Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Hair Loss

taffymorgan

Recommended Posts

taffymorgan Newbie
taffymorgan
Posted

Hi,

I am new to this post and am currently undergoing tests to see if I have this disease. I was quite surprised to have my Doctor suggest it and had never heard of it before but I am a petite female who in the past 6 months has lost alot of weight and am now losing my hair. Its quite freaky and due to my intestinal problems, he is suggesting it could be Celiac disease. Has anyone else experienced similar symptoms?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


LKelly8 Rookie
LKelly8
Posted

Yup. :rolleyes: <--- looking up at my receded hairline.

It's the malabsorption. The damaged small intestine can't absorb vitamins and the following vitamin deficiencies cause all sorts of havoc.

My hair is in the process of growing back (after 1+ yr gluten-free), now instead of balding I look like I had a really bad perm. (we need a "bad hair day" smiley :lol: )

jennyj Collaborator
jennyj
Posted

Me too. I am also anemic. :huh:

taffymorgan Newbie
taffymorgan
Posted
  • Author
Yup. :rolleyes: <--- looking up at my receded hairline.

It's the malabsorption. The damaged small intestine can't absorb vitamins and the following vitamin deficiencies cause all sorts of havoc.

My hair is in the process of growing back (after 1+ yr gluten-free), now instead of balding I look like I had a really bad perm. (we need a "bad hair day" smiley :lol: )

Really?? So, I'm not going insane? But, It will grow back!? Is there anything I can do now to counteract the process? I don't mean to sound so superficial but its scaring me so bad and I dread washing my hair every morning.

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

Hi Taffy,

My hair was falling out in the year and a half before I was diagnosed. I actually had spots where you could see my scalp.

I was also severly anemic, which is common in people with Celiac. I took suppliments, but because I wasn't absorbing correctly, they didn't do much good.

When I had been gluten-free for about 4 months, my hair stopped falling out--and blood testing after 6 months showed that the anemia was gone! It's been 16 months now, and all of the hair that I lost has grown back.

Good luck with your tests :)

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

My thin hair is still falling out. What types of suppliments would you suggest?

LKelly8 Rookie
LKelly8
Posted

Taffy - I can't promise you you don't have something else, with or without celiac, like female pattern baldness or alopecia areata. Open Original Shared Link But if it is celiac, then yes it will grow back.

Once on the gluten-free diet it'll take time for your intestine to heal and start absorbing the normal amount of nutrients again. The small intestine takes in alot of your vitamins, all the b-vits, vit A, calcium, vit D and vit K - I never even knew there was a vit K! Vitamin k helps your blood clot, not enough causes easy bleeding and bruising. Deficiencies in these (and iron, and other minerals), are common with celiac - so a multivitamin with minerals is a good start.

I've heard zinc is good for hair, but the only supplement I've taken that seemed to effect my hair was folic acid. I had to take a large dose to counteract a rheumatoid arthritis medication I was taking. (methotrexate) MTX binds to folic acid and drains it from your body. Not surprisingly one of it's side effects is hair loss. :rolleyes: The mega dose took care of the MTX but also seemed to boost new hair growth and the hair I had seemed thicker and stronger.

I currently take a Stress B Complex with C and Zinc, an extra 400mcg folic acid, and I eat my veggies like mom always told me too. :D

I use Nature Made vitamins because they label "gluten-free" right on the package.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Very informative, thanks

Lisa

Ursa Major Collaborator
Ursa Major
Posted

Hair loss could also be caused by thyroid problems. I am just throwing that in, so it won't be overlooked.

elye Community Regular
elye
Posted

Hair loss was my only symptom of celiac disease. My very with-it family doctor tested my iron, found it very low, then ran the celiac panel. Voila! So I went off gluten and almost all of my hair has grown back. :)

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Hey Emily:

taffymorgan began this thread, but much interest for me.

I take additional folic acid, but my multi-V I used to take is no longer available here. Can you suggest a good gluten-free multi-V.?

Thanks, Lisa

e&j0304 Enthusiast
e&j0304
Posted

My little 3 year old also suffered horribly from hair loss. She was actually almost bald on spots of her head and I couldn't put her hair up in a pony tail because you could see all the bald patches and also because I was afraid more would fall out.

She is doing much better now and since being gluten-free for a year her hair looks pretty normal. She takes a multi vitamin and we just make sure she eats really well.

Good luck to you!

  • 2 weeks later...
Robina Contributor
Robina
Posted
Really?? So, I'm not going insane? But, It will grow back!? Is there anything I can do now to counteract the process? I don't mean to sound so superficial but its scaring me so bad and I dread washing my hair every morning.

Girl... trust me I know how you feel... the shed I experienced came on so suddenly and rapidly but then just continued and continued and continued... I would literally cry every morning during and after my shower... my hair fall has slowed down since I went gluten free... and is slowly tapering off... and I can see a fine new fringe of hair along my hairline... so there's hope... just relax (stress can worsen it)... follow the diet and get plenty of rest...

kevsmom Contributor
kevsmom
Posted

One of the symptoms that I had prior to diagnoses was bruising. I ended up having a 4 hour nosebleed that could not be stopped (because I was not retaining vitamin K), and was admitted to the hospital to get blood and plasma. I was also extremely anemic.

May hair loss started before this was all going on. I would get out of the shower in the morning and be covered in hair! My doctor suggested that I try Zinc and Selinium. I find that if I take the 100% daily reqirement of Selinium, that it isn't enough. I take 285%.

I also take the Nature Made vitamins. They say gluten free right on the bottle!

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
Fiddle-Faddle
Posted

I take children's Little Critter Gummy vitamins--says gluten-free on the label. I take at least one a day, and when I can remember, 2 (one with lunch, one with dinner).

harriedlate Newbie
harriedlate
Posted
My thin hair is still falling out. What types of suppliments would you suggest?

It doesnt make sense for me to feel better after hearing about some one else having thinning hair but it gives me comfort to know it might get better. I have actually thought of transplants because it is so hard to style.

Matilda Enthusiast
Matilda
Posted

...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. trents
      - trents replied to Sarah Grace's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      26

      Headaches / Migraines and Hypoglycaemia

      This article does not address migraines at all. Yes, red wine and sulfites are often mentioned in connection with migraine triggers. With me, any kind of alcoholic beverage in very modest amounts will reliably produce a migraine. Nitrous oxide generators, which are vaso dialators, also will give me migraines reliably. So, I think most of my migraines...
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Sarah Grace's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      26

      Headaches / Migraines and Hypoglycaemia

      Excessive dietary tyrosine can cause problems. Everything in moderation. Sulfites can also trigger migraines. Sulfites are found in fermented, pickled and aged foods, like cheese. Sulfites cause a high histamine release. High histamine levels are found in migraine. Following a low histamine diet like the low histamine Autoimmune Protocol diet,...
    3. trents
      - trents replied to Sarah Grace's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      26

      Headaches / Migraines and Hypoglycaemia

      Then we would need to cut out all meat and fish as they are richer sources of tyrosine than nuts and cheese. Something else about certain tyrosine rich foods must be the actual culprit.
    4. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Russ H's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      1

      KAN-101 Treatment for Coeliac Disease

      I agree that KAN-101 looks promising, and hope the fast track is approved. From our article below: "KAN-101 shows promise as an immune tolerance therapy aiming to retrain the immune system, potentially allowing safe gluten exposure in the future, but more clinical data is needed to confirm long-term effects."
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to miguel54b's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Body dysmorphia experience

      Thank you so much for having the courage to share this incredibly vivid and personal experience; it's a powerful reminder of how physical ailments can disrupt our fundamental sense of self. What you're describing sounds less like a purely psychological body dysmorphia and more like a distinct neurological event, likely triggered by the immense physical stress...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,152
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    denise.milillo
    Newest Member
    denise.milillo
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Headaches / Migraines and Hypoglycaemia

      By trents · Posted

      This article does not address migraines at all.  Yes, red wine and sulfites are often mentioned in connection with migraine triggers. With me, any kind of alcoholic beverage in very modest amounts will reliably produce a migraine. Nitrous oxide generators, which are vaso dialators, also will give me migraines reliably. So, I think most of my migraines are tied to fluctuations vascular tension and blood flow to the brain. That's why the sumatriptan works so well. It is a vaso constrictor. 
    • knitty kitty
      Headaches / Migraines and Hypoglycaemia

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Excessive dietary tyrosine can cause problems.  Everything in moderation.   Sulfites can also trigger migraines. Sulfites are found in fermented, pickled and aged foods, like cheese.  Sulfites cause a high histamine release.  High histamine levels are found in migraine.  Following a low histamine diet like the low histamine Autoimmune Protocol diet, a Paleo diet, helps immensely.    Sulfites and other migraine trigger foods can cause changes in the gut microbiome.  These bad bacteria can increase the incidence of migraines, increasing histamine and inflammation leading to increased gut permeability (leaky gut), SIBO, and higher systemic inflammation.   A Ketogenic diet can reduce the incidence of migraine.  A Paleo diet like the AIP diet, that restricts carbohydrates (like from starchy vegetables) becomes a ketogenic diet.  This diet also changes the microbiome, eliminating the bad bacteria and SIBO that cause an increase in histamine, inflammation and migraine.  Fewer bad bacteria reduces inflammation, lowers migraine frequency, and improves leaky gut. Since I started following the low histamine ketogenic AIP paleo diet, I rarely get migraine.  Yes, I do eat carbs occasionally now, rice or potato, but still no migraines.  Feed your body right, feed your intestinal bacteria right, you'll feel better.  Good intestinal bacteria actually make your mental health better, too.  I had to decide to change my diet drastically in order to feel better all the time, not just to satisfy my taste buds.  I chose to eat so I would feel better all the time.  I do like dark chocolate (a migraine trigger), but now I can indulge occasionally without a migraine after.   Microbiota alterations are related to migraine food triggers and inflammatory markers in chronic migraine patients with medication overuse headache https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11546420/  
    • trents
      Headaches / Migraines and Hypoglycaemia

      By trents · Posted

      Then we would need to cut out all meat and fish as they are richer sources of tyrosine than nuts and cheese. Something else about certain tyrosine rich foods must be the actual culprit. 
    • Scott Adams
      KAN-101 Treatment for Coeliac Disease

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I agree that KAN-101 looks promising, and hope the fast track is approved. From our article below: "KAN-101 shows promise as an immune tolerance therapy aiming to retrain the immune system, potentially allowing safe gluten exposure in the future, but more clinical data is needed to confirm long-term effects."  
    • Scott Adams
      Body dysmorphia experience

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Thank you so much for having the courage to share this incredibly vivid and personal experience; it's a powerful reminder of how physical ailments can disrupt our fundamental sense of self. What you're describing sounds less like a purely psychological body dysmorphia and more like a distinct neurological event, likely triggered by the immense physical stress and inflammation that uncontrolled celiac disease can inflict on the entire body, including the nervous system. It makes complete sense that the specific sensory input—the pressure points of your elbows on your knees—created a temporary, distorted body map in your brain, and the fact that it ceased once you adopted a gluten-free diet is a crucial detail. Your intuition to document this is absolutely right; it's not "crazy" but rather a significant anecdotal data point that underscores the mysterious and far-reaching ways gluten can affect individuals. Your theory about sensory triggers from the feet for others is also a thoughtful insight, and sharing this story could indeed be validating for others who have had similar, unexplainable sensory disturbances, helping them feel less alone in their journey.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.