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

Body Building, Protein Bars/shakes


slcceliac

Recommended Posts

slcceliac Rookie

Like a lot of celiacs, I've always been skinny and it's been impossible for me to get my weight above 180 lbs (I'm 25 yo and 6'3"). After being on gluten free diet for almost two months, and lifting weights for 4 months, I finally gained 11 lbs of muscle.

I discovered an excellent protein powder that I mix with lactose free milk. It's Essential Natural 100% protein made by Iron-Tek (www.iron-tek.com) and it has 22 grams of protein per serving. It tastes great, especially if you add some fresh or frozen fruits. The bottle it comes in even says "NO: yeast, wheat, gluten, preservatives, artificial flavors, artificail sweeteners or artificial color"

Now I'm seaching for high protein, low sugar bars and I can't find any that are gluten free? Any advice?


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Guest Damo

Sorry, I don't yet know of any of those things but thanks for the weight gain tip. I'm 19 and have been around 55-57kgs (125lbs) for about three years so as you could guess I really want to put some weight on now that I'm starting to go gluten free.

Coltrane Newbie

I am new to this forum and new to the avoiding gluten game. I have been working out regularily for about 2 years. I started at 5'11" and 129 lbs., and with a lot of eating, I have gotten up to 150 lbs. However, even with eating close to 5,000 cals/day, I have not been able to gain any more weight. I recently did research on gluten sensitivity, and I am trying the gluten-free lifestyle to see if that makes a difference. It is encouraging to hear of other who have gained weight after going gluten free.

I do not know of any protein bars that are low sugar/gluten free. Most protein bars are pretty crappy and high in sugar, so I stick to shakes.

Sorry, I don't yet know of any of those things but thanks for the weight gain tip. I'm 19 and have been around 55-57kgs (125lbs) for about three years so as you could guess I really want to put some weight on now that I'm starting to go gluten free.
slcceliac Rookie
However, even with eating close to 5,000 cals/day, I have not been able to gain any more weight. I recently did research on gluten sensitivity, and I am trying the gluten-free lifestyle to see if that makes a difference. It is encouraging to hear of other who have gained weight after going gluten free.

Coltrane, are you a diagnosed celiac?

I was in the same boat, and like I said, it was impossible for me to get past 180lbs. If you do have celiac and are on gluten free diet, your villi (which are finger like projections in your small intestine - their function is to absorb nutrients and provide some enzymes for digestion) will start regenerating and you'll be able to absorb the nutrients from your food. Before going gluten free, I would eat ridicilous amount of protein, minimal amount of simple carbs like sugar with no results... I would also suggest taking Centrum Multivitimin to help with any possible nutritional deficienies...

I found Odyssey protein bars (I have actually consumed them before going gluten free) . They taste decent and are gluten-free, but are processed in a plant that processes wheat??? Should I be concerned about cross-contamination???

Coltrane Newbie

I am not a diagnosed celiac. I am going to see my Dr. in the next few weeks to talk about getting tested. I know what you mean about eating lots of protein and not adding any weight. I eat very clean, and I monitor my macronutrient intake very closely. The fact that I was basically eating a body builders diet last summer and not gaining weight made me think that there might be more at play than just a fast metabolism. I am currently taking GNC Mega Men multi-vitamins, but I will look into the Centrum. I assume that those are gluten free, if you recommend them. Thanks for the info.

Coltrane

Coltrane, are you a diagnosed celiac?

I was in the same boat, and like I said, it was impossible for me to get past 180lbs. If you do have celiac and are on gluten free diet, your villi (which are finger like projections in your small intestine - their function is to absorb nutrients and provide some enzymes for digestion) will start regenerating and you'll be able to absorb the nutrients from your food. Before going gluten free, I would eat ridicilous amount of protein, minimal amount of simple carbs like sugar with no results... I would also suggest taking Centrum Multivitimin to help with any possible nutritional deficienies...

I found Odyssey protein bars (I have actually consumed them before going gluten free) . They taste decent and are gluten-free, but are processed in a plant that processes wheat??? Should I be concerned about cross-contamination???

johnsoniu Apprentice

I knew it, I go away on vacation for 1 week and the topic I've been waiting for pops up!

Anyhoo. I was dx'd two months ago. Weight down to 111 lbs and in hospital from lack of nutrients, basically I was not absorbing anything.

Started gluten free diet and began a high intensity weight lifting program. Took a couple weeks to work up to 5000 cals a day, but have maintained that for about 6 weeks. I don't do junk food for calories either. I do about 45%carbs, 40% protein and 15 % fat. Weighing in now at 140 on my 5'8" frame, normal weight before dx was about 125. I figure if I can gain that with a damaged digestive system, I should be able to gain another 15-20 lbs once I'm healed up.

I use EAS 100% Whey protein for my shakes and Met-Rx big 100 and Protein Plus bars. The Met-Rx are gluten free but are made in a facility that also processes wheat. I called them and they told me the bars are processed on seperate lines, so CC risk should be minimal. CC from a shared facility is basically up to how much risk you are willing to take. Met-Rx also makes an Xtreme Mass protein powder that is gluten free that I'm thinking about trying. I'm not sure about the sugar content of the Met-Rx bars.

Centrum multi-vitamins are gluten free, except for Centrum Silver.

So to sum up, yes it is possible to gain weight/muscle mass on the gluten free diet. Just plan ahead and stick to your plan. Good luck, hope to hear back from you guys.

  • 3 weeks later...
iluvfupa Newbie

There are lots of recipes online to make your own protein bars, might want to pick up some gluten free oats though.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



RiceAddict Rookie

I've been eating Cliff bars for snacks for a while now, they are pretty good. I just noticed in the store over the weekend that Cliff makes a protein bar as well, only had one flavor though. It has 20g pro and 30g carbs. I got a couple to try and they are not as tasty as regular Cliff bars in my opinion, but they taste alright and I'm happy to eat them to get more prot and fewer carbs than the regular bars. I'm not into body building (see my scrawny pic) so I don't know if this is a lot of protein or not.

Archived

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

  • 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. - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      Son's legs shaking

    2. - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      Son's legs shaking

    3. - Scott Adams replied to Russ H's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

    4. - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      Son's legs shaking

    5. - Scott Adams replied to Paulaannefthimiou's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      2

      Bob red mill gluten free oats

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,869
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    MaryannHall
    Newest Member
    MaryannHall
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine.  Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine.  Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and  Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats.  Meat, especially organ meats like liver, are the best sources of Thiamine, B12, and the six other B vitamins and important minerals like iron.   Thiamine has antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Thiamine is important to our immune systems.  We need more thiamine when we're physically ill or injured, when we're under stress emotionally, and when we exercise, especially outside in hot weather.  We need thiamine and other B vitamins like Niacin B 3 to keep our gastrointestinal tract healthy.  We can't store thiamine for very long.  We can get low in thiamine within three days.  Symptoms can appear suddenly when a high carbohydrate diet is consumed.  (Rice and beans are high in carbohydrates.)  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so symptoms can wax and wane depending on what one eats.  The earliest symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are easily contributed to other things or life events and dismissed.   Correcting nutritional deficiencies needs to be done quickly, especially in children, so their growth isn't stunted.  Nutritional deficiencies can affect intelligence.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause short stature and poor bone formation.   Is your son taking anything for the anemia?  Is the anemia caused by B12 or iron deficiency?  
    • lizzie42
      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
    • Scott Adams
      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
    • knitty kitty
      @lizzie42, You're being a good mom, seeking answers for your son.  Cheers! Subclinical thiamine deficiency commonly occurs with anemia.  An outright Thiamine deficiency can be precipitated by the consumption of a high carbohydrate meal.   Symptoms of Thiamine deficiency include feeling shakey or wobbly in the legs, muscle weakness or cramps, as well as aggression and irritability, confusion, mood swings and behavior changes.  Thiamine is essential to the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine which keep us calm and rational.   @Jsingh, histamine intolerance is also a symptom of Thiamine deficiency.  Thiamine is needed to prevent mast cells from releasing histamine at the slightest provocation as is seen in histamine intolerance.  Thiamine and the other B vitamins and Vitamin C are needed to clear histamine from the body.  Without sufficient thiamine and other B vitamins to clear it, the histamine builds up.  High histamine levels can change behavior, too.  High histamine levels are found in the brains of patients with schizophrenia.  Thiamine deficiency can also cause extreme hunger or conversely anorexia.   High carbohydrate meals can precipitate thiamine deficiency because additional thiamine is required to process carbohydrates for the body to use as fuel.  The more carbohydrates one eats daily, the more one needs additional thiamine above the RDA.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses. Keep in mind that gluten-free processed foods like cookies and such are not required to be fortified and enriched with vitamins and minerals like their gluten containing counterparts are.  Limit processed gluten-free foods.  They are often full of empty calories and unhealthy saturated fats and additives, and are high in histamine or histamine release triggers.  It's time you bought your own vitamins to supplement what is not being absorbed due to malabsorption of Celiac disease.  Benfotiamine is a form of Thiamine that has been shown to improve intestinal health as well as brain function. Do talk to your doctors and dieticians about supplementing with the essential vitamins and minerals while your children are growing up gluten free.  Serve nutritionally dense foods.  Meats and liver are great sources of B vitamins and minerals. Hope this helps!  Keep us posted on your progress!
    • Scott Adams
      Oats naturally contain a protein called avenin, which is similar to the gluten proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. While avenin is generally considered safe for most people with celiac disease, some individuals, around 5-10% of celiacs, may also have sensitivity to avenin, leading to symptoms similar to gluten exposure. You may fall into this category, and eliminating them is the best way to figure this out. Some people substitute gluten-free quinoa flakes for oats if they want a hot cereal substitute. If you are interested in summaries of scientific publications on the topic of oats and celiac disease, we have an entire category dedicated to it which is here: https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/oats-and-celiac-disease-are-they-gluten-free/   
×
×
  • 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.