Coeliac Disease and ADHD: Is There a Connection?
It’s about time we have a conversation about the link between coeliac disease and ADHD, and why the pairing might be more than coincidental
Hey Gluten Free Fam,
A consistent topic continues to pop up on social media and with my podcast guests. I see it in media coverage and talk about it over coffee or meals with friends and family. This topic is ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). I was diagnosed with ADHD at the end of 2024 - a very delayed (and much needed) diagnosis. Much like my coeliac disease diagnosis, it’s been so validating to know why my brain works the way it does. I know it’s often a similar lightbulb moment for many who obtain a diagnosis, no matter the age.
One aspect of ADHD is ‘hyper focus’. This is an intense focus where you can become completely immersed in the flow of something you are truly obsessed or intrigued with. When you reach this hyper focus, it feels like the rest of the world is non-existent. You have complete tunnel vision on the task at hand. It can be advantageous on one hand, but a burden on the other. This is especially the case when you need to switch tasks.
My hyper focus been directed on this very subject of late. Did you know there may be a potential link between coeliac disease and ADHD? Strap yourselves in and come down this very deep and equally interesting rabbit hole with me a little further. Shall we?
ADHD and Coeliac Disease on Social Media
Many have taken to social media to explore the link between ADHD and coeliac disease. @aknightaway has shared this topic on TikTok, highlighting studies focussed on the overlapping symptoms of both conditions.
She also shares findings of the link between dietary management and improved psychological outcomes. This not only applies to ADHD and undiagnosed coeliac disease, but in other psychological conditions for which dietary interventions may be a possible management strategy.
As we learn more about the gut/brain axis and the essential role of the gut microbiome in our physical and mental health, we will likely witness many discoveries over the next 5-10 years.
In this Instagram reel @chronicallyglutenfree shares how coeliac disease can impact our mental health. She highlights various studies which have found those with coeliac disease often have a much higher chance of developing depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder and other psychiatric conditions.
Angela points out the many mental health impacts coeliac disease can have on our daily lives, especially the social anxiety a strict gluten free diet imposes on us. Planning, preparation, asking questions and putting trust in others whenever someone is making our food are all aspects of coeliac disease which need to be talked about more within broader society.
When a person is diagnosed with coeliac disease, ADHD is just one of many conditions which could be screened for. The same applies for screening coeliac disease for people living with ADHD. If an individual is unknowingly living with one or both conditions, there are management strategies at hand. Much like coeliac disease, having an ADHD diagnosis could help to improve a patient’s overall mental health.
Studies Investigating the ADHD and Coeliac Disease Link
Coeliac disease and ADHD share overlapping symptoms. Some of these include brain fog, inattentiveness, mood swings, anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, pain and headache. There are many more. So, I’m sure you’re asking - okay Ben, surely there are studies behind this to back all this up? There sure are. The link between coeliac disease and ADHD has been something researchers have been interested in over the past few decades and for good reason.
Take a look at this 2010 study titled Association of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Celiac Disease: A Brief Report. Although a very small sample size, this Italian study provided some amazing insights. 67 subjects were enrolled with known ADHD and tested for coeliac disease. Those who tested positive for coeliac (a whopping 1o out of the 67) were instructed to follow a gluten free diet for 6 months. The results? Patients or their parents reported a big improvement in behaviour and executive functioning compared to pre-coeliac diagnosis and not following a gluten free diet.
That report from Helmut Niederhofer, MD in 2010 is just one example, with the link between coeliac disease and ADHD being an area of focus for other international specialists in the field.
Personal Coeliac-ADHD Thoughts
Discussions around coeliac disease and ADHD are ongoing on A Gluten Free Podcast
I shared my ADHD diagnosis not long after I was diagnosed on A Gluten Free Podcast. I’m still early on in the diagnosis, but it has already been such a massively beneficial experience simply to have an answer. Throughout my life I’ve felt a little bit different in the way my brain works. I could hardly ever focus in school unless it was in Music and English lessons (both of which I love). I constantly jumble up my words, lose my personal belongings, get extreme hyper focus at times, and have a million thoughts in my head at once. Sometimes I experience emotional ups and downs and jump from one task to the next unless I’m in that deep hyper focus.
Becoming a parent to two young, beautiful daughters has been the biggest self-reflection I’ve ever done. I know fellow parents will relate! I wanted a definitive ADHD diagnosis not only for myself, but for my wife and daughters. I’m a student of life. I’ll admit I definitely don’t have everything figured out. I stumble, I screw up and then I learn. That’s just life, right? This ADHD diagnosis is no different. I’ve learnt (and continue to learn) strategies to cope. To be honest I think I’ve been compensating for my ADHD symptoms all my life. At this stage I’m not medicated but I’m definitely not against the idea in future.
I’ve talked about ADHD with my podcast guests, many of whom either have an ADHD diagnosis or are currently going through the testing process. The emerging link between these conditions has led me so much further down this deep rabbit hole than I thought I’d go. The result? I’m planning to cover this topic in much more depth with various researchers and health professionals to peel back the layers of these conditions and find out more.
A Gluten Free Family Delving into Coeliac-ADHD Link
While it’s been an untapped subject for many years until recently, the rise in ADHD awareness over the last 5-10 years has been no accident. Those who say ADHD is over-diagnosed and label it a fad either haven’t been diagnosed themselves, or have a loved one with a diagnosis. As much as it’s great to see ADHD awareness on the rise, it seems coeliac disease consistently hits a wall with the same need for recognition. It is why we continue to spread the word as much as we can here at A Gluten Free Family: one chat at a time.
Given coeliac disease is a clinical chameleon and ADHD can share overlapping symptoms, how can we help more people obtain diagnoses quicker? Coeliac disease is a clinical chameleon. Patients with undiagnosed coeliac disease may present with one, many or none (asymptomatic) of the 250-300 symptoms. Similarly, ADHD manifests differently in various people depending on a multitude of factors. So, the question is: why aren’t we screening for both conditions given they have such similar overlapping symptoms?
Time to get my journalistic hat on and dive deeper into this rabbit hole Gluten Free Fam. Watch this space.
Share Your Coeliac-ADHD Story With A Gluten Free Family
Discussing ADHD and coeliac disease can be lengthy and ironically cruel. For ADHD, the complexity of the testing process is extremely hard. It took me a long time to complete the initial questionnaire and subsequent bookings with my GP and psychologist due to, you guessed it, a lack of being able to focus! However, I’m so glad I pushed through and finally obtained a diagnosis.
It can be a similar lengthy, gruelling process to obtain a coeliac disease diagnosis. Ever since diagnosis in 2020, it blew my mind, and still does to this day, that in order to obtain accurate test results, you must still consistently ingest gluten! If you’re in the testing process right now or a loved one of yours is - please know you’re not alone and it will be worth it to finally have an answer.
If you know someone in the medical/ research field who’d be the perfect guest to discuss this topic or you are one yourself - simply reach out. If you have ADHD and/or coeliac and want to explore this link with us, contact me via hello@aglutenfreefamily.com.au.
