Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Gluten Free And Weight Loss

gottarun96

Recommended Posts

gottarun96 Newbie
gottarun96
Posted

I have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease. Now that I am gluten free, does that meen I will lose weight? Is the reason for weight loss because you are eliminatining some foods and hopefully replacing them with healthier ones? Or is it because of the bloating, and other effects of gluten? I have heard that if you have celiac and eat gluten, it can cause you to gain weight.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

I lost almost 15 lbs in my first two months gluten-free, and that's with eating icecream or popcorn every night. :) I'm guessing that about 5lbs of that was the bloating but I have no way to know for sure.

My appetite has dropped off, so I'm sure I'm eating less but I don't feel like I am going without.

Poeple who weren't absorbing well often find they start to regain lost weight. It's another one of those things that seems to really vary form person to person.

rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

nvsmom is correct--this varies from person to person. You will definitely NOT lose weight if you replace gluten-containing processed foods with gluten-free processed foods (e.g., baked goods, breads, waffles, etc.). However, if you follow a diet that's primarily comprised of fresh, natural foods, you may see some weight loss. When beginning a gluten-free diet, many of us here on the Forum suggest that a fresh-food diet be followed for at least a few months so that cross-contamination can be avoided and so that the food you eat will be high in nutrients. Also, many people react poorly to the gums or alternative grains that are used in gluten-free cooking/baking, and this can slow your healing.

Raining Skittles Rookie
Raining Skittles
Posted

Also, many people react poorly to the gums or alternative grains that are used in gluten-free cooking/baking, and this can slow your healing.

Thank you so much for this information! I wondered why some foods listed as 'certified gluten-free' were still making me feel sick. Now I know. I've been more cautious about my diet since discovering this - but I feel a little less crazy knowing I'm not alone. :)

LauraB0927 Apprentice
LauraB0927
Posted

I was diagnosed in May and originally was replacing gluten foods with gluten free substitutes like gluten free pastas, muffins, cookies, etc. I was having some reactions to them so I decided to go whole foods and follow a primal diet. Since the end of May, I've lost 17 pounds of the stubborn weight that would NOT come off while I was still eating gluten. I've been eating high protein, high fat, and low carb....its really been working for me!!!

luvrdeo Apprentice
luvrdeo
Posted

I have the opposite problem...I'm gaining weight, like, overnight! So frustrating. I eat sooooo clean and healthy, it's very frustrating.

kittty Contributor
kittty
Posted

I'm at almost five months gluten free, and the weight loss has been sporadic. The first week I lost about 8lbs, which was probably bloat. Then I started eating lots of those gluten-free substitutes and gained some weight back, so I cut them out again. After a few months of healing my voracious appetite went away, and I lost about 15lbs. The I got glutened and started to feel bad again, and my energy level is still recovering from that.

The 15lb loss was in part to new-found energy and extra trips to the gym.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

I have the opposite problem...I'm gaining weight, like, overnight! So frustrating. I eat sooooo clean and healthy, it's very frustrating.

You've had your tsh levels checked and Hashimotos antibodies checked, right???

luvrdeo Apprentice
luvrdeo
Posted

I actually called my doctors office yesterday to see what all they tested for - this started with a colonscopy that found colitis, and led to a blood test - needless to say, I wasn't real educated on anything until they called and said I without a doubt had celiacs. I'm waiting for a call back to see what all was tested. All I know is 2 weeks into being gluten free, not only am I gaining weight, but I'm having hell feeling even the slightest bit better!

NightOwl Newbie
NightOwl
Posted

I actually called my doctors office yesterday to see what all they tested for - this started with a colonscopy that found colitis, and led to a blood test - needless to say, I wasn't real educated on anything until they called and said I without a doubt had celiacs. I'm waiting for a call back to see what all was tested. All I know is 2 weeks into being gluten free, not only am I gaining weight, but I'm having hell feeling even the slightest bit better!

Hi, one thing I learned over the years of my "playing" with eating gluten (because I've never been Dx'd) is that there comes a point when one doesn't feel well at all when stopping, to the contrary, the last 2 times I quit gluten (and dairy which makes my chronic nasal congestion worse) I couldn't understand why I was feeling SO ultra-fatigued and depressed. I learned here recently that it's due to "detox" and that can definitely last for several weeks, in my case the last time, probably because I have Adrenal Fatigue, I began going downhill after I stopped (in March), ending with a huge adrenal crash that started on 4/30 and for most of May I felt really bad.

Also, I usually lost weight quickly and rather effortlessly after stopping, but not this last time, it's going slower. In fact, when I went to the doctor at the beginning of May I'd ballooned to 160 lbs., about 15 lbs. more than weighed during the winter. I attribute that to the following: 1) I have Hashimoto's and my last indulgences must've increased my antibodies causing my TSH to go up again, to 9, the highest I've ever had measured, I also had a thyroiditis attack at the beginning of May. 2) My liver was affected, for many months I had not been secreting much bile and sometimes felt an ache on the upper right side of my abdomen, have had to take digestive enzymes w/ox bile (but a liquid liver/galbladder supplement and milk thistle have really helped). The bottom line is that a sluggish liver will prevent weight loss. 3) In July I finally felt well enough to want to exercise more but then I made the mistake of pushing myself harder than my body was ready for and I had a lesser adrenal crash that set me back some.

I began feeling discouraged until I realized that I'd abused my digestive system on/off for way too long and I cannot expect my body to bounce back in just a few months. Now my expectations for more significant improvement have stretched to a full year from when I stopped, and that because about a month ago I realized I'd eating a canned soup that had some wheat in it twice. If I get better and lose weight sooner, great, but if not at least I won't feel let down by expecting more than is realistic and I feel this is the way you need to think right now.

My best wishes to you!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      Son's legs shaking

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine. Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine. Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats. Meat, especially organ...
    2. lizzie42
      - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      Son's legs shaking

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc. Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food....
    3. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Russ H's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
    4. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      Son's legs shaking

      @lizzie42, You're being a good mom, seeking answers for your son. Cheers! Subclinical thiamine deficiency commonly occurs with anemia. An outright Thiamine deficiency can be precipitated by the consumption of a high carbohydrate meal. Symptoms of Thiamine deficiency include feeling shakey or wobbly in the legs, muscle weakness or cramps...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Paulaannefthimiou's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      2

      Bob red mill gluten free oats

      Oats naturally contain a protein called avenin, which is similar to the gluten proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. While avenin is generally considered safe for most people with celiac disease, some individuals, around 5-10% of celiacs, may also have sensitivity to avenin, leading to symptoms similar to gluten exposure. You may fall into this...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,869
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    MaryannHall
    Newest Member
    MaryannHall
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine.  Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine.  Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and  Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats.  Meat, especially organ meats like liver, are the best sources of Thiamine, B12, and the six other B vitamins and important minerals like iron.   Thiamine has antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Thiamine is important to our immune systems.  We need more thiamine when we're physically ill or injured, when we're under stress emotionally, and when we exercise, especially outside in hot weather.  We need thiamine and other B vitamins like Niacin B 3 to keep our gastrointestinal tract healthy.  We can't store thiamine for very long.  We can get low in thiamine within three days.  Symptoms can appear suddenly when a high carbohydrate diet is consumed.  (Rice and beans are high in carbohydrates.)  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so symptoms can wax and wane depending on what one eats.  The earliest symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are easily contributed to other things or life events and dismissed.   Correcting nutritional deficiencies needs to be done quickly, especially in children, so their growth isn't stunted.  Nutritional deficiencies can affect intelligence.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause short stature and poor bone formation.   Is your son taking anything for the anemia?  Is the anemia caused by B12 or iron deficiency?  
    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
    • Scott Adams
      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @lizzie42, You're being a good mom, seeking answers for your son.  Cheers! Subclinical thiamine deficiency commonly occurs with anemia.  An outright Thiamine deficiency can be precipitated by the consumption of a high carbohydrate meal.   Symptoms of Thiamine deficiency include feeling shakey or wobbly in the legs, muscle weakness or cramps, as well as aggression and irritability, confusion, mood swings and behavior changes.  Thiamine is essential to the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine which keep us calm and rational.   @Jsingh, histamine intolerance is also a symptom of Thiamine deficiency.  Thiamine is needed to prevent mast cells from releasing histamine at the slightest provocation as is seen in histamine intolerance.  Thiamine and the other B vitamins and Vitamin C are needed to clear histamine from the body.  Without sufficient thiamine and other B vitamins to clear it, the histamine builds up.  High histamine levels can change behavior, too.  High histamine levels are found in the brains of patients with schizophrenia.  Thiamine deficiency can also cause extreme hunger or conversely anorexia.   High carbohydrate meals can precipitate thiamine deficiency because additional thiamine is required to process carbohydrates for the body to use as fuel.  The more carbohydrates one eats daily, the more one needs additional thiamine above the RDA.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses. Keep in mind that gluten-free processed foods like cookies and such are not required to be fortified and enriched with vitamins and minerals like their gluten containing counterparts are.  Limit processed gluten-free foods.  They are often full of empty calories and unhealthy saturated fats and additives, and are high in histamine or histamine release triggers.  It's time you bought your own vitamins to supplement what is not being absorbed due to malabsorption of Celiac disease.  Benfotiamine is a form of Thiamine that has been shown to improve intestinal health as well as brain function. Do talk to your doctors and dieticians about supplementing with the essential vitamins and minerals while your children are growing up gluten free.  Serve nutritionally dense foods.  Meats and liver are great sources of B vitamins and minerals. Hope this helps!  Keep us posted on your progress!
    • Scott Adams
      Bob red mill gluten free oats

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Oats naturally contain a protein called avenin, which is similar to the gluten proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. While avenin is generally considered safe for most people with celiac disease, some individuals, around 5-10% of celiacs, may also have sensitivity to avenin, leading to symptoms similar to gluten exposure. You may fall into this category, and eliminating them is the best way to figure this out. Some people substitute gluten-free quinoa flakes for oats if they want a hot cereal substitute. If you are interested in summaries of scientific publications on the topic of oats and celiac disease, we have an entire category dedicated to it which is here: https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/oats-and-celiac-disease-are-they-gluten-free/   
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.