Does Gluten Affect Your Depression?

[Stacey G]

My main symptoms for Gluten Intolerance is my moods and depression. Since I have been gluten free for about 1 and a half years now, my moods and depression have been so much better and bareable. I still, however, experience depression for no apparent reason. As time goes on the depression will come and will not last as long as it has in the past when I was eating gluten regularly. I know that being gluten- free is definately helping my depression. but why does it keep coming back. My question is...when you consume gluten, how long do you feel the results/symptoms. My sister has intestinal problems for only a few days have she has gluten. Is it possible that I could be accidently eating gluten, on occassion, and then feeling my symptom, which is depression, for an entire month?

I would appreciate any help or feedback.

Thanks

[loco-ladi]

Normally my "intestinal issues" last a few days to a week" however my husband says my "moods" last up to 2 weeks

[lizard00]

When I get glutened, as long as it's a tiny amount, it doesn't seem to upset my GI system. But, I do get headachey and lose all motivation to do anything. I get tired, take a nap for 20 minutes or so, and then don't want to get up. Not because I'm sleepy, but because I just can't. That usually lasts for a day or so. During that, I am moody and I do feel depressed because I can't make myself do anything, which makes me feel like a loser. Thankfully, it doesn't last long.

[gfgypsyqueen]

I get the intestinal issues for a few days. But the mood swings last a solid week before starting to go back to normal. The first week is HORRIBLE! The depression type problem takes longer to go away for me - like several weeks. Depending on what got me, as in a contamination issue or a gluten in the food, makes a big difference in my reaction. You could be getting a slight glutening and not notice anything except the moods and depression issues. For what I call a solid glutening, meaning you ate sizeable amounts that you didn't know were in a food, you will probably have more symptoms.

[skinnyasparagus]

Before I stopped gluten, I can specifically remember I was crying every day and nearly every week and I couldn't explain why. I mean my home situation isn't the best place on earth (I'm a caretaker to an Alzheimer's patient and my grandmother has crippling rheumatoid arthritis) but I was never that bad at tolerating it since I've been doing this for the majority of my life. I know after ceasing my gluten intake a week later I got up and literally bounced downstairs. Ever since I feel as if this weight was lifted off my shoulders. The last time I cried was the other day when I stupidly glutened myself..but that was only because I was in so much pain - a legitimate cause.

Other than that I haven't shed a tear or felt 'blah' ever since. It kinda makes me laugh, too, because my doctor was ready to send me to the psychiatric center and perscribe me a double dosage of a depression pill for anxiety purposes. She said, "I'm doing this so it's strong enough." And from experience, my boyfriend informed me that all his mother did was sleep when she was on depression pills. So I'd be taking a double dose...would that put me in a "sleeping beauty" effect, so to speak?

[gfpaperdoll]

Stacey, you probably have at least 1 DQ1 gene, I have 2. DQ1 is notorious for depression & other neurological problems. I do notice that if I get a very mild cross contamination sometimes I get the depressed feeling or a feeling like I could just cry...

I take B12 every day, 5,000mcg

IF I miss my B12 I can tell it. My whole mood changes. I suggest you take the B12

If I remember correctly when I started, it took about 2 weeks before I noticed a huge difference.