FAQCan a gluten-free diet help with vitiligo?

It's very unlikely. We have specifically looked into claims that gluten-free diet may ease symptoms of vitiligo, or completely reverse it, and found no firm scientific evidence to support this theory.

Gluten is a storage protein in wheat, rye, and barley that puffs up when baked with yeast. It may promote inflammation and intestinal damage in the 0.7% of the population with celiac disease. Children and infants are most likely to show signs of a wheat allergy or gluten intolerance, which are different conditions with similar symptoms.

If you are wondering about gluten in your child's diet, or someone in your family has a history of food allergies, it is best to get a confirmed diagnosis before you start messing with diet. Two to three months of a gluten-restricted diet is enough to see if it can help your vitiligo.

Contrary to many beliefs, gluten-free diets often aren’t very healthy. For example, when teens go gluten-free, they are much more likely to become overweight and to eat less fiber, calcium and iron but consume more fat.

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