What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is also referred to as celiac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Your immune system reacts when you eat gluten & it is a protein type that is found in products like barley, rye, and wheat.
Due to celiac disease, the consumption of having gluten will make your small intestine respond. With time, the small intestine lining will damage and your body is not able to absorb the nutrients. Celiacs disease can occur in both adults and children. Due to this disease, it can cause the mentioned-below problems:
If the problem is not treated on time, then it can result in several complications and one of the major being male infertility. Moreover, its impact can affect sperm production which can result in low sperm count. Let’s discuss that in detail.
How celiac disease and male infertility are connected?
The relation between celiac disease and female infertility is pretty clear, but many people are not aware of the fact that male fertility is impacted by celiac disease. Like, we have mentioned above, the problem is needed to be treated as early as possible otherwise there can be complications. Although there is not much research about this condition, it is important to consult the doctor on time. The given below graphic represents how celiac disease and infertility are linked to each other.
What does the research show about celiac disease and male infertility?
Specifically, undiagnosed cases have shown that celiac disease increases the risk of abnormal sperm and even affects hormonal levels.
One of the studies has pointed to the fact that 19% of married celiac men have infertility issues and they had an issue with their sperm shape & motility (not able to move easily).
If the problem goes undiagnosed then it is likely that you will experience a problem of androgen resistance which means the body is not able to respond to the male hormone testosterone. Well! The research has pointed out that, it affects the entire endocrine system of men.
Just make sure that you consult the doctor as early as possible and get the specific treatment plan which will imrpove your condition.
Do nutrient deficiency impact fertility in men with this disease?
Further, we will discuss how following a gluten-free diet will make a difference. But, with this condition, the men face nutrient deficiencies and it mostly occurs as the body is not able to absorb all the essential nutrients. So, make sure that your body is having enough amount of:
Relation between male infertility and gluten-free diet
Studies have shown that when a person with celiac disease makes changes in their diet the sperm characteristics will imrpove. The best choice here is to adopt the gluten-free diet and by doing so you will notice:
You can say that fertility may improve, but there has not been much research on this topic. You should consult the doctor for exact information on what you have to do.
What are the ingredients to be avoided when you have celiac disease?
What are gluten-free food items?
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Buckwheat
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Corn
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Amaranth
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Arrowroot
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Cornmeal
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Flour made from rice, soy, corn, potatoes, or beans
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Pure corn tortillas
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Quinoa
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Rice
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Tapioca
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Fresh meats, fish, and poultry that haven’t been breaded, coated, or marinated
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Fruit
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Most dairy products
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Starchy vegetables like peas, potatoes, including sweet potatoes, and corn
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Rice, beans, and lentils
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Vegetables
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Wine, distilled liquors, ciders, and spirits