Leaky Gut Syndrome

[Lalama]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the forum-as I have only been gluten free (dairy free, refined sugar free) for the last three months. My naturopathic just diagnosed me with leaky gut syndrome based on all my symptoms I shared. Many of my symptoms have gone away. My hair however is still falling out... I am thinking it may be due to vitamin deficiency. Has anyone else had issues with this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[bridgetm]

  On 1/18/2011 at 2:40 PM, Lalama said:

Hi everyone,

I am new to the forum-as I have only been gluten free (dairy free, refined sugar free) for the last three months. My naturopathic just diagnosed me with leaky gut syndrome based on all my symptoms I shared. Many of my symptoms have gone away. My hair however is still falling out... I am thinking it may be due to vitamin deficiency. Has anyone else had issues with this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Welcome to the forum! I've been gluten free since April and by summer I had also cut out soy and dairy. More recently I started watching and limiting my processed sugar and fructose intake. I'm down 40 pounds since April (first 20 was because of the positive diet change, the last 20 is likely the result of malnutrition and leaky gut) and after 2 MRIs, a pill cam, upper and lower endoscopy and numerous blood tests my GIs (I end up with a different one every time I go) have made the enlightening diagnosis of IBS. I use italics to indicate the massive amount of sarcasm with which I typed that line.

My hair is coming out in clumps right from the root. I've never been one to put much effort into my hair so losing it due to hair binders and the like is a daily event, but now it's coming out straight from the root. More recently, I've noticed that my teeth and gums feel weak. I tried a multi-vitamin in the spring and always took it at night thinking I'd sleep through any side effects but I woke up nauseous every morning so I dropped that and am now taking my supplements as individual pills-- B12, Vit C, iron, Calcium with Vit D.

There have been a few other topic posts recently about hair. Just type it into the search bar. There were some good tips, but I can't recall them exactly now. I know I'm not absorbing green or red veggies or fats (sometimes buttering just one slice of toast instead of two can make a noticeable difference) so picking up a bottle of Vit A for my teeth is on my to-do list.

Again, welcome. Explore. And don't be shy: what may be TMI with your friends is everyday discussion here. Chances are, if you're thinking it there are a few others here who are wondering the same thing.

[cassP]

  On 1/18/2011 at 2:40 PM, Lalama said:

Hi everyone,

I am new to the forum-as I have only been gluten free (dairy free, refined sugar free) for the last three months. My naturopathic just diagnosed me with leaky gut syndrome based on all my symptoms I shared. Many of my symptoms have gone away. My hair however is still falling out... I am thinking it may be due to vitamin deficiency. Has anyone else had issues with this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

get your thyroid tested! my hair was falling out too- and this can be a symptom. gluten can also be linked to Hashimoto's Thyroiditis- so go get tested!

[T.H.]

Hair falling out can be for multiple reasons. The two I know of would be, yeah, vitamin deficiency. Hypothyroidism would be another, which can go along with celiac disease (You didn't say whether that was one of your issues?) Might want to get your thyroid checked.

Also, if you are a celiac, far as I know, many of us have a leaky gut until we are healed up. A more permeable gut sometimes forever, so something to just be careful of.

[shopgirl]

Also: stress. If I get to ramped up over a period of time, I start shedding like a cat.

But definitely rule out the medical stuff first.

[mushroom]

And for an additional hair loss cause, lots of meds, especially antibiotics, can make your hair fall out. So its not a simple answer, but until I stopped eating gluten,the last couple of years I thought I was going to end up bald. My hairline was receding like a man's. (It has regrown )

[Lalama]

Thanks everyone for your support and quick responses So nice to have people to share this with-as most other people begin to think your full of it!

I forgot to mention that I have been tested for thyroid disorder twice and both times they came back normal. I did however, just read an excellent book called "Why am I still have thyroid symptoms? When my lab tests are normal." I guess thyroid results are often misleading just like coelic blood tests. This book gave me a lot of insight into blood sugar issues commonly associated with gluten allergies and also discusses hair loss and leaky gut. There was also a testimony of one woman who was losing a lot of hair and it was a result of vitamin d deficiency.

As for stress...nothing really has changed in my life. It started falling out about 8 months after my appendix surgery before I went gluten free. Who knows...just don't want to lose any more hair I'm only 28!

[Lalama]

  On 1/18/2011 at 4:23 PM, bridgetm said:

Welcome to the forum! I've been gluten free since April and by summer I had also cut out soy and dairy. More recently I started watching and limiting my processed sugar and fructose intake. I'm down 40 pounds since April (first 20 was because of the positive diet change, the last 20 is likely the result of malnutrition and leaky gut) and after 2 MRIs, a pill cam, upper and lower endoscopy and numerous blood tests my GIs (I end up with a different one every time I go) have made the enlightening diagnosis of IBS. I use italics to indicate the massive amount of sarcasm with which I typed that line.

My hair is coming out in clumps right from the root. I've never been one to put much effort into my hair so losing it due to hair binders and the like is a daily event, but now it's coming out straight from the root. More recently, I've noticed that my teeth and gums feel weak. I tried a multi-vitamin in the spring and always took it at night thinking I'd sleep through any side effects but I woke up nauseous every morning so I dropped that and am now taking my supplements as individual pills-- B12, Vit C, iron, Calcium with Vit D.

There have been a few other topic posts recently about hair. Just type it into the search bar. There were some good tips, but I can't recall them exactly now. I know I'm not absorbing green or red veggies or fats (sometimes buttering just one slice of toast instead of two can make a noticeable difference) so picking up a bottle of Vit A for my teeth is on my to-do list.

Again, welcome. Explore. And don't be shy: what may be TMI with your friends is everyday discussion here. Chances are, if you're thinking it there are a few others here who are wondering the same thing.

Good idea on taking the vitamins seperately. I just started taking a different multi-vitamin because my last one made me nauseous. I also started taking Dr. Ohhira probiotics...although sometimes I think they are to blame for the nausea? Lots of trial and error!

[Looking for answers]

About two years ago, my once thick beautiful hair because weak, unshiney, brittle and thin. It was very tramatic. At the same time, I began having trouble with my thyroid. My naturopath treated me for adrenal fatigue, had me cut all my exercise back to just fast walking and weights, and put me on a liquid vitamin called Isotonix. I'm glad to say that today my hair is starting to look great again. It's growing faster, it's thick and the dryness is gone. I also want to mention that I was anemic during the time my hair was at it's worse, so I also started taking liquid or whole food iron supplements.

[laura4669]

I have the same thyroid book by Dr. Kharrazian, and it is fantastic!

Just want to chime in with what everyone else said, which I agree with. My hair has been falling out pretty bad for several years now. I just went gluten free in October, and I am on thyroid meds for low T3 (which, according to Dr. K's book, I probably don't really need, but for now it is helping me with some symptoms). I am also on sublingual B12, as well as coenzymated multi B's, fish oil, probiotics, and digestive enzymes and my hair loss has definitely slowed down. I was told that I have leaky gut also, and I am in the process of trying to figure out other food allergies. Once I do, I imagine my vitamin and mineral absorption will improve, and hopefully my hair will come in thicker!

[bridgetm]

  On 1/18/2011 at 8:04 PM, Lalama said:

Good idea on taking the vitamins seperately. I just started taking a different multi-vitamin because my last one made me nauseous. I also started taking Dr. Ohhira probiotics...although sometimes I think they are to blame for the nausea? Lots of trial and error!

I haven't been taking probiotics though I know I need to start looking into it. I have noticed a few threads discussing side effects; it's definitely worth a forum search. It is difficult to continue taking medications which cause symptoms similar to those you want to resolve.

You are right about the trial and error though. I have the tendency to buy whichever bottle of supplements is on sale that day (within reason of course; I try to stick with Nature Made and avoid off-brands for the lower risk of CC) so I occasionally end up with a different dose than I had previously. I do notice a slight difference, but never enough to run back to the store to buy the other dose. I think it's the same with the multi-vitamins. Each brand uses a different ratio. Some people can handle whatever falls out of the bottle, but others (such as those of us with a GI system gone haywire) need a certain dose.

To everyone who brought up thyroid issues: Thank you for the tip. I have read of the link between certain food intolerances and hyper/hypothyroidism but I never looked much into it for myself. It's time for me to do some more research.

On a similar note: Does anyone experience diabetes-like symptoms (i.e. sugar crashes, excessive thirst, etc)? I think the excessive thirst is a side-effect of the Bentyl as it tends to fluctuate in line with dose changes (sometimes I need 3/day, other days just 1 at breakfast gets me through the day) and the sugar crashes could just be the crazy diet changes and, again, vitamin deficiency. However, I have a friend who jokingly replies "Are you sure you're not diabetic?" every time these things come up and I'm starting to wonder... At this point I guess it could be anything.

[Lalama]

On a similar note: Does anyone experience diabetes-like symptoms (i.e. sugar crashes, excessive thirst, etc)? I think the excessive thirst is a side-effect of the Bentyl as it tends to fluctuate in line with dose changes (sometimes I need 3/day, other days just 1 at breakfast gets me through the day) and the sugar crashes could just be the crazy diet changes and, again, vitamin deficiency. However, I have a friend who jokingly replies "Are you sure you're not diabetic?" every time these things come up and I'm starting to wonder... At this point I guess it could be anything.

[Lalama]

Just a quick update to my post about hair falling out. My thyroid is low even though my blood work came back normal. I went to a naturopathic that knows a lot about the throid. He just started me on supplements a week ago and so far so good. We will see how things progress

[Cinnamongirl]

The only time I had trouble with hair loss was after my third pregnancy. I assumed it was hormonal because it went away on its own. My mom came to visit me during the summer before I went gluten free. When I went to visit her the following summer after being gluten free for 8 months, she kept going on about how much better my hair looked. I hadn't personally noticed a difference in my hair, but I guess since she hadn't seen me in a year, she noticed the difference.

[Lalama]

  On 2/5/2011 at 8:59 PM, Cinnamongirl said:

The only time I had trouble with hair loss was after my third pregnancy. I assumed it was hormonal because it went away on its own. My mom came to visit me during the summer before I went gluten free. When I went to visit her the following summer after being gluten free for 8 months, she kept going on about how much better my hair looked. I hadn't personally noticed a difference in my hair, but I guess since she hadn't seen me in a year, she noticed the difference.

That's encouraging to hear! I just need a little patience

[Lexi]

  On 1/18/2011 at 8:06 PM, Looking for answers said:

About two years ago, my once thick beautiful hair because weak, unshiney, brittle and thin. It was very tramatic. At the same time, I began having trouble with my thyroid. My naturopath treated me for adrenal fatigue, had me cut all my exercise back to just fast walking and weights, and put me on a liquid vitamin called Isotonix. I'm glad to say that today my hair is starting to look great again. It's growing faster, it's thick and the dryness is gone. I also want to mention that I was anemic during the time my hair was at it's worse, so I also started taking liquid or whole food iron supplements.

I was just sitting here thinking about how sad I am about my hair as well. In fact, I just wrote a post about it, and then I happened to read your post. I used to have beautiful long blonde hair, and ever since Celiac and lots of other problems, my hair is thin and constantly breaking off all over the place. I hate the way it looks now, and I can't do anything with it because it is so thin. It is really getting me down. I'm just curious, what is adrenal fatigue? And, I am going to look in to Isotonix.