Celiac And Schizophrenia

[prinsessa]

I am curious about if anyone has heard of a link between Celiac and Schizophrenia. My brother has been Schizophrenic for about 10 years now. My mom said that she read somewhere that there was a link between the two. I did a search on the internet and some studies do show a link (and some studies don't). Does anyone know anyone who has schizophrenia and had their symptoms improve after going gluten free? We don't know that he is gluten intolerant, but he may be since I have problems with gluten. Thanks

[jerseyangel]

I am curious about if anyone has heard of a link between Celiac and Schizophrenia. My brother has been Schizophrenic for about 10 years now. My mom said that she read somewhere that there was a link between the two. I did a search on the internet and some studies do show a link (and some studies don't). Does anyone know anyone who has schizophrenia and had their symptoms improve after going gluten free? We don't know that he is gluten intolerant, but he may be since I have problems with gluten. Thanks

You know--I have seen that there may be some sort of link--either between Celiac and Schizophrenia, or possibly the gluten-free diet. I will try to remember where I read this, and get a link. For the life of me, I can't remember now...hopefully, someone else will. Best of luck Wish I could have been more help.

[ravenwoodglass]

I am curious about if anyone has heard of a link between Celiac and Schizophrenia. My brother has been Schizophrenic for about 10 years now. My mom said that she read somewhere that there was a link between the two. I did a search on the internet and some studies do show a link (and some studies don't). Does anyone know anyone who has schizophrenia and had their symptoms improve after going gluten free? We don't know that he is gluten intolerant, but he may be since I have problems with gluten. Thanks

My DD had strong Schizo symptoms before diagnosis. She was very anxious and paranoid and was convinced for almost a year that I was poisoning her. She would eat nothing unless she had watched every step of the preperation. My DS also had some symptoms, most prominent that he would hear voices. Things resolved for my DD after diagnosis and starting a gluten free diet, she is now studying neuropsychiatry at a prominent college. Who knows where she would be now if I had not been diagnosed and as a result had them test the whole family. But I doubt she would be where she is now.

There may be a link to some info on the celiac main page on the right.

[jnclelland]

If I remember correctly, schizophrenia is mentioned in "Dangerous Grains" as being correlated with celiac.

Jeanne

[nikki-uk]

Here's one link,but I think more research is needed.ht

tp://www.webmd.com/content/Article/82/97278.htm

Sorry that link didn't work,but if you google schizophrenia linked to celiac you will come up with many interesting articles,but I think it only turns outthat a very small percent that have schizophrenia actually have celiac disease.

[Guest Babbia]

My bro has schizophrenia and his stomach is also as big as a house. Too bad my family don't take me seriously about the gluten intolerance. I would love to have him tested.

Babbia

[Mme]

I'm so glad to see this thread. I have a brother who is atypical schizoaffective and a paternal uncle who just died who had atypical schizotypal personality disorder. We now think both may be celiac-related. (we = my mother, who is a psychiatrist, + me)

So we are pursuing the familial celiac link to schizophrenia verrry carefully. I just got my blood testing done and am going in for a biopsy when the results are back. We're sure my grandmother on my dad's side died of celiac (small bowel adenocarcinoma plus other cardinal symptoms) and several of us have a good case for at least gluten sensitivity, if not disease.

The Open Original Shared Link here in Boston mentions patients who come to the center with schizophrenia as one of their associated signs. I hope to have more to post as I learn more.

thanks,

Mme

[ladyx]

I am curious about if anyone has heard of a link between Celiac and Schizophrenia. My brother has been Schizophrenic for about 10 years now. My mom said that she read somewhere that there was a link between the two. I did a search on the internet and some studies do show a link (and some studies don't). Does anyone know anyone who has schizophrenia and had their symptoms improve after going gluten free? We don't know that he is gluten intolerant, but he may be since I have problems with gluten. Thanks

I read in one of my friends natural health care books that schizophrenia is more often then we may think linked to celiac because it can take up to 36 months for schizophrenia to disappear after starting a gluten free diet. Schizophrenia and other mental disorders run on both sides of my family.... I believe that it is from the celiac at least in my family and if I can cut the cycle for my children I am so thankful. My family of course thinks I am the crazy one....convincing my uncle who is severely schizoprinic that he is even sick and needs to get better would be a feat in itself...I am about 200% sure he has celiac as do probably all his brothers and sisters...all skinny...can't gain weight...all sickly...all have skin problems..most some sort of mental problem...ect... I am more of a sceptic when it comes to what the so called experts say...they gave me all kinds of meds for my so called IBS before I was diagnosed with celiac...nothing worked then someone who had gi problems suggested I use aloe vera jc to heal my intestines and it was a life saver...so if you want to help your brother then try the gluten free diet or at the very least convince him to get tested.

I spent most of my life with doctors telling me that nothing was wrong with me or it was just genetic...there was no way I could get better...take this medicine for the symtoms...blah blah blah...I am so thankful that I didn't listen to them when it came to my son. I listened to my gut and my heart and kept searching till we were all diagnosed. Anyway this is not any medical advice as I am not a doctor just from my own experience. I will try to find the name of that natural book that has the information and let you know. good luck.

[rsavage]

I believe I have read of a link between the two. My sister(also a Celiac) has always accused me of being very unbalanced. Since my diagnosis over 3years ago, I find myself much happier and settled.

[tiffjake]

If I remember correctly, schizophrenia is mentioned in "Dangerous Grains" as being correlated with celiac.

Jeanne

I just read that part the other day....it is really interesting. The author (a doc) notes that in Europe, when there was a grain shortage (for some reason, I can't remember now) that the cases of schizophrenia when down dramatically! That caught my attention.

[prinsessa]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to talk to my mom about him going gluten free. It might be hard since he has a bad memory (from the meds) and might not remember all the time to check labels (I forget sometimes). He is also very skinny and has problems gaining weight. He is about 160 and is 6 feet tall. And he had asthma, food allergies, and many ear infections as a child. I mentioned to my mom that she should try to go gluten free, but she seemed reluctant. It is strange because she is the one who suggested that I might have celiac or be gluten intolerant. If it wasn't for her I never would have gone gluten free. She told me that her mom had really bad stomach problems her whole life (my mom is 100% Swedish). I just want my brother to live a normal life and I hope this will help him.

[mommida]

I good place to look might be the articles of the opiate affect of wheat and casein. I do believe the articles I read for schizophrenia said to try the gluten free and casein free diet. I don't think there were any changes until the person had been on the diet for at least six months or longer. I would expect there to be some withdrawal type symptoms, so I would do some more research to get an idea what to be ready for.

L.