Celiac Disease and Eating Disorders
Celiac disease is one of the more common autoimmune disorders in which individuals experience an intolerance to eating any foods containing gluten. For instance, if individuals are experiencing symptoms, they should consult with medical professionals as treatment options are available. However, research has shown a correlation between the symptoms of celiac disease and eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and ARFID. Therefore, understanding the connection between these conditions is essential for proper diagnosis and treatment.
What Is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder in which an individual’s digestive system cannot process gluten, a fractioned protein of gliadin commonly found in products such as wheat, rye, and barley. Specifically, a writer for Center for Discovery describes: “When an individual consumes gluten in the form of bread, soy sauce, beer or other gluten-enriched foods, an immunologically-mediated inflammatory response occurs, in other words, your body attacks itself, and this attack damages the mucosa of the intestines, resulting in poor digestion and malabsorption of food nutrients. This leads to extreme abdominal discomfort, bloating, weight loss, fatigue, and diarrhea” (Center for Discovery, 2019).
According to current research, the causes are both genetic and environmental. For example, an article in Mayo Clinic states that a simple genetic test can reveal if an individual carries one of the two genes for celiac disease, HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8, and a blood test shows how high one’s antibodies are in their body (Mayo Clinic, 2023). Additionally, if an individual is experiencing symptoms, they should consult their medical provider about getting tested for allergies or intolerances. Furthermore, early testing can help individuals manage their symptoms effectively.
Celiac Disease and Eating Disorders
Studies conducted over the past twenty years have narrowly come to the same conclusion: patients who receive a diagnosis of celiac disease have a higher likelihood of later developing anorexia nervosa or ARFID. According to Jacquelyn Ekern from Eating Disorder Hope, “Over 18,000 women with celiac disease were studied and shown to have both celiac and anorexia before and after a celiac diagnosis” (Ekern, 2022).
Another study from 2021 found that from their population sample, 53.7% of patients with celiac disease met the criteria for ARFID based on the Nine-Item ARFID Screen (Kling, 2022). Nevertheless, the commonality between these two disorders is yet to be determined. However, individuals may develop symptoms of an eating disorder due to the restrictive nature of a diet requiring the removal of specific foods or modifications.
Supporting Individuals in Eating Disorder Recovery with Dietary Restrictions
When working with individuals who are in eating disorder recovery and who have celiac disease, medical professionals should consult with patients about their diets and provide ideas for non-gluten-containing meals that still meet their nutrient needs. Similarly, individuals should also address any concerns they have about their diagnosis with their support network or seek out group counseling to help them feel less alone.
BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, located in New York City, offers free consultation calls to help you explore next steps. We provide in-person programming seven days a week and are in-network with UnitedHealthcare (UHC), Cigna, Emblem, and Oscar, with Aetna coverage coming soon. Support is available, and recovery is possible. Schedule a free consultation call with our admissions team here and stay connected with BALANCE on Instagram here.
References
Center for Discovery. (2019, October 21). Celiac disease and anorexia nervosa. Retrieved April 28, 2024, from https://centerfordiscovery.com/blog/celiac-disease-anorexia-medical-definition/
Celiac disease – Diagnosis and treatment – Mayo Clinic. (2023, September 12). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/celiac-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352225#:~:text=Two%20blood%20tests%20can%20help,to%20rule%20out%20celiac%20disease.
Ekern, J. (2022, October 13). Relationship between anorexia and Celiac disease. Eating Disorder Hope. Retrieved April 28, 2024, from https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/blog/anorexia-celiac-disease
Kling, J. (2022, March 2). Eating disorder may be common in celiac disease. GI And Hepatology News. Retrieved April 28, 2024, from https://www.mdedge.com/gihepnews/article/252311/ibd-intestinal-disorders/eating-disorder-may-be-common-celiac-disease
This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Regina Colie (she/her).
Regina Colie is a blog contributor for BALANCE, whose previous work has been featured in Project HEAL and Nourishing NY. She is an alumnus of The New School of Social Research, where she received her Masters in Psychology. After attending Marymount Manhattan College, she had the opportunity to be published in Dr. Nava Silton’s book, The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Child, Adolescent, and Adult Development.
