As we learn to make healthier food choices such as becoming gluten free, or for that matter avoiding grains all together as in Paleolithic eating, we find a lot of health problems, allergies, and aches almost “magically” disappear. The connection between the food we put into our bodies and how our bodies react, heal, and function is one that unfortunately is too often overlooked.
Infertility is just one of the many conditions research has linked certain foods to its cause.
Recent research studies demonstrate there may be a link between gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and other foods) and infertility. According to the National Institute of Health, nearly two million people in the United States alone suffer with Celiac disease, the condition that inhibits the body from properly digesting gluten while an additional 30 million other Americans suffer from intolerance to gluten (1). This intolerance has been known to cause stomach distress and an array of other symptoms. Celiac disease, which is considered an autoimmune condition, causes the body to attack the healthy tissues in the digestive tract when exposed to gluten causing damage and preventing the absorption of nutrients into the system.
So what does this have to do with infertility? Review of literature from a Medline Search “reveals that patients with untreated celiac disease sustain a significantly delayed menarche, earlier menopause, and increased prevalence of secondary amenorrhea” (10). All of which can affect normal reproductive cycles by causing changes in hormones as well as ovulations, and limit the length of time fertility can be established. Furthermore, if left untreated, patients with this disease can incur higher miscarriage rates, increased fetal growth restriction, preterm births and lower birth weights due to the mother, and hence the fetus, being unable to receive vitamins and minerals needed to support vital growth and development (3,4,6,9).
However, it is not only women with gluten sensitivities that can affect fertility. Dr. Shelia Crowe, a medical doctor and a professor in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at the University of Virginia explains, “For men, problems can include abnormal sperm – such as lower sperm numbers, altered shape, and reduced function. Men with untreated celiac disease may also have lower testosterone levels.” She continues to add, “Of course, for both men and women, how often a couple has intercourse affects fertility. If someone feels lousy from untreated celiac disease, infrequent sexual activity may be contributing to the problem. One study from Italy suggests that sexual relations occurred less often when one partner had active celiac disease compared with couples in which the partner’s celiac disease was being treated” (3,2).
The good news about celiac disease is that it is able to be tested for and easily treated. To get tested your medical doctor will order a blood test (the tissue transglutaminase -T.T.G or IgA test) to see if your body is producing antibodies to the gluten. To confirm a diagnosis s/he then may decide to order a biopsy. With a biopsy, a small portion of your intestinal tissue is removed and evaluated for celiac related damage (2,7,8). Treatment includes avoiding and removing foods from the diet that contain gluten. For support, details, and more information, check out www.celiac.com and www.celiaccenter.org.
Although gluten may play a significant role in fertility issues it is not the only cause. If you are having problems conceiving, having frequent miscarriages, or other reproductive health issues please consult your medical doctor for evaluation. If you are thinking about becoming pregnant or are having fertility issues, co-treatment with a Chiropractor who is trained in gentle techniques for mother and baby may also be beneficial. Chiropractic is a wonderful health care modality that gently and precisely aligns your spine and allows for messages from the brain to travel down the spinal cord and supply all your organs, including reproductive organs, to receive the messages they need to function at 100%.
1. http://consensus.nih.gov/2004/2004CeliacDisease118html.htm
2. http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/the-varied-symptoms-of-celiac-disease/?ref=health
4. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/08/06/wheat-miscarriage.aspx
5. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/01/21/celiac-disease-part-one.aspx
6. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/02/23/can-foods-contribute-to-infertility.aspx
7. www.celiac.com
8. www.celiaccenter.org
9. The Lancet (www.thelancet.com) July 29, 2000;356:399-400
10. Gynecol Obstet Invest 2001;51:3-7