Celiac disease (CeD) is usually considered to lead to undernutrition and low weight both in children and adults; in recent times, however, many patients with CeD are found to be not only overweight but some even being obese [1].
Generally, people who suffer from Celiac disease lose weight due to poor absorption of certain foods and minerals. However, recent research suggests that some people may experience weight-gain as a result of gluten allergy.
In fact, if your body can't process gluten you can have many problems including weight gain. However, weight gain isn't as common as weight loss. With gluten intolerance, your body has trouble absorbing the protein gluten that's found in wheat, barley, and rye.
A majority of children and adults that are diagnosed with celiac disease are usually at a normal weight when diagnosed. However, some children and adults can be overweight or obese which can complicate a diagnosis.
Dr. Davis advocates limiting high-carb foods like legumes and fruits and entirely eliminating gluten-free grain-based foods like cereals and bread, most snack foods (like gluten-free potato chips), and foods containing high-fructose corn syrup.
People with celiac disease may experience weight gain after starting a gluten-free diet; this initial weight gain indicates that their intestinal health is improving and they are more effectively absorbing nutrients. However, gaining too much weight can lead to multiple health problems.
In addition, many people do gain weight after being diagnosed and going gluten-free. That's because when they were eating gluten, it was destroying their villi, so they weren't absorbing nutrients. When the villi reform and heal, nutrients start to be absorbed again; as a result, many experience weight gain.
Symptoms of celiac disease include: Gas, a swollen belly, and bloating. This happens because the small intestine can't absorb nutrients from food. You may also have mild stomach pain, but it usually isn't severe.
One person might have diarrhea and abdominal pain, while another person has irritability or depression. Some patients develop symptoms of celiac disease early in life, while others feel healthy far into adulthood. Some people with celiac disease have no signs or symptoms at all.
It's common to feel constantly hungry during your first several weeks without gluten. You may want to eat all the time. Your body hasn't been able to absorb food properly for a while. So once it can, it'll try to make up for the deficit.
Silent celiac disease is also known as asymptomatic celiac disease. Patients do not complain of any symptoms, but still experience villous atrophy damage to their small intestine.
A survey published in Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics in July 2016 revealed that about 68% of people with celiac disease have a reaction every time they consume gluten. In most cases, symptoms develop within 60 minutes but, for a small percentage of people, symptoms are delayed by 12 hours or more.
Gluten-free diets are well-researched for the treatment of individuals with immune-mediated gluten sensitivities. However, they've been increasingly used for numerous other health conditions, such as obesity, despite a relative lack of evidence supporting a link between gluten consumption and weight gain.
Although a gluten-free diet is the primary treatment for celiac disease and may help to alleviate symptoms in various conditions related to gluten sensitivity, there is currently no evidence showing that a gluten-free diet is effective for weight loss or for general health benefits.
Type 1 diabetes, which is mostly detected at a younger age is another autoimmune condition that may lead to weight gain. In this condition, the pancreas is unable to produce insulin, leading to a spike in the blood sugar level. Insulin plays a major role in directing the body how to use and store glucose for energy.
Celiac disease is clinically defined as classic, non-classic, subclinical, potential, and refractory.
However, celiac disease is much more than a digestive problem. Some of the top atypical symptoms are anemia, bones disease, elevated liver enzymes, neurological problems like migraines, short stature and reproductive problems.
Despite awareness efforts, celiac disease is often confused with other gluten-related disorders — like non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) or a wheat allergy. Both seem similar to celiac disease, but are different conditions.
People who develop celiac disease later in life can have eaten gluten for many years without having a negative reaction. Studies suggest that a shift could be caused by the body reaching its breaking point after a lifetime of eating gluten. Stress and other environmental conditions may also be a part of the change.
Celiac disease is a digestive problem that hurts your small intestine.
Another reason why celiac disease is associated with being thin is that the disease damages the lining of the small intestine. Celiac disease can cause malnutrition due to malabsorption, in which nutrients can't be absorbed properly by the body.
Food malabsorption is a primary contributor to bad breath. Due to impaired digestion brought on by Crohn's and celiac disease, more food remains that sulfur-reducing bacteria can break down. This produces more hydrogen sulfide, which can lead to odorous burps and occasionally foul breath.
Reintroducing gluten after a gluten-free diet can lead to a loss of oral tolerance. This loss of tolerance explains why someone's symptoms may worsen after reintroducing gluten. There is no cure for celiac disease and gluten intolerance.