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Celiac
disease associated alopecia
Celiac (coeliac) disease is an autoimmune condition in which
affected individuals have an adverse immune reaction to gluten
in
their diet. The most reliable treatment approach is a gluten free
diet. However, those who fail to strictly adhere to a gluten
free
diet can develop hair loss problems. The hair loss can be due
to two different mechanisms. As an autoimmune condition, celiac
disease
can be associated with an increased risk of developing other autoimmune
diseases. People with celiac disease have also been reported
as
also developing the autoimmune hair loss condition alopecia areata.
In addition, and probably more common in celiac disease affected
people, there can be a thinning of hair fiber and a general diffuse
hair loss. This is probably most likely due to the inflammatory
response to gluten in the gut inhibiting the absorption of other
nutrients from food which hair follicles require. Similar poor hair
growth can be seen in other people with inflammatory bowel syndromes.
Erratic hormone production in people with celiac disease may also
be a contributing factor to hair loss. In celiac disease the strict
adherence to a gluten free diet resolves the gut inflammation and
in so doing also usually resolves the poor quality hair growth.
Celiac
disease associated alopecia references
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A, Boda M, Endreffy E, Nemeth I, Timar E. Coeliac disease: always
something to discover. Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl. 1998;228:122-9.
- Corazza
GR, Andreani ML, Venturo N, Bernardi M, Tosti A, Gasbarrini G.
Celiac disease and alopecia areata: report of a new association.
Gastroenterology. 1995 Oct;109(4):1333-7.
- Rujner J, Socha J, Wojtasik A, Kunachowicz
H, Iwanow K, Syczewska M, Piontek E. [Magnesium status in children
and adolescents with celiac disease] Wiad Lek. 2001;54(5-6):277-85.
- Storm W. Celiac disease and alopecia areata
in a child with Down's syndrome. J Intellect Disabil Res. 2000
Oct;44 ( Pt 5):621-3.
- Bardella MT, Marino R, Barbareschi M, Bianchi
F, Faglia G, Bianchi P. Alopecia areata and coeliac disease: no
effect of a gluten-free diet on hair growth. Dermatology. 2000;200(2):108-10.
- Naveh Y, Rosenthal E, Ben-Arieh Y, Etzioni
A. Celiac disease-associated alopecia in childhood. J Pediatr.
1999 Mar;134(3):362-4.
- Backlund I. [A two-year old girl lost her
hair--gluten intolerance was the cause] Lakartidningen. 1998 Aug
19;95(34):3540-2.
- Varkonyi A, Boda M, Szokefalvi-Nagy Z,
Nyilasi B. Determination of hair trace elements in childhood celiac
disease and in cystic fibrosis. Acta Paediatr Hung. 1992;32(2):159-65.
- Hill LS. Reversal of premature hair greying
in adult coeliac disease. Br Med J. 1980 Jul 12;281(6233):115.
- Amador M, Molina JR, Hermelo M, Gonzalez
A, Valdes M. [Zinc concentration in hair of children with non-treated
celiac disease and during recovery] Arch Latinoam Nutr. 1977 Mar;27(1):49-64.
- Fry L. The gut and the skin. Postgrad Med
J. 1970 Nov;46(541):664-70.
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