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Alopecia and diet
It'd been a while since I'd visited this site but a friend asked for a follow up which has prompted me to post my response since others may benefit from my experience.....
Since eliminating gluten the majority of my patches have hair and some of it has transitioned to my proper hair color (dark brown instead of white). I quit my job since they use wheat in some of their products (management were tyrants as well). I am also taking digestive enzymes and pro-active bacteria (acidophilis) with each meal, these seem to be helping.
Elimination diets and food diaries are a good idea (IMHO) for identifying what your new diet should exclude. Just be sure that you are getting proper nutrition when on an elimination diet, I took a multivitamin (make sure it is allergen free). At the end of the elimination diet you start introducing foods and watching for reactions.
Keep in mind that celiac can cause lactose intolerance which goes away when gluten is removed from the diet. This is probably not the only case of another illness actually being caused by a different sensitivity since gluten (and other sensitivities) damage the intestines. It will take time to heal.
My current dietary restrictions:
- no gluten, this in itself is very restrictive since it is used everywhere and often hidden
- limited dairy, cream in the odd coffee and cheese every so often. Almond milk is a good substitute for milk especially if mixed with coconut milk.
- I've limit my caffeine intake (since I know I am sensitive to it)
- I've just re-introduced refined sugars which I was avoiding for a while
Foods I make sure I get in my diet:
- sweet potatoe
- broccoli
- cinnamon
- coconut milk
- celery and other alkalizing vegetables
- blueberries
****** The most important thing is to be strict and patient in your diet changes. It will take time for your insides to heal and even more time to see the effects on hair regrowth ******
An excellent site for nutritional information (even has inflammatory and glycemic index):
http://nutritiondata.self.com/
A little information about celiac......
Celiac is believed to be the result of a combination of an enzyme defect and the presence of a particular antigen that reacts to proteins in gluten. The enzyme defect allows the protein to enter the intestines intact, where it should have been broken down into smaller structures such as amino acids. Antigens then cause inflammation in the intestinal wall in response to these intact proteins. Inflammation causes damage to the intestinal wall which allows larger molecules (like proteins) to enter the bloodstream causing a variety of problems as your body's immune system attacks perceived invaders. Enzyme supplements specifically for celiac can be purchased at health food stores but are only recommended to help with accidental exposure - ie. when you are unsure if the food you are about to eat is using wheat as a minor ingredient or has trace amounts of gluten. NOT so you can eat a sandwich or pizza. I have not even tried these since in my opinion a gluten free diet is a healthier diet anyway and I am too cheap to eat in restaurants :). A screening test for celiac can also be bought at health food stores but keep in mind it will only tell you if you could have celiac not that you do. I believe it tests for the antigen. I plan to pick this up at a "Goodness Me" store and test myself since I used an elimination diet and food diary to determine my gluten intolerance.
A bit of a rant.......
If something has caused your immune system to get messed up and attack your own body, how is this not a serious health issue? Even if the only obvious symptom is cosmetic (stressful enough for some people) it suggests to me that something pretty severe is happening in your body which is not unlike other autoimmune diseases that can destroy organs or otherwise have drastic effects on your quality of life. It bothers me that the medical community does not take this condition seriously and only look at treatment from the point of view of making hair grow and not even attempting to figure out the cause.
Disclaimer and warning......
I am not a doctor, nutritionist, nurse, or any other type of health care professional. The experiences I have described are my own and are specific to my own sensitivities and may not be shared by others. My suggestion is that you go through your own self-diagnosis procedure as I did since the same mechanism that causes celiac may cause similar problems with other foods. If you have a nutritionist I would suggest you consult them before going on an elimination diet. If you are opposed or unable to do an elimination diet then a food diary is another (safer) way to identify a food allergy as long as you are sure of what you are eating e.g. trace amounts of gluten in a processed meal may trigger a reaction which you may then associate with the wrong food. Also be aware of the delay when using a food diary since it takes time for you to process the food and then may take more time depending on the reaction. You are looking for things like mood, energy, and bowel movement changes since things like hair regrowth are way too long term to associate with a particular meal.
Tidbits......
- Swiss Chalet has a comprehensive allergy menu that identifies the allergens present in each of their items. Things like this making eating out an option still. If anyone knows of any other restaurants that have similar information please post it.
- Always keep the delay in mind. Healing takes time, regrowth takes time, don't give up in 6 months just because you don't see progress yet. Be patient and persevere!
- It seems that there are some benefits to having a alopecia. I never had any childhood diseases but caught chicken pox at the age of 42 after going off of gluten. I am willing to forgo these benefits to eliminate any negative effects or escalation of my condition that I may not even be aware of.
If you have any questions feel free to ask. I can't guarantee I will respond quickly but I will respond.
Since eliminating gluten the majority of my patches have hair and some of it has transitioned to my proper hair color (dark brown instead of white). I quit my job since they use wheat in some of their products (management were tyrants as well). I am also taking digestive enzymes and pro-active bacteria (acidophilis) with each meal, these seem to be helping.
Elimination diets and food diaries are a good idea (IMHO) for identifying what your new diet should exclude. Just be sure that you are getting proper nutrition when on an elimination diet, I took a multivitamin (make sure it is allergen free). At the end of the elimination diet you start introducing foods and watching for reactions.
Keep in mind that celiac can cause lactose intolerance which goes away when gluten is removed from the diet. This is probably not the only case of another illness actually being caused by a different sensitivity since gluten (and other sensitivities) damage the intestines. It will take time to heal.
My current dietary restrictions:
- no gluten, this in itself is very restrictive since it is used everywhere and often hidden
- limited dairy, cream in the odd coffee and cheese every so often. Almond milk is a good substitute for milk especially if mixed with coconut milk.
- I've limit my caffeine intake (since I know I am sensitive to it)
- I've just re-introduced refined sugars which I was avoiding for a while
Foods I make sure I get in my diet:
- sweet potatoe
- broccoli
- cinnamon
- coconut milk
- celery and other alkalizing vegetables
- blueberries
****** The most important thing is to be strict and patient in your diet changes. It will take time for your insides to heal and even more time to see the effects on hair regrowth ******
An excellent site for nutritional information (even has inflammatory and glycemic index):
http://nutritiondata.self.com/
A little information about celiac......
Celiac is believed to be the result of a combination of an enzyme defect and the presence of a particular antigen that reacts to proteins in gluten. The enzyme defect allows the protein to enter the intestines intact, where it should have been broken down into smaller structures such as amino acids. Antigens then cause inflammation in the intestinal wall in response to these intact proteins. Inflammation causes damage to the intestinal wall which allows larger molecules (like proteins) to enter the bloodstream causing a variety of problems as your body's immune system attacks perceived invaders. Enzyme supplements specifically for celiac can be purchased at health food stores but are only recommended to help with accidental exposure - ie. when you are unsure if the food you are about to eat is using wheat as a minor ingredient or has trace amounts of gluten. NOT so you can eat a sandwich or pizza. I have not even tried these since in my opinion a gluten free diet is a healthier diet anyway and I am too cheap to eat in restaurants :). A screening test for celiac can also be bought at health food stores but keep in mind it will only tell you if you could have celiac not that you do. I believe it tests for the antigen. I plan to pick this up at a "Goodness Me" store and test myself since I used an elimination diet and food diary to determine my gluten intolerance.
A bit of a rant.......
If something has caused your immune system to get messed up and attack your own body, how is this not a serious health issue? Even if the only obvious symptom is cosmetic (stressful enough for some people) it suggests to me that something pretty severe is happening in your body which is not unlike other autoimmune diseases that can destroy organs or otherwise have drastic effects on your quality of life. It bothers me that the medical community does not take this condition seriously and only look at treatment from the point of view of making hair grow and not even attempting to figure out the cause.
Disclaimer and warning......
I am not a doctor, nutritionist, nurse, or any other type of health care professional. The experiences I have described are my own and are specific to my own sensitivities and may not be shared by others. My suggestion is that you go through your own self-diagnosis procedure as I did since the same mechanism that causes celiac may cause similar problems with other foods. If you have a nutritionist I would suggest you consult them before going on an elimination diet. If you are opposed or unable to do an elimination diet then a food diary is another (safer) way to identify a food allergy as long as you are sure of what you are eating e.g. trace amounts of gluten in a processed meal may trigger a reaction which you may then associate with the wrong food. Also be aware of the delay when using a food diary since it takes time for you to process the food and then may take more time depending on the reaction. You are looking for things like mood, energy, and bowel movement changes since things like hair regrowth are way too long term to associate with a particular meal.
Tidbits......
- Swiss Chalet has a comprehensive allergy menu that identifies the allergens present in each of their items. Things like this making eating out an option still. If anyone knows of any other restaurants that have similar information please post it.
- Always keep the delay in mind. Healing takes time, regrowth takes time, don't give up in 6 months just because you don't see progress yet. Be patient and persevere!
- It seems that there are some benefits to having a alopecia. I never had any childhood diseases but caught chicken pox at the age of 42 after going off of gluten. I am willing to forgo these benefits to eliminate any negative effects or escalation of my condition that I may not even be aware of.
If you have any questions feel free to ask. I can't guarantee I will respond quickly but I will respond.
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Comment by Jen Lowe on October 21, 2010 at 9:32am
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Hey, Neil! Thanks for posting. I have AU, and about 6 months ago i went to see a naturopath who put me on a bunch of supplements as well as treated my hypothyroid and other hormonal issues. After about 4 months of taking these i decided to switch up my diet. I cut out gluten and dairy and I am also vegan. Its hard to follow...BUT after 2 weeks on this diet i noticed arm pit fuzz. LOL so i wasn't sure if it was the diet or the months of treatment. Either way, i have been sticking to it. Its been a couple of months and a very slow process but every week i notice more and more small white hairs all over my body. How did your hair start coming back and how long did it take? Do you have AU, too? Im just hoping at one point the hairs become dark.
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Comment by Neil on October 22, 2010 at 12:55pm
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NP Jen, thanks for your input as well. I've had AA for about 24 years. I got over the social stigma fairly quickly and was never really worried about not having all my hair. Over the years the severity has varied but for the last 10 years or so about 75% of my head was bald and various places on my body would have a bald patch but these were always fairly temporary. About a year ago I noticed that I had no nose hairs. It may sound funny but this is when I finally became concerned about my hair loss. I approached the problem from a general autoimmune point of view (since if you have one you are likely to have others) and, after reading a book that suggested foods and thyroid problems were the main culprits, embarked on a process of finding out which foods may be causing me problems. I "eliminated" gluten from my diet about 1 year ago and have noticed a lot of white hair regrowth for quite a while. About 2 months ago I properly eliminated gluten from my diet (after learning of some other ways it can be hidden in food) and quit my job where they use wheat products. Within a month of that I noticed that some of the hairs on the top of my head are turning their natural colour. Also, I currently do not have any patches anywhere else on my body.
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Comment by Chefpam on October 25, 2010 at 6:50pm
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I find this very interesting. I have just begun seeing a holistic practicioner and we are beginning a new protocol by cleaning the gut and going gluten free. I am also going to take supplements that are suppose to balance my immune system. I have hypothyroidism, but not matter how they change my dose I am losing more and more hair. So my dr thinks that it my immune system attacking my body rather than my thyroid and in balancing the whole body this should help. I am praying for a miracle and sending prayers to you as well.
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A question about diet has prompted me to post some details. Going gluten free can sort of affect your whole diet depending on how you do it. The reason is that a lot of processed food has gluten as a hidden ingredient, esp. in Canada since the labeling laws are atrocious. Ingredient names like "natural flavour" etc. can mean you don't really know what's in the food you are eating. Also since some gluten free products are not nearly as desirable as their gluten containing counter-parts grain intake in general may be reduced. This is how I eat:
- A lot of unprocessed foods like meats and veggies (I avoid buying "seasoned" meat since that could be anything)
- Some processed foods that are labeled as gluten free although I tend to use these only as treats or when I need the convenience of a snack on the go. It will probably take some time to find the specific products that are to your taste.
- Rice pastas (which are virtually indistinguishable from those made with wheat)
- Rice, sweet potatoes and potatoes are good sources of carbs.
- Avoid eating in restaurants since (unless the food is specifically gluten free) you have no idea if the ingredients are gluten free even if you would think they are. Examples: french fries are often coated with high gluten flour, maltodextrin and white vinegar in sauces and seasonings can be derived from wheat.
Additionally:
- lately I have been reducing my sugar intake
- I try not to combine my carbs and proteins
- I am avoiding tomatoes since it is one of my more intense food allergies
- I try to drink lots of water
As treatment for possible intestinal damage caused by the gluten.
- digestive enzymes which really seem to make a difference but should not be taken for more than two weeks. Eating raw vegetables and fruits is a better way to get these enzymes anyway.
- I include cinnamon, garlic, and oregano in my diet and in capsule form as natural antibiotics.
- Probiotics in yogurt and in capsule form to encourage proper intestinal flora (taken separately from natural antibiotics mentioned above)
NOTE: when first going gluten free you may notice rashes and other symptoms that may make you think that things are getting worse instead of better. These go away and are the result of detoxing.
I would strongly suggest that anyone trying a dietary approach get an allergy test to determine what other foods they should be avoiding.
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