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

Adult Acne And Inflammation

prizm99

By prizm99
in Related Issues & Disorders

Recommended Posts

prizm99 Newbie
prizm99
Posted

Hi, I'm new here. I don't have Celiac disease but I'm pretty sure I am gluten intolerant. My stomach pains go away when I eliminate gluten. I've done some on and off gluten-free diet over the past few months. I've recently been on a strict gluten-free diet for a couple weeks now. I've been tested for arthritis which came back negative. However, I do have inflammation in the body and is slowly getting worse (I'm only 32 so my tests results shouldn't be that of a 50 year old). I have recently been experiencing acne (sometimes cystic) on the face, scalp, chest and back for many months. It seems to get worse when I eat gluten foods or it could be coincidental. Does anyone know if this is related to being gluten intolerant or something else? Or perhaps I need to give my body more time to heal?

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


writer73 Newbie
writer73
Posted

Not saying that acne is dermatitis herpetiformis or not..but there are some postings on that board that might be helpful to you. I think your on to something with the gluten free diet helping your skin but I recommend you seeing your doctor to confirm!! I've struggled with horrible skin rashes & acne for years and am finally finding relief on a gluten free diet. But I wish I had gotten diagnosed prior to going off gluten - I see my MD next month - so I'm hopeful my results/improvement will be proof enough but I'm not sure. Good luck to you.

mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

Most peeps here also eliminate gluten from shampoo and other hygeine/cosmetic products. I will end up completely miserable if wheat has been in any makeup or shampoo I have used.

Some acne can be caused by vitamin defiency. Zinc is one found in water, and associated with acne breakouts when there is a defiency.

If you think the skin eruptions are DH, please get a biopsy ASAP. If gluten really is the problem, you won't want to go back to eating it.

foam Apprentice
foam
Posted

I had "acne" all my life on the back, back of the neck, Chest, forehead, Shoulders, and upper arms. Do you know what it was after 20 years of chasing it... It was "Eosinophilic folliculitis". Caused by very high histamine levels and high Eosonphils (allergic reaction). Less that a week on the aniti histamine Zyrtec 95% of my sores were gone, give that stuff a test run and see how you go.

It's not going to cure you quickly and you will need to cut out all your allergic foods, (probably milk protein and grains are the main ones) but if it clears up on Zyrtec you will at least know what you're dealing with.

For me going Gluten free stopped my stomach pain... for a while but the problem runs deeper than that once the damage is done.

mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

Ok that is really interessting because my daughter has Eosinophilic Esophagitus. Guess what there is a connection between Celiac and EE.

prizm99 Newbie
prizm99
Posted
  • Author

All of my biopsies have been negative. I'm wondering if I should eliminate more than just gluten (like grains and dairy). I am on Claritin but I'm not sure if that is the same chemical in Zyrtec. I am unfamiliar with what ingredients contain gluten that might be hiding in my shampoo, cosmetics, etc. Can I find that out on this forum? Thanks all for your help!

frieze Community Regular
frieze
Posted

check out "acne inversa" ...

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


  • 3 months later...
BelleVie Enthusiast
BelleVie
Posted

Hi prizm, I'm a 25 year old woman who started getting acne, REALLY bad acne, around age 19. It was incredibly frustrating to have had perfectly clear skin all through puberty and then to be hit with acne as an adult! In addition to the acne, my face began taking on a red, flushed sort of look that got worse and worse over the years. Like you, I chased cures, everything from eating garlic to tetracycline to coconut oil to clearasil, and nothing worked. I finally made the gluten connection a couple of years ago, and went completely gluten-free almost a year ago.

 

I want to scream this into a megaphone for every person suffering with acne: My acne cleared up within 24 hours of being off gluten. Seriously. 24 hours. Of course, it took the remaining blemishes another few days to heal themselves, but the flushing stopped, and the new breakouts stopped. I could not believe that all those years of dreading looking in the mirror and feeling bad about myself and wondering "what's wrong here?" could have been avoided had I known just to stop eating gluten. 

 

Early on, I did a couple of experiments (eating a pastry or having a beer) and within an hour I could feel those painful bumps forming under my skin again.

 

Go gluten free for a month and see the difference in your skin (not to mention the rest of your body, if gluten is indeed the cause of your suffering). :) 

janpell Apprentice
janpell
Posted

I have to take zinc supplements to maintain a clear complexion. I think I had DH which cleared up after eliminating gluten but to keep clear of acne I have to take zinc somewhat regularly.

I have Psoriatic Arthritis which is diagnosed though symptoms of inflammation markers, skin conditions and the like not like RA where it is up front in a blood test. Look into elimination diets to figure out your trigger foods. I have virtually no joint pain anymore. I know it's a pain to go further than gluten but in time after being gluten free you can start adding more foods later. Now, I only eliminate gluten, oranges, fresh tomatoes and soy and limit sugar, dairy, grain, alcohol and it is working great. Good luck.

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 Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @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...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      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...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      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...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      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.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,331
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Kristy2026
    Newest Member
    Kristy2026
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • 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.
×
×
  • 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.