Is Alopecia Areata Related To Celiac?

[shaNsc]

I was diagnosed with celiac as a small child. I don't know how long I was on medication and a special diet for this, but the pediatrician eventually took me off the meds & diet, and said that I was 'cured'. That was about 50 years ago. I do know now that celiac is a chronic, lifelong disorder. Through the years, thankfully, I have displayed very few symptoms of celiac. I've had the alopecia areata for several years now, and is getting much worse despite the many potions & lotions the dermatologist prescribes. I know its difficult anyway to determine why anyone gets alopecia areata, but I was just wondering if it had anything to do with celiac. I wonder how much damage was done over the years, without being on the gluten-free diet. I do plan on starting the gluten free diet soon.

Thanks, y'all.

[The Fluffy Assassin]

I was diagnosed with celiac as a small child. I don't know how long I was on medication and a special diet for this, but the pediatrician eventually took me off the meds & diet, and said that I was 'cured'. That was about 50 years ago. I do know now that celiac is a chronic, lifelong disorder. Through the years, thankfully, I have displayed very few symptoms of celiac. I've had the alopecia areata for several years now, and is getting much worse despite the many potions & lotions the dermatologist prescribes. I know its difficult anyway to determine why anyone gets alopecia areata, but I was just wondering if it had anything to do with celiac. I wonder how much damage was done over the years, without being on the gluten-free diet. I do plan on starting the gluten free diet soon.

Thanks, y'all.

Mayo Clinic says nobody knows Open Original Shared Link but that it's an autoimmune disorder. Celiac is another autoimmune disorder and frequently leads to other autoimmune problems. So the best I can do is, "Could be." Welcome to the board, and if you were diagnosed with celiac disease 50 years ago, you want to go on the gluten free diet now rather than soon. Good luck to you.

[nasalady]

I was diagnosed with celiac as a small child. I don't know how long I was on medication and a special diet for this, but the pediatrician eventually took me off the meds & diet, and said that I was 'cured'. That was about 50 years ago. I do know now that celiac is a chronic, lifelong disorder. Through the years, thankfully, I have displayed very few symptoms of celiac. I've had the alopecia areata for several years now, and is getting much worse despite the many potions & lotions the dermatologist prescribes. I know its difficult anyway to determine why anyone gets alopecia areata, but I was just wondering if it had anything to do with celiac. I wonder how much damage was done over the years, without being on the gluten-free diet. I do plan on starting the gluten free diet soon.

Thanks, y'all.

Hi and welcome!

The answer seems to be "yes"....alopecia areata is associated with celiac disease. At least this is what the website of American Family Physician says:

Approximately 95 percent of patients with celiac disease exhibit specific Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) class II alleles DQA1*0501 and DQB1*0201.4 Patients with type 1 diabetes, autoimmune thyroid disease,5 Sj

[shaNsc]

Thank you so much for your comments. The more I learn about celiac, the more I think that I've had it all along. Since my pediatrician told my family that I no longer had celiac and I needed no further treatment, or special diet, I didn't give it another thought - until recently. I will be starting the gluten-free diet this week.

Thanks again, I'll keep you posted on my progress

Sharon

[nettiebeads]

I was diagnosed with celiac as a small child. I don't know how long I was on medication and a special diet for this, but the pediatrician eventually took me off the meds & diet, and said that I was 'cured'. That was about 50 years ago. I do know now that celiac is a chronic, lifelong disorder. Through the years, thankfully, I have displayed very few symptoms of celiac. I've had the alopecia areata for several years now, and is getting much worse despite the many potions & lotions the dermatologist prescribes. I know its difficult anyway to determine why anyone gets alopecia areata, but I was just wondering if it had anything to do with celiac. I wonder how much damage was done over the years, without being on the gluten-free diet. I do plan on starting the gluten free diet soon.

Thanks, y'all.

My daughter's m-i-l has alopecia. She doesn't have celiac, but HER mother has been diagnosed with celiac, but claims to "have a mild form". But since autoimmune diseases can be hereditary, I would think that there's a link.