Rosacea and Gluten

Thursday, April 9th, 2009 | rosacea

I couldn’t find any scientific publication on the topic of gluten sensitivity and rosacea, but if you do a search online, then you’ll find plenty of information on the topic (mostly in forums and message boards).

As it turns out, many people with rosacea wonder if their rosacea symptoms are caused by a gluten sensitivity. Some have been successful in reducing their rosacea symptoms by following a gluten-free diet. As I and others have written before, there seems to be a digestive component to rosacea.

Gluten is a protein that’s abundant in certain grains, mostly wheat, barley and rye. The gluten itself is a protein made up of two protein parts, gliadin and glutenin. The gliadin part is responsible for the abnormal immune reaction that causes gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. Between 0.5 and 1% of the world’s population suffers from gluten-sensitivity. Gluten sensitivity is not the same as a gluten allergy. The gluten proteins of corn and rice lack the gliadin part and do therefore not cause any sensitivity.

The immune system’s overreaction to wheat’s gluten causes celiac disease, in which the lining of the small intestine becomes chronically inflamed. Symptoms of celiac disease include chronic diarrhea, cramps, bloating, fatigue and malabsorption of essential nutrients, which could result in secondary symptoms such as psychological and neurological problems.

The gluten sensitivity makes it difficult for the body to absorb vitamins, in particular vitamin D. This could explain the possible involvement of vitamin D in rosacea and autism that I described recently. Many children with autism have seen their symptoms improve after staring a gluten-free diet.

Whether a potential gluten sensitivity is involved in the development of rosacea symptoms, it is possible that the inflammation of the intestines contributes to an overall stronger inflammatory response in the facial skin of rosacea patients. While there are many rosacea trigger factors, pizza (loaded with gluten and histamine) is one food that probably should be limited in your diet if you have rosacea.

Tags: rosacea and gluten

4 Comments to Rosacea and Gluten

John Lafferty
October 19, 2009

There are another set of symptoms of celiac disease for some people, dermatitis herpetiformis. See celiac.com http://www.celiac.com/categories/Dermatitis-Herpetiformis:-Skin-Condition-Associated-with-Celiac-Disease/

I also have a chemical sensitivity to shampoo from the smell (weakens my muscles and makes my nerves more sensitive) and a problem with rosacea on my nose. I have noticed that my nose feels oily and smooth after washing my hair.

I am so excited to learn that Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Laureth Sulphate cause rosacea in some people with sensitive skin.

But I am curious that I have the combination of over exposure to sun as a child, PTSD, celiac disease, and a chemical sensitivity to shampoo. Hard to figure if there is a single cause with this combination. But perhaps a correlation?

Janet
December 14, 2009

I also have gluten sensitivity and rosacea. I was wondering if there was a connection between the two.

andrea
April 22, 2010

I had a blush for a few years that I thought was extreme topical sensitivity. One weekend in 2008 I did a fasting cleanse and suddenly my skin was creamy and white with absolutely no redness. A year later I found an integrative physician, and a nutrionist who identified me as gluten intolerant (all tests for wheat allergy were negative). By this point I had almost no vitamin D in my tisses (normal range is 17-34, mine was 7)
Its a struggle to stay off gluten. It requires a lot of planning, but it is worth it. Trust your instincts. Your body tells you many things, don’t ignore them.

Robin
June 27, 2010

I suffered with rosacea for years. I stopped eating gluten about two months ago and the red bumps are gone! I never ever thought of the connection.

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