after celiac disease is ruled out in the face of continuing symptoms related to gluten consumption.

You state: "For example, if my wife eats something glutinous and takes a drink from her plastic water bottle and I take a drink from the same bottle, my throat starts to close up a bit, my face itches, I have stomach pains, etc etc."

These symptoms sound more like allergic reactions than they do either celiac disease or NCGS. Celiac disease is not an allergy but an autoimmune disorder. Less is understood about NCGS and the immune system pathway involved.

[Midwestern]

Thank you Trents.

I was diagnosed with NCGS.  Sorry, I should have mentioned this in the original post.

Even though I listed some reactions that sound like allergic reactions, it also includes all of the standard NCGS things like bowel issues, fatigue, joint pain etc.

[trents]

If I were you I would look into histamine intolerance and MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome). This could account for the inconsistency in your reaction to gluten consumption. The key to this is understanding that it is total histamine load that counts from all sources, not just what you are eating at a given time. Other things contribute as well such as pollen, pollutants, aromas, etc.

[Scott Adams]

Welcome, you may want to get your blood levels checked, as 10,000 international units daily of vitamin D seems high to me. 

I also take daily vitamin D, but closer to 4,000 units a day. This new study indicates that low vitamin D status is associated with increased mortality:

https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M21-3324

[margaretiisabel]

Scott Adams,  I met a Teaching Doctor from Mass. General about 10 years go and I mentioned to her that I had was diagnosed with celiac at Children’s Hospital at a year of age, but they didn’t know how to treat it.  I explained how my Mom tried one food at a time etc.  This Doctor mentioned to me that I should use gluten free soap on my body, and gluten-free Shampoo and Conditioner on my hair.  I thanked her for this information and she replied “You are lucky to be Alive”.   Since I have had Celiac for 78 years I’ve had my rough times, endoscopy’s, accidentally got gluten,  called Company’s, spoke to their Chemists, or Nutritionists.  The best advise I can give I’d don’t cheat.  It’s not worth it.

[Midwestern]

14 hours ago, Scott Adams said:

Welcome, you may want to get your blood levels checked, as 10,000 international units daily of vitamin D seems high to me. 

I also take daily vitamin D, but closer to 4,000 units a day. This new study indicates that low vitamin D status is associated with increased mortality:

https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M21-3324

Yes one should be aware of vitamin D toxicity.  However 10,000 ius are still considered safe though at the upper limit.  Toxicity cases are generally found with people who ingest 50,000+ international units a day.  From a journal at the British Pharmacological Society (https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bcp.13573):

"Vitamin D treatment appears to be safe at doses of up to 10,000 IU day, delivering 25OHD concentrations below levels associated with toxicity. Indeed, others have shown that an average daily intake of 15 000 IU day–1 and plasma 25OHD concentrations up to 300 nmol l are not associated with deranged calcium or phosphate metabolism or toxicity."

and

"The current daily recommended amount of vitamin D is 600 IU per day for adults under the age of 70, and 800 IU for older adults. Up to 4,000 IU per day is generally considered the safe upper limit, however, doses up to 10,000 IU/day have not been shown to cause toxicity. In fact, many cases of vitamin D toxicity have been a result of dosing errors leading to significantly higher amounts being ingested."

But yes, anyone who decides to take vitamin D should test their levels.

[Posterboy]

Midwestern et Al,

It sound a little like you might of had something called Eoe for short....longer name Eosinophilic esophagitis.

Low  Vitamin D is/can be a trigger for an immune reaction because it helps regulate Esonophils......

Here is an article about it....

Entitled "Eosinophilic esophagitis and the promise of vitamin D"

https://gut.bmj.com/content/early/2022/09/01/gutjnl-2022-328283

See also this one entiled "Impact of vitamin D deficiency on increased blood eosinophil counts"

quoting their conclusion(s)...

"Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher blood eosinophil count. These results support the possible role of vitamin D in the eosinophil immune response."

This would explain why Vitamin D supplementation put many of the symptom's you used to complain about into remission.

You should also take a B-Complex and Magneisum as a Citrate or Glycinate and probably a Zinc/Copper supplement since your B-Vitamins and these minerals are very important for a properly working immune system.

Here is one more on low  Vitamin D levels in EOE.....

Entitled "Serum vitamin D levels in a cohort of adult and pediatric patients with eosinophilic esophagitis"

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26004426/

And what is notable about this research is that low Vitamin D status also presented with a food allergy as a symptom of their low Vitamin D status.

quoting their conclusion....

"Conclusion: In these patients with EoE, vitamin D levels were low overall (median <30 ng/mL). The only marker of sensitization associated with insufficient vitamin D in these patients with EoE was a positive skin prick test reaction to peanut."

I also wrote a blog post about this connection about how a poor nutritional state can lead to a genetic diagnosis......maybe it will help you to read it.

I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advice.

2 Timothy 2: 7 “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” this included.

As I am fond of saying “To Educate is to truly free!” Where there is a free exchange of knowledge there

is health and peace for one’s soul and body!

Posterboy by the grace of God,

[Midwestern]

14 hours ago, Posterboy said:

Midwestern et Al,

It sound a little like you might of had something called Eoe for short....longer name Eosinophilic esophagitis.

Low  Vitamin D is/can be a trigger for an immune reaction because it helps regulate Esonophils......

Here is an article about it....

Entitled "Eosinophilic esophagitis and the promise of vitamin D"

https://gut.bmj.com/content/early/2022/09/01/gutjnl-2022-328283

See also this one entiled "Impact of vitamin D deficiency on increased blood eosinophil counts"

quoting their conclusion(s)...

"Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher blood eosinophil count. These results support the possible role of vitamin D in the eosinophil immune response."

This would explain why Vitamin D supplementation put many of the symptom's you used to complain about into remission.

You should also take a B-Complex and Magneisum as a Citrate or Glycinate and probably a Zinc/Copper supplement since your B-Vitamins and these minerals are very important for a properly working immune system.

Here is one more on low  Vitamin D levels in EOE.....

Entitled "Serum vitamin D levels in a cohort of adult and pediatric patients with eosinophilic esophagitis"

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26004426/

And what is notable about this research is that low Vitamin D status also presented with a food allergy as a symptom of their low Vitamin D status.

quoting their conclusion....

"Conclusion: In these patients with EoE, vitamin D levels were low overall (median <30 ng/mL). The only marker of sensitization associated with insufficient vitamin D in these patients with EoE was a positive skin prick test reaction to peanut."

I also wrote a blog post about this connection about how a poor nutritional state can lead to a genetic diagnosis......maybe it will help you to read it.

I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advice.

2 Timothy 2: 7 “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” this included.

As I am fond of saying “To Educate is to truly free!” Where there is a free exchange of knowledge there

is health and peace for one’s soul and body!

Posterboy by the grace of God,

 

Posterboy,  thanks for this info.  Interesting... I've never heard of this.  Will definitely the time to read through and research.  Yes, I take complex B vitamins daily too.  Been doing that simultaneously with the vitamin D since the start of Covid.

[Midwestern]

And just to add info to this thread in case someone else reads through it in the future and finds it interesting...

With the info Posterboy provided, I was also able to find a journal article that connects Eosinophilic Esophagitis with gluten without Celiac Disease:

https://www.xiahepublishing.com/2472-0712/ERHM-2016-00011

One more thing to complicate diagnosis nowadays.

 

[Posterboy]

Midwestern,

That is good research!

I think I might of seen that research before......but I didn' have it handy to site etc.

10 hours ago, Midwestern said:

Posterboy,  thanks for this info.  Interesting... I've never heard of this.  Will definitely the time to read through and research.  Yes, I take complex B vitamins daily too.  Been doing that simultaneously with the vitamin D since the start of Covid.

That you have been taking B-Vitaamins as well......changes the equation a little bit....

B-Vitamins are important (and Magnesium) to help us control inflammation in the body!!!

You say since Covid 19......you have been taking a B-Complex daily.

Can you tell me how long ago that has been.....say 6+ months or 1 year or more etc....

I specialize in how B-Vtiamins can help Celiac and/or NCGS patients and I want to share a/the blog post that will help you the most.....

But now I know you have been taking a B-Complex as well I will share this post that I think will help you....

Vitamins and Minerals make and keep us healthy! As you have found out about Vitamin D!

If you want to see all my blog posts just navigate to the top left of the above blog post and click on my blog and you will see the other posts that I have written about the need for Celiac's to supplement for their best health!

This blog post might also help you....

I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advice.

Good luck on your continued journeys in life!

Posterboy by the grace of God,

[Midwestern]

Posterboy, thanks for the added info.  I've been taking the vitamin B complex actually for several years.  I think it's whatever the standard supplement dose is found in grocery stores.  It was only with the start of covid that I started adding the vitamin D to my vitamin routine.  Other vitamins that I take are Magnesium (weds and saturdays), fish oil (daily), vitamin k (tues and thurs) and tumeric (daily).  I take some of the vitamins on different days since it isn't necessary to have magnesium, etc daily... just enough to supplement to insure no low level issues.  Only the vitamin D is being taken daily at the higher levels since I think the published data supports it, but I would never take over 10,000 units a day.  I have considered moving the vitamin D intake to alternate days in case there are unknown manufacturing issues with the brand I take (as one never knows).

[Midwestern]

By the way, I find it interesting my conversations with some doctors who have published Celiac studies how many are not truly interested in finding correlative influences to Celiac disease!  For example, it would be incredibly simple and inexpensive to run a study on higher vitamin D levels on Celiac patients.  However many researchers are very narrowly focused and don't really want to consider other possibilities... which runs counter to the scientific thought process.  I mean everyone acknowledges that there has been a dramatic increase in Non Celiace Gluten Sensitivity in the general population but few serious researchers really want to understand why that is.   During the same time frame we've seen a dramatic decrease in vitamin D even in sunny zones (since folks are mostly indoors nowadays), so who is to say there isn't a strong correlation?  Study it and rule it out or hope it leads to more insights.  Sadly it seems a lot of the traditional scientific community's immediate knee-jerk reaction is they know all and are unwilling to think outside the box to try to solve the existing questions.

It always make me think of this guy:  https://fox2now.com/news/st-louis-man-who-cured-his-own-mysterious-disease-now-helping-others

who had the courage to research and come up with his own hypothesis and test them out.  In the end he was vindicated and he helped the medical community with his process/methods.

[Posterboy]

Midwestern et Al,

I just wanted to point out (for those who are folloing this thread).....some hidden details for those who don't have time to click on the link I provided that is very instructive.....

(And NO doctor's don't recognize the power of Vitamins to help keep and make us healthy)

I didn't have time to make of a note of it at the time....

From the research entitled "Eosinophilic esophagitis and the promise of vitamin D"

https://gut.bmj.com/content/early/2022/09/01/gutjnl-2022-328283

quoting

"In this issue of Gut, new evidence is published on the role of vitamin D in the pathophysiology of Th2 inflammation and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in particular.1 Brusilovsky et al show that vitamin D has important interleukin (IL)-13 antagonistic properties and was shown to regulate epithelial barrier and immune functions. Vitamin D supplementation in models of vitamin D deficiency counteracted expression of approximately 70% of genes affected by IL-13, it improved histological markers of epithelial barrier disruption and reduced mucosal permeability and reduced eosinophilic inflammation. Vitamin D supplementation reversed IL-13-induced dysregulation of markers associated with oesophageal remodelling, such as transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ), as well. This is intriguing, as there are clear medical unmet needs in EoE and vitamin D supplementation may offer a potential effective, inexpensive, safe and acceptable solution to patients. What are the odds that vitamin D may become a new therapy for EoE? Much can be learnt from research in other extraskeletal diseases in which low serum vitamin D has been identified as a risk factor."

I want to answer the question "What are the odds that vitamin D may become a new therapy for EoE?"

Very Low!!! this research is hot off the presses from this August 2022 and it takes on average 18 to 20 years before new medical research reaches the clinical level!

So they are saying there is a 70 percent chance is the way I read it that taking Vitamin D could help EoE.....but most doctor's won't believe that or put it into practice for another 20 years!

I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advice.

Posterboy by the grace of God,

[Posterboy]

Midestern et Al,

I liked your article....

I took the time to look up the orginal article as cited by your news article.....it was very informative (and typical) of doctor's.....they are so consevative that they end up doing more harm by doing nothing instead  (note their use of Vitamins when they could help as I mentioned above) (often) than by doing something that might helpful (in the meantime (Vitamins) ) and why should they if you don't improve then they know you will keep coming back too them!

Entitled (Doug Lindsay) "This college dropout was bedridden for 11 years. Then he invented a surgery and cured himself"

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/27/health/doug-lindsay-invented-surgery-trnd/index.html

ON the Vitamin front here is a very good article about Doctor's too this day miss a Thiamine deficiency!

https://awaken.com/2021/02/the-overlooked-vitamin-that-improves-autoimmune-disease-and-autonomic-dysfunction/

Again I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advice.

Posterboy,

[MogwaiStripe]

Interestingly, this thought occurred to me last night. I did find that there are studies investigating whether vitamin D deficiency can actually trigger celiac disease. 

Source: National Institutes of Health https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7231074/ 

[knitty kitty]

Hello, @MogwaiStripe,

Vitamin D is turned into its activated forms by Thiamine.  Thiamine deficiency can affect Vitamin D activation.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14913223/

Thiamine deficiency affects HLA genes.  HLA genes code for autoimmune diseases like Celiac, Thyroiditis, Diabetes, etc.  Thiamine deficiency inside a cell triggers a toggle switch on the gene which in turn activates autoimmune diseases carried on the gene.  The reference to the study is in my blog somewhere.  Click on my name to go to my page, scroll down to the drop down menu "Activities" and click on blogs.  

[Wheatwacked]

Surge of information on benefits of vitamin D

McCarthy has been employing these methods since February 2007, and patient acceptance has been high. He said he checks each patient’s 25(OH)D level and supplements to reach a target of 80 ng/mL in adults and children. Of the first 1,500 patients McCarthy tested, 40% began with vitamin D levels less than 20 ng/mL and 70% less than 35 ng/mL. Only 1% initially had values within his target range.

According to McCarthy, his target range is based upon several factors:

A lifeguard study that found vitamin D levels in the 70 ng/mL range up to 100 ng/mL (nature’s level) were associated with no adverse effects;

• Data in patients with breast cancer showing a reduction in the incidence of new cancer with postulated 0 point at 80 ng/mL;
• Colon cancer data showing a reduction in the incidence of new cancer (linear) with postulated 0 point at 75 ng/mL;
• More than 200 polymorphisms of the vitamin D receptor requiring higher D levels to attain same desired outcomes;