Can Gluten Intolerance Cause Constant Heart Pounding/adrenal Fatigue?

[LOWNskater52]

Can gluten intolerance cause constant heart pounding and adrenal fatigue?

I did a 24 hour saliva cortisol test with my natural doctor and he said I am on the verge of adrenal fatigue. This can come from your body being stressed either mentally or physically. My doctor says excess epinephrine is causing my heart to feel like it is pounding. It feels like my body is always under stress.

https://www.celiac.com/articles/21761/1/For-Persistent-Fatigue-on-a-Gluten-Free-Diet-Consider-Adrenal-Dysfunction/Page1.html

I am currently on Day 19 of being gluten free and my heart is still pounding and I am still having terrible acid reflux. Let me say that prior to going gluten free, I had a HEAVILY gluten diet. Fast Food for lunch and pasta for dinner.

[Skylark]

Most so-called "adrenal fatigue" is related to thyroid problems. Be very, very careful with naturopaths trying to treat you for "adrenal fatigue" because they will often make you sicker with cortisol.

You are likely somewhat hypothyroid. Gluten can inflame the thyroid gland along with your gut. Slightly low thyroid will give you an exaggerated stress response and you'll find your heart pounding sometimes, but your pulse will be slow when you first wake up. You also may be cold, a little tired, recover poorly from exercise, or your hair and skin might be dry. Since your thyroid directs your adrenals, your adrenal function will be low as well.

Give the diet more time to work. Thyroid inflammation has to go away, and you have to become able to absorb selenium and iodine again.

[LOWNskater52]

That is a damn good point Skylark. You really got me thinking. My resting pulse (sitting) is always around 55-60, I'm uncomfortable in the cold when I used to love the cold, and I am having some joint pain and fatigue. I'm going thursday to get my T3 and T4 tested.

I read that it takes three months gluten-free for the thyroid attacking antibodies to disappear. Hopefully after 3 months, the antibodies will disappear, my thyroid will heal up and my adrenals can take a break and heal up.

I also got a call from my doctor's nurse and she said my celiac blood test came back negative. I'm going to get the test results thursday but I guess I don't have Celiac and just have intolerance...

[lemontree1]

Have you had your vitamin and mineral levels checked? Low iron can cause heart problems, as can low amounts of many other nutrients (B12, etc).

My nutrient levels (iron, B12, & Vit. D) are all in the low normal range. The gluten-free diet has helped me with the heart pounding and tachycardia, though I have episodes once in a while. I had really high anxiety at the time as well (high cortisol), which a few days of taking zyrtec improved (for urticaria, which it didn't help, but worked for the anxiety). Since then, I haven't had a huge problem with heart function.

I also have acid reflux. My doc said I should take acid blockers for about 3 months before trying to come off them. I took Prilosec until I realized it was giving me horrible headaches, now I have to try something else.

[LOWNskater52]

Just got my T3 and T4 results back and they are perfectly normal damn it. Still going gluten-free for the foreseeable future.

[pricklypear1971]

T3 and t4 are thyroid tests. Did they run a Celiac panel?

[Skylark]

You mention thyroid-attacking antibodies. Do you have Hashimoto's? If so, you need to see about getting referred to an endocrinologist.

As well as gluten-free, I take a little selenium and avoid goitrogenic foods like soy and uncooked cruciferous veggies. I also avoid fluoride because it is a thyroid and endocrine poison. There is info here on reducing your fluoride exposure.

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