Mood Symptoms From Glute/celiac

[Julie122967]

Hi all -

Being gluten free is a new journey for me. Took me a while to figure it out as I had no belly symptoms at all. I was wondering if anyone else has had mood symptoms - such as aniexty or depression - from gluten? And if they got much better after going gluten free?

Thanks!

Julie

[ciamarie]

Hi all -

Being gluten free is a new journey for me. Took me a while to figure it out as I had no belly symptoms at all. I was wondering if anyone else has had mood symptoms - such as aniexty or depression - from gluten? And if they got much better after going gluten free?

Yes, and Yes. Anxiety following a whole wheat bagel for breakfast is what led me to realize I had a problem with wheat. It was several years before I realized I needed to totally quit all gluten, though. And being as tired as I was much of the time was very depressing!

Also, I sometimes do some coaching for emotional stuff, and have suggested to some that they look at their diet (i.e. wheat) if they're asking for help with anxiety.

[Skylark]

I had bipolar illness on gluten. A year or so plus some high-powered nutritional supplements and my bipolar magically went "into remission". It left my shrink scratching his head but I knew what happened.

[Roda]

My 7 year old had mood issues when he was on gluten and they return if he has been exposed. He had GI issues as well. He had extreme mood swings, feelings would get hurt easily and would cry at the drop of a hat, bad temper tantrums and would fixate on something and exhibit OCD like behavior with it.

[dani nero]

Yes. I had panic attacks,mood swings and anxiety all my life and figured it out a few years ago. They would come and go randomly when I wasn't doing a completely gluten-free diet (because I wasn't aware of hidden gluten in processed and commercial food). They went away when I stopped gluten completely a few weeks ago. But it needs to be a completely full proof gluten-free diet from all the unsafe foods and hidden ingredients or accidental cross contamination and not just not eating wheat products. https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/forbidden-gluten-food-list-unsafe-ingredients-r182/

[Korwyn]

Oh yes. Panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, anger. One of the big things now when I get glutened is I get really, really irritable (along with other issues). Anecdotally, you will find there can be other (or multiple) food related triggers for some people for some of these issues, but for many people here on the board, gluten appears to be the sole culprit.

My Dad's 40+ years of 'untreatable chemical depression' were almost completely resolved within a year and he is no longer on his multiple depression meds. Tthey would have to rotate them every few months because they would stop being effective and he would be on two at a time, and he is off all his anti-anxiety meds. In fact IIRC, he was kind of in a dangerous spot for a while because he started recovering so fast he was being severely over-medicated and nobody realized it.

A friend's young son (8 year old) is no longer on medication for ADHD and his behavioral issues have resolved.

You're likely get dozens or hundreds of replies to this question.

[Lindseybsmith]

i also had mood issues and when i went gluten free, my boyfriend said I was less irritable and less edgy. I went with the flow more and things didn't upset me as they used to it. I feel so much better since being gluten free. It kind of amazes me and i'm so grateful that not only did i figure out what was wrong with my stomach issues and got rid of constant headaches, but i don't feel crazy either anymore. Mood swings and irritability and sluggishness are gone. Thank God!!

[Julie122967]

Yes, and Yes. Anxiety following a whole wheat bagel for breakfast is what led me to realize I had a problem with wheat. It was several years before I realized I needed to totally quit all gluten, though. And being as tired as I was much of the time was very depressing!

Also, I sometimes do some coaching for emotional stuff, and have suggested to some that they look at their diet (i.e. wheat) if they're asking for help with anxiety.

Thank you so much for taking the time to post your reply - very helpful!

[Julie122967]

I had bipolar illness on gluten. A year or so plus some high-powered nutritional supplements and my bipolar magically went "into remission". It left my shrink scratching his head but I knew what happened.

Thanks so much for this! How did you figure out what "high-powered nutritional supplements" you needed?

[Julie122967]

My 7 year old had mood issues when he was on gluten and they return if he has been exposed. He had GI issues as well. He had extreme mood swings, feelings would get hurt easily and would cry at the drop of a hat, bad temper tantrums and would fixate on something and exhibit OCD like behavior with it.

Thanks for this! Does gluten issues or thyroid issues run in your family?

[Julie122967]

Yes. I had panic attacks,mood swings and anxiety all my life and figured it out a few years ago. They would come and go randomly when I wasn't doing a completely gluten-free diet (because I wasn't aware of hidden gluten in processed and commercial food). They went away when I stopped gluten completely a few weeks ago. But it needs to be a completely full proof gluten-free diet from all the unsafe foods and hidden ingredients or accidental cross contamination and not just not eating wheat products. https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/forbidden-gluten-food-list-unsafe-ingredients-r182/

Thank you!

[Julie122967]

Oh yes. Panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, anger. One of the big things now when I get glutened is I get really, really irritable (along with other issues). Anecdotally, you will find there can be other (or multiple) food related triggers for some people for some of these issues, but for many people here on the board, gluten appears to be the sole culprit.

My Dad's 40+ years of 'untreatable chemical depression' were almost completely resolved within a year and he is no longer on his multiple depression meds. Tthey would have to rotate them every few months because they would stop being effective and he would be on two at a time, and he is off all his anti-anxiety meds. In fact IIRC, he was kind of in a dangerous spot for a while because he started recovering so fast he was being severely over-medicated and nobody realized it.

A friend's young son (8 year old) is no longer on medication for ADHD and his behavioral issues have resolved.

You're likely get dozens or hundreds of replies to this question.

This is so helpful! It reads just like ME! I've given up the gluten - but still make "rookie" mistakes i.e - eating oatmeal thats not made in a gluten free factory for example. These posts really give me hope

[Skylark]

Thanks so much for this! How did you figure out what "high-powered nutritional supplements" you needed?

I am on an "includes everything" style supplement designed for mental illness that a naturopathic psychiatrist recommended to me. It's called EMPowerPlus and is available from Truehope. Open Original Shared Link I've also had two different psychiatrists tell me to take fish oil and I've found it very helpful for hypomania.