Menu
Anemia is common in celiac disease. This is because there are quite a few nutrient deficiencies that occur with celiac disease that can lead to dietary anemias.
In this post, we will discuss celiac disease and anemia, signs of anemia with celiac, tools to treat anemia in celiac disease, and how to monitor for anemia in celiac patients.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which an autoimmune reaction is triggered in response to gluten. The autoimmune response that’s triggered by gluten can cause a cascade of inflammation and symptoms throughout the entire body.
Most importantly, this autoimmune reaction causes damage in the duodenum section of the small intestine. The duodenum of the small intestine is the main site of iron and folate absorption. This is important because damage to this portion of the small intestine can impair the uptake of folate and iron into the body.
This impaired uptake of folate and iron into the body can cause celiac to lead to anemia.
The Mayo Clinic defines anemia as a condition where you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body. There are different types of anemia but the most commonly known is dietary anemia caused by a lack of iron.
There are many types of anemia but when it comes to celiac, dietary anemias are the main concern. Dietary anemias are forms of anemia that are caused by nutrient deficiencies. While there are quite a few nutrients that can cause dietary anemia, we will be focusing on the main ones which are: iron, folate, and vitamin B12.
It’s important to note that diagnosing these deficiencies and anemias can be tricky. In some cases, vitamin B12 deficiency can mask iron deficiencies. In other cases, folate deficiencies can mask B12 deficiencies. Making sure you’re working closely with a doctor to monitor your nutrition and anemia status is essential to making sure you’re targeting the right condition.
General symptoms of anemia include:
Some of these symptoms may overlap with celiac disease, which is why it’s essential to do proper follow-up testing for both nutrient deficiency and celiac disease.
Celiac disease can lead to dietary anemias. With iron, vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies being common in celiac patients, these deficiency-based anemias can develop.
These dietary anemias can be caused by celiac disease because of intestinal damage. Remember, with celiac the duodenum of the small intestine is damaged and this is the main site for iron and folate absorption. Thus, iron deficiency and folate deficiency anemia can occur as a result of celiac.
Additionally, vitamin B12 deficiency is common in celiac disease too. As a result, vitamin B12 deficiency anemia can co-occur with celiac.
So can celiac disease cause anemia? Yes. Celiac disease can cause anemia. In fact, it’s one of the common women’s health symptoms of celiac disease.
Celiacs can have low iron for a variety of reasons.
First, low iron in celiac disease can be a result of intestinal damage. As discussed previously, the small intestinal damage that occurs when a celiac eats gluten can impair iron absorption and storage in enterocytes. Thus, leading to low iron status in celiac patients.
Second, a gluten-free diet often involves removing a lot of commonly iron-fortified foods. This includes many breakfast cereals. Because people with celiac are likely to eat less iron-fortified foods, they are at higher risk for low iron status.
Lastly, you may be at even high risk for iron deficiency with celiac if you are also vegan. This is because now, not only are you removing fortified foods from your diet but you’re also eliminating meats that have the most bioavailable form of iron in them.
Check your iron status by asking your doctor to order labs to assess your iron or get your iron tested at home with Let’s Get Checked Test Kits (sponsored affiliate link).
Because people with celiac disease are at such a high risk for dietary anemias, unexplained anemia and iron deficiency is often a warning sign of celiac disease. Be mindful of this as you talk with family. And, if you have unexplained anemia and were diagnosed with celiac, I hope this offers validation for your experience.
Treating anemia from celiac disease involves healing the small intestine, healing your relationship with food, and addressing associated nutrient intake.
First, if you don’t heal the small intestines from celiac, then it doesn’t matter how much iron, folate, or B12 you eat, you’ll still struggle with absorption. Thus, you’ll continue to struggle with low levels of them. So priority is eating gluten-free to prevent damage and give you body a chance to heal.
Second, if you don’t heal your relationship with food, then it will be hard to eat and trust the foods that will renourish your body. This is a step in the celiac healing journey that is so often forgotten but so essential.
Third, to address the deficiencies you need to give your body the nutrients. This can be from nutrient-specific dense foods or through supplementation. If you are unsure which is the right choice for you, discuss your options with your health care team.
That said, below are some gluten-free foods high in the 3 common dietary deficiency anemias seen in celiac disease.
Iron is essential to celiac fertility, blood circulation and oxygenation, women’s health, and so much more. If you’re looking to increase your iron-intake consider adding the following gluten-free iron-rich foods to your diet:
If you’re looking to really increase your iron intake, consider cooking with a dedicated gluten-free cast iron skillet or a lucky iron fish.
Folate based anemia can occur with celiac. Additionally, eating gluten free can eliminate a lot of folate-fortified grains. Thus, it is important to pay attention to the gluten free grain products that you buy to see if folate/folic acid is added into them or if you will need to get them in your diet elsewhere from other food sources or supplementation.
You can get folate from gluten-free foods like beans, dark leafy greens, broccoli, brussels sprouts, liver, and gluten-free fortified grain products.
Foods high in B12 primarily include animal-based products. This means meats and dairy products have high amounts of B12. Thus, if you’re gluten-free and not vegan, including animal products in your diet can help with B12 deficiency.
However, if you are vegan or plant-based, it may be harder to get B12. Soy milk and almond milk tend to be fortified with vitamin B12. Nutritional yeast is also a good source.
Just be sure when you’re sourcing nutritional yeast, it’s not coming from bulk bins. Bulk bins can be a big source of cross-contact with celiac.
Monitoring anemia in celiac disease typically involves blood tests. Most commonly anemia is screened for using a Complete Blood Count. They may also test your iron, folate, and b12 levels to assess for the type of dietary anemia.
If you have celiac disease and are anemia, don’t panic. As discussed, anemia is a common symptom of celiac disease due to intestinal damage.
The best thing to do if you have anemia with celiac disease is to focus on healing your small intestine, your relationship with food, eating a balanced gluten-free diet, and taking supplements as needed.
Rest assured, as you heal, your anemia should go away too (unless it’s caused by another underlying condition).
Worried about your nutrition status? Work with a Celiac Dietitian to make sure you’re nourishing yourself properly with celiac.