Are there any supplements I should take on a gluten free diet

[easiand]

Have been on a gluten free diet now for 6 months and started to feel tire a lot of the day. Still getting some symptoms although much milder of the CD. I am confident my diet is completely Gluten Free and am currently going through my tests (blood and bone scan) at the hospital but am getting people saying I looked healthier before my new diet which is worrying. Just wondered if there are supplements I should be taking to balance my diet. Also is there anything in gluten that the body needs?

[Pink_Bear]

Are they checking your thyroid amongst these blood tests? If you're feeling tired a lot that is one thing they would look at, and anaemia of course.

[easiand in reply to Pink_Bear]

Hi Mary

I don't know exactly what tests they took but they took 7 samples so they were pretty thorough

[Henbur]

The elimination of gluten free in itself should not be problematic from a deficiency perspective, especially if you are replacing with other grains and vegetables and eating a balanced diet. Many people rely on gluten foods for fibre intake so do find they have constipation when they first go gluten free. If you are predominantly replacing with gluten free processed foods instead of cooking from scratch then you may be deficient in other things as the processed foods will not contain good levels of fibre or vitamins and may be 'free from' other things like dairy and eggs. In fact many people who tackle gf by cooking from raw ingredients actually have a more balanced and healthy diet simply because they are not relying on processed foods so much!

[AdvanceNutrition]

You may wish to see my article on nutritional supplementation and coeliac disease based on scientific research papers - clearly it depends on the individual but there are many factors to consider. See advancenutrition.co.uk/site...

[easiand in reply to AdvanceNutrition]

Thanks will have a read

[Lexy]

Hi easiand - some of the things that come up repeatedly in this forum (have a look through past postings) are iron deficiency, zinc deficiency, Vit D and Vit B deficiencies to name just four. I take supplements of all of the above, plus Vit C. As I'm a runner and cyclist I have also started on glucosamine and chondroitin (but that's got nowt tae dae with being gf!). I suppose a lot of depens on how long you've been gluten sensitive, how bad the damage is to your villi, and precisely what kind and amount of food you are eating now. Thyroid problems seem to be common with coeliacs so it may well be a good idea to get this checked out. Good luck in your journey!

[easiand]

Thanks Lexy I believe have had CD most of my life without diagnosis. Will look at supplements you have mentioned

[Penel]

It's also worth remembering that several vitamins, like vit D, are fat soluble, so you need to make sure you have some good fat in your diet. Supplements with omega 3 are useful.

Probiotics can also help your guts to heal and allow you to absorb what your body needs. If you are ok with dairy, probiotic yoghurt can be a good idea. Avoid the ones with sugar in.

There is nothing in gluten that the body needs, it should really carry a health warning. Good luck with getting your health back.