what does gluten have to do with conception

WHAT DOES GLUTEN HAVE TO DO WITH CONCEPTION?

                Malnutrition is likely the main contributor of gluten related infertility and miscarriages. When gluten has damaged the lining of your gut, it is difficult for the body to absorb key nutrients important for conception such as B-Vitamins, Iron and Calcium.

              Let’s look at Vitamin B6, for example. Vitamin B6 is one of the key nutrients for hormone regulation. Since a deficiency in B6 can lead to irregularity, progesterone to estrogen imbalance, and poor egg development, one begins to understand the role diet and especially gluten plays in creating life.

             Another reason progesterone can be low is too much estrogen due to an excess of body fat. Fat cells help produce estrogen (and carry it), so when overweight, we have higher estrogen and potentially lower progesterone.

            The beauty of a gluten-free diet is, it is easy to shed excess weight immediately! Losing as little as 10% body fat can dramatically increase chances of fertility.

            The Celiac Disease Center at University of Maryland states; “Celiac disease affects 1% of healthy, average Americans. That means at least 3 million people in our country are living with celiac disease—97% of them are undiagnosed.”

             One study considered the number of children born to celiac parents prior to diagnoses compared to a control group without celiac. Women with gluten intolerance had significantly fewer children prior to their diagnoses than the control. “The researchers concluded that celiac disease caused the difference in fertility prior to diagnosis, while the gluten-free diet corrected it following diagnosis.”

             While celiac affects 3 million Americans, other non-gut related gluten sensitivities affects 30 million. In fact, Dr. Thomas O Bryan, an expert in the field of gluten, suggests for every one person with a gut related symptom, such as in celiac disease, there is seven or eight others without a single digestive upset who are still gluten intolerant.

               If you are trying to bring life into this world and are struggling with infertility, please consider this change in your life. Not only will it potentially bring you a stork delivery but it will create a healthier version of YOU in the long run. Many previously infertile women were able to conceive following a gluten-free diet.