Can stomach damage, low immunity from an eating disorder cause celiac disease?

[Estelle21]

Hello, I'm new here and was wondering if I could get some insights! 

I've suffered from an eating disorder(anorexic binge purge subtype) for over 10 years and considering the amount of damage done to my stomach and my immunity as a result of repeated vomiting, I was wondering if this could actually cause celiac disease?

I began suspecting gluten intolerance or even celiac disease when three years ago I suddenly developed Dermatitis Herpetiformis on my face (around the nose and mouth area), psoriasis on my nails, leukopenia and low thyroid hormone levels. 

Nowadays I can't digest any dairy either although I used to be able to- I ate yogurt without any problems in the past but these days they cause so much pain and gas. 

So the point is, can you develop gluten intolerance or celiac disease as a result of another disorder that could've negatively affected your stomach and immunity?

If anyone has experienced anything similar or have any insights on this I would really appreciate it. 

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, Estelle21!

Celiac disease is a genetically-based autoimmune disorder. About 40% of the general population has the genetic potential for developing celiac disease but only 1% of the population develops active celiac disease. In addition to having the genetic potential for developing active celiac disease, there must be some kind of triggering stress event to turn the genes on, such as a viral infection, for example. So, while it wouldn't be accurate to conclude that your eating disorder caused your celiac disease, it is possible that the nutritional and emotional stress  it put on your body activated the genes.

However, IMO, it is just as likely that you have had celiac disease for years and that the damage to the small bowel villi it causes resulted in nutritional deficiencies that came into play in developing the eating disorder. So, what I'm saying is it may be the other way around and you were putting the cart before the horse. Plus, we now know that celiac disease is implicated in many mental health disorders. The damaged small bowel villi reduces the efficiency of nutrient absorption which results in vitamin and mineral deficiencies which, in turn, can generate mental health disorders.

But I have some questions for you. Have you been officially diagnosed with celiac disease?

Have you bee officially diagnosed with DH?

Did you know that celiac disease is the only known cause for DH? So, if in fact you do have DH you most certainly have celiac disease.

[knitty kitty]

@Estelle21,

Welcome to the forum! 

Nutritional deficiencies can be the cause of your health problems.  Thiamine deficiency can cause anorexia and eating disorders.  A rash around the mouth and nose can be caused by deficiencies in zinc, Riboflavin B2, and B12.  Changes in nails can be caused by deficiencies in iron, Vitamin D, and Biotin B7.  Low thyroid hormones can be caused by Thiamine deficiency.  Leukopenia can be caused by deficiencies in iron and B Complex vitamins.

A poor diet, a diet high in carbohydrates, or a malabsorption disorder like Celiac Disease can contribute to nutritional deficiencies.  Nutritional deficiencies can be subclinical for years before becoming blatantly obvious.  Do you have the opportunity to see a nutritionist or doctor about correcting deficiencies and testing for Celiac Disease?  

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are easily corrected with supplements.  Check for deficiencies before beginning supplementing, otherwise the supplements will give false results on deficiency tests.  

Here are some articles you might find helpful.  

Management of the malnourished patient: it’s now time to revise the guidelines

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9019959/

And...

Thiamine Deficiency Induces Anorexia by Inhibiting Hypothalamic AMPK

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3995829/

And...

Hiding in Plain Sight: Modern Thiamine Deficiency

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8533683/

And...

Neurological, Psychiatric, and Biochemical Aspects of Thiamine Deficiency in Children and Adults

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6459027/

Keep us posted on your progress!

[Estelle21]

Thank you for the replies!

I definitely think multiple nutritional deficiencies could be the cause of my symptoms, and i apologize for using the wrong terminology; i was diagnosed with perioral dermatitis and psoriasis, not DH!

I do think it’s far fetched to think my symptoms were caused by celiac disease but i did get a food intolerance test done a year ago and scored high for gluten, dairy and eggs..  however I’ve read that food intolerance tests are unreliable so i don’t know what to make of that.

I will try to stick to a nutritional diet for a month or two to see if my symptoms improve.

Thanks again☺️

[trents]

Estelle, the other thing you really need to do is to correct your nutritional deficiencies with some quality, high potency, gluten free vitamins and supplements. This could make a world of difference for you and address both your physical and psychological struggles. We can give you some recommendations for what to take if you are open to it.

[Estelle21]

Yes i would love that- that would be very helpful! 
I’ve been  taking betaine hci, digestive enzymes, probiotics, and a multivitamin. Not that i feel a significant difference when i accidentally miss a day or two of these supplements though. 

[trents]

On this forum we routinely suggest sublinqual B12, B-complex, 5000-10,000 IU of D3, magnesium glycinate, and zinc. You can continue to take your multivitamin. The amounts of vitamins in a multi is typically not enough to correct nutritional deficiencies. Don't worry about the high concentrations of some B's in the B-complex as B vitamins are water soluble and you just pee out the excess. Your urine will be bright yellow but that is normal when taking large amounts of B's, especially B2. This is harmless.

I'm not sure where you live but in the USA a good source for gluten free supplements is Costco. Their Nature Made and Kirkland Signature brands especially. They will say on the bottle or package if they are gluten free. Amazon is another good resource for locating gluten free supplements.

Edited August 31, 2023 by trents