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More Susceptible To Colds And Flu Now?

book-worm

By book-worm
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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book-worm Apprentice
book-worm
Posted

Guys, with it coming in to winter in Australia again, I

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mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

I think you're due for a break. Everything I've read indicates that once your body stops fighting the gluten it is better able to fight the things it should be fighting. :D I miss out on that benefit because I have to suppress my immune system to fight my RA, so while I don't get the colds or flu any more easily, if I do get them it's that much harder tp get rid of them. Gain on the swings, loose on the roundabouts :P

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

I was sick contantly for years catching every bug that went around. I literally have not even had a cold since I was diagnosed 8 years ago. I don't miss them. Hopefully the same will happen for you.

nicolebeth Apprentice
nicolebeth
Posted

I can't answer to the celiac part of this, but highly recommend taking supplemental Vitamin D. Getting your levels between 60-70 is ideal for fighting off illness. Mine were 38-39, and I got what I thought was mild H1N1 (here in the Eastern US, it was going around in late October). I've since brought it up to 62, haven't had a cold since. My kids were on Vitamin D, and didn't get flu; same with my husband. There's starting to be more and more information about this out there.

Btw, none of us had flu shots this year. In 2009, I was the only one taking any D and was the only one not to get the flu. That happened in a few friends' houses as well back in 2009--the ones on D avoided the flu, the others didn't. In 2008, we all got the flu (none of us were taking D).

Good luck!

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link (Dr. Oz didn't get swine flu vaccine for his kids, actually)

bluebonnet Explorer
bluebonnet
Posted

aside from my gi issues, catching colds/flu and pnuemonia seemed to constantly be a problem because my immune system was so weak. hands down i believe there is a link between celiac and weak immune system. i caught it all despite my healthy intentions!! before diagnosis, i thought it was because of my insomnia and what they claim not getting a proper amount of sleep will do. anyway, working towards my 4th month gluten free, i haven't caught a cold and my allergies even seem to be less intense. and hopefully it will stay that way!!! :)

YoloGx Rookie
YoloGx
Posted

I have had the same experience--no colds or flu since I have gone off all gluten and trace cross contamination(CC). I do have to be careful if I have been glutened however, and make sure I take time out if I have been. By not doing so in the past I got dreadfully ill with bacterial infections no less!! And yes my history in the past pre going off all trace gluten was that I was always getting sick from colds and flu, and had it worse and longer seemingly than anyone else. It is so very worth it to stay off the gluten and away from CC!

Bea

K8ling Enthusiast
K8ling
Posted

Also, some people are just more susceptible to colds/flu/stomach bugs. It just depends on what you are genetically predisposed to. My sons friend caught 7 SEPARATE stomach bugs this winter, I caught one, and the baby? None! My husband NEVER gets sick, and I catch colds but thats about it.

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foodiegurl Collaborator
foodiegurl
Posted

I agree with taking vitamin D3, I take it daily, and thankfully got through the winter ok. In addition since going gluten-free my seasonal allergies have been much milder. I hope it gets better for you!

book-worm Apprentice
book-worm
Posted
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Awesome! I

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    • 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.
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