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Weight Loss

Barry W

By Barry W
in Related Issues & Disorders

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Barry W Rookie
Barry W
Posted

I was diagnosed with celiac about two weeks ago and have been eating only gluten free foods. I am eating meat and vegetables with my meals.  I eat snacks, potato chips, cheese balls, which are all gluten free. I have lost about six pounds. Should I be losing weight? I also find myself craving watermelon. 

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trents Grand Master
trents
Posted

Welcome to the forum, Barr W!

When you eliminate wheat from the diet, most of us would automatically be eliminating a significant amount of carbohydrates and calories that we were taking in previously.

Cravings for certain foods can be an indication of a nutrient deficiency and nutrient deficiencies generally come with the territory of celiac disease. The damage done to the villi of the small bowel can greatly reduce the surface area of nutrient absorption such that, even though we may be eating well, the nutrients are just passing through. Are you taking any vitamin and mineral supplements to compensate for this? It often takes two years or so for the villi to rebound once we adopt a gluten free diet. Commonly on this forum we recommend people begin supplementing with a high potency B-complex, B12, 5000 to 10,000 IU of D3 daily, magnesium glycinate and zinc. Make sure all vitamins and supplements are gluten free.

Is your weight loss a concern or is it welcome?

Barry W Rookie
Barry W
Posted
  • Author
On 6/7/2023 at 9:53 AM, trents said:

Welcome to the forum, Barr W!

When you eliminate wheat from the diet, most of us would automatically be eliminating a significant amount of carbohydrates and calories that we were taking in previously.

Cravings for certain foods can be an indication of a nutrient deficiency and nutrient deficiencies generally come with the territory of celiac disease. The damage done to the villi of the small bowel can greatly reduce the surface area of nutrient absorption such that, even though we may be eating well, the nutrients are just passing through. Are you taking any vitamin and mineral supplements to compensate for this? It often takes two years or so for the villi to rebound once we adopt a gluten free diet. Commonly on this forum we recommend people begin supplementing with a high potency B-complex, B12, 5000 to 10,000 IU of D3 daily, magnesium glycinate and zinc. Make sure all vitamins and supplements are gluten free.

Is your weight loss a concern or is it welcome?

Thank you for your response.

I am not taking the vitamins you mentioned. Thank you for letting me know this and all your information. 

The weight loss is not a concern, as I could loss a few pounds.

Take care,

Barry

Scott Adams Grand Master
Scott Adams
Posted

Most celiacs will benefit for a good gluten-free multivitamin & mineral supplement. One A Day and Geritol are good examples. 

Depending on the level of villi damage you have it could take a few months to heal, and normally you will regain lost weight after that point.

  • 2 weeks later...
razzle5150 Enthusiast
razzle5150
Posted
On 6/7/2023 at 6:57 AM, Barry W said:

I was diagnosed with celiac about two weeks ago and have been eating only gluten free foods. I am eating meat and vegetables with my meals.  I eat snacks, potato chips, cheese balls, which are all gluten free. I have lost about six pounds. Should I be losing weight? I also find myself craving watermelon. 

my dr says no But I disagree  lost a few also  love watermelon from arkansas

Scott Adams Grand Master
Scott Adams
Posted

Your doctor probably doesn't have celiac disease 😁. Many of its almost 200 recorded symptoms are caused by nutrient deficiencies, some of which take years to recover from, depending on the level of gut damage you have.

  • 2 weeks later...
patty-maguire Contributor
patty-maguire
Posted

"Should I be losing weight?"

The "should" part is up to you.  If you were overweight and happy to see some pounds taking leave, then take the win.  The weight loss is not from removing gluten per se, but likely from removing the carbs and calories that come along with gluten containing foods like bread, pasta etc.  If you're not happy about the weight loss then, as other have said, make sure you're getting the nutrients you need and consider adding more calories / carbs to your diet.  Gluten free pasta, potatoes, bread, fruit, cheese etc. will all help.  All the best and welcome to the club :)

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    • trents
      Fiber Supplement

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @Trish G! "Gluten free" does not necessarily equate to "no gluten". According to FDA standards it actually means that a food product contains no more than 20ppm of gluten. This is safe for most celiacs but would not be for those who are on the more sensitive end of the spectrum. So, it would depend on the individual celiac and their level of sensitivity to minor amounts of gluten. That's the long and nuanced answer. The short answer is that it is a product derived from wheat and so you can be certain it will contain some residual amounts of gluten. No gluten removal process is 100% effective. So, to be absolutely certain, stay away from it. Have you tried chia seeds? Very high in fiber and quickly turns into a gel when added to water. Make sure you get seeds that are gluten free if you decide to try it.
    • Trish G
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    • kpf
      ttg iga high (646 mg/dl) other results are normal

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    • trents
      ttg iga high (646 mg/dl) other results are normal

      By trents · Posted

      What are your symptoms? What has brought you to the point where you sought celiac disease testing?
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