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

Another Hair Question/adrenal Fatigue

Nan2N

Recommended Posts

Nan2N Explorer
Nan2N
Posted

Hi All

Everyone on here is so informative, I thought I'd ask another question. My doctors tell me I don't have malabsorption because of my bloodwork. And I don't have any other autoimmune stuff going on. So I was just wondering if anyone knows of any other reason for the hair loss with celiac. A lot has been going on with me being sick so I was wondering if the only thing left is stress. Or maybe there's some other part of my body that may be causing this. I'm pretty sure I'm suffering from adrenal fatigue now too but don't know what to do about that either. My endo says my cortisol is fine. I just feel awful.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Ursa Major Collaborator
Ursa Major
Posted

How would your doctors know if you don't have malabsorption? With some of those numbers (like calcium) your body will just get it wherever it can, like taking it out of the bones, so it looks fine in the blood, but really isn't. And also, their 'normal' ranges are crap for the most part.

They claimed that having a ferritin count of 20 was fine, when I was really anemic (it had gone up from 4 at that time, which was an improvement). But in reality, anything under 40 is too low, and 100 to 120 is optimal.

I saw their definitions on ferritin. It says, under 20 definitely anemic, 20 to 40 probably anemic, 40 to 100 possibly anemic, and over 100 definitely not anemic.

Hair loss seems fairly common with celiac disease. As is adrenal fatigue. Do you know what your cortisol number is? I was told that mine was fine, too, because it was still in the 'normal' range. If you test in the lower part of the normal range, they still tell you that you are just fine.

But the so-called normal range is just a pretty arbitrary number for low and high normal. What doctors should really look for is the 'optimal' range. These days doctors only look at numbers, and couldn't care less if you feel dreadful. They don't listen to you, they don't want to know your symptoms. If a number says you are fine, then it must just be in your head. It is terribly frustrating.

And of course, since no two people are exactly alike, what is truly normal for one person who is feeling great, can be a problem for somebody else. To expect everybody to have the same numbers is nonsense and creates only suffering for the people who don't fit their norm.

I advise you to get a copy of ALL your bloodwork, and post the numbers here. Then we can tell you if you have problems. And give you more specific advice.

Nan2N Explorer
Nan2N
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the info. I will be getting a copy of the results in the mail. He did say my cortisol was 11 in a 5-25 range. I had the blood draw in the morning so he said that was good. I want to do the spit test but can't afford it right now. What could I do in the meantime to boost the levels? I want to go back and see my integrative medicine doctor but it's out of pocket and I'm too short on cash for now. Is there anything I can do on my own? 3 doctors so far have told me I don't have malabsorption. I think he said my B12 was around 600 but I can't remember exactly. I don't know what the range for that is though. I will post them as soon as I get them.

Thanks

Lizz7711 Apprentice
Lizz7711
Posted

Hypothyroid and also low iron/ferritin, can cause hair loss. To check thyroid, ask for TSH, free T4, and freeT3 to be tested, and then have it interpreted by a holistic MD preferably. Anything over 2.0 TSH WITH hypothyroid symptoms can be hypothyroid and can be treated, prefereably with Armour which is dessicated pig thyroid and will give balanced T3 and T4, while synthetic thyroid meds only give T4.

Liz

Thanks for the info. I will be getting a copy of the results in the mail. He did say my cortisol was 11 in a 5-25 range. I had the blood draw in the morning so he said that was good. I want to do the spit test but can't afford it right now. What could I do in the meantime to boost the levels? I want to go back and see my integrative medicine doctor but it's out of pocket and I'm too short on cash for now. Is there anything I can do on my own? 3 doctors so far have told me I don't have malabsorption. I think he said my B12 was around 600 but I can't remember exactly. I don't know what the range for that is though. I will post them as soon as I get them.

Thanks

mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

I have been using Biotin vitamin supplement (part of the vitamin B complex) and it has been helping with hair and finger nail growth.

Since auto-immune thyroid diseases go hand in hand with Celiac, you may need additional tests for you thyroid. Thyroid function/uptake and an ultrasound of the thyroid along with the blood tests mentioned above. The test results need to be considered together to determine the diagnoses.

TardyTurtle Newbie
TardyTurtle
Posted

Anything over 2.0 TSH WITH hypothyroid symptoms can be hypothyroid and can be treated, prefereably with Armour which is dessicated pig thyroid and will give balanced T3 and T4, while synthetic thyroid meds only give T4.

Liz

Nan2N Explorer
Nan2N
Posted
  • Author

Thanks everyone!

I've had my thyroid tested for auto immune, etc. and everything came back normal. I'm still waiting on vitamin results. So far everything has come within normal range. Hope I can trust the results.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


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. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens. I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium. I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells. When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly. This is safe...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency. I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hello, @Jane02, I take Naturewise D 3. It contains olive oil. Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets. Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,329
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    klkarius
    Newest Member
    klkarius
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • 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.