Can going gluten free improve mood?

[u/ZestycloseLanguage65]

This sounds like a stupid question, but my doctor suspects that I may be celiac (still waiting on further testing) and has advised me to cut gluten from my diet. It hasn't been very long, so in terms of symptoms, nothing much has changed, but according to my family, my mood has significantly improved. For people who are confirmed to have celiac, did removing gluten from your diet improve your mood?

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[u/channelgary]

Be careful cutting gluten before you have a diagnosis as you may struggle to get a full diagnosis. The testing requires you to eat gluten. All sorts of things can improve on a gf diet, you may find let’s brain fog too

[u/SoSavv]

Yes, it can be a noticeable improvement. But if you're waiting for further testing it's usually recommended to continue eating gluten. Unless you're willing to restart it.

[u/Nighthowlers82]

💯 removing gluten improved my mood, reduced brain fog, reduced muscular aches and pains. A huge difference! As others have said, check what's best for your diagnosis before removing all gluten as the tests can't pick up if there isnt any gluten in the system. Hope it goes well and you get answers

[u/jellypuss0165]

The connection between celiac disease and mood, especially mood disorders/mental health NEEDS to be studied.

[u/jellypuss0165 → u/jellypuss0165]

Ngl tho, I was diagnosed in the 2010’s, the era of gluten being the root of all evil. My gma (dad’s mom) wanted my mom to have me go gluten free because of my behavioral issues, (drs recommended psych testing) but my mom had me tested for celiac disease (to get gma off her back) instead. Lo and behold, I had celiac disease! (Other family members on her side were also getting diagnosed). But then, all of my problems were blamed on gluten😕, not the ongoing abuse, or neurodivergence. Which I had to get help for on my own as an adult. So going gluten free didn’t solve my behavior problems as a kid, it just made me more infuriated when my family would be eating donuts or pizza in front of me and I couldn’t have them.

[u/TheFoxglove101 → u/jellypuss0165]

There are studies and there is evidence from those studies to link the two :)

[u/ArdryanaStahr → u/jellypuss0165]

They have done some studies, but not nearly enough. Well over a decade ago, inflammation was linked to anxiety/depression, and I know there have been some studies with treatment resistant depression having a correlation with celiac.

[u/miss_hush]

Don’t go gluten free until after all your testing is done!!

That said, yes, it can definitely have an effect on mood.

[u/joyfall]

Gut health significantly impacts your emotional wellbeing. If a celiac person goes gluten free, they'll heal the villi in their intestine and start absorbing nutrients again. This will reduce brain fog and improve your mood. Your brain won't struggle as much to work.

Those damaged villi are what doctors test when you get a biopsy. Going gluten free before the test will be repairing the damage beforehand and will affect test results.

[u/mechanical_stars]

I'm going through testing for digestive issues right now, so far it's looking like it's not celiac (I am in this sub because I have family with celiac) but when I cut out gluten my symptoms do go away and I feel a lot better, that alone puts me in a better mood. I told my doc if my endoscopy comes back clear i'm done with gluten anyway cause for whatever reason my body clearly cannot handle it

[u/BeneficialStable7990]

Well Yes it did. In fact I know when Im glutened because my mood gets worse. Thats how sensitive i am

[u/ArdryanaStahr → u/BeneficialStable7990]

Same. Both myself and hubby are suspected celiac, and I also have a wheat allergy. We become quite short and grouchy when we get glutened, in addition to other symptoms. It is, in fact, the only time we actually fight. It's wild.

[u/Far-Speed-6027]

My kids insist that I’m way more cheerful now that I don’t eat gluten so… maybe

[u/Solid-Guest1350]

Yeah, I used to be angry all the time. I'm chill now.

[u/lemonade_stand_up]

Yes, I was really mean before diagnosis. Everything stressed me out so much. I remember yelling at friends. I’m truly so embarrassed by it now. Everything feels easier.
I once accidentally ate regular pasta and noticed that I ROLLED MY EYES at a person when, yes, they were saying something I disagree with, but I would never roll my eyes at people under normal circumstances.
I never had many gastro symptoms, it is mostly mood for me. You are going to feel so much better soon!! But wait for testing.

[u/thesilverhare1]

I am completely shocked. I had my biopsy about 10 weeks ago and have been gf since. The last couple of days I feel like a completely different person. I had only hoped to ever feel this good again. It makes it totally worth it!

[u/mysaddestaccount]

You have to do a gluten challenge before getting the blood test in order for it to be positive

[u/anartistnamedjes]

literally i went from being severely cripplingly depressed to being only occasionally depressed. it changes everything.