How Celiac Disease Can Impact Your Sexuality

Research shows that celiac disease—especially undiagnosed celiac disease—can affect many aspects of your reproductive health.

Women suffer a wide array of reproductive disorders related to celiac disease, including increased risks of infertility, miscarriage, and other pregnancy problems. Although far less research has been done to document the reproductive health effects of celiac disease on men, what few studies there are indications that male infertility is higher among undiagnosed celiac men.

But can having the undiagnosed celiac disease affect your sexuality and your sexual satisfaction? Although available research is, again, scanty, the answer appears to be yes.

Effects on Frequency and Satisfaction

One study on celiac disease and sexuality looked at sexual behavior in just-diagnosed celiac disease patients and then revisited them a year later to see what, if anything, had changed. The researchers also compared patients with celiac disease with control subjects without celiac disease.

Patients just diagnosed with celiac who hadn't yet adopted the gluten-free diet had a significantly lower frequency of intercourse when compared with controls. They also reported far less satisfied with their sex lives.

However, like so many other celiac disease symptoms and complications, these sexual problems reversed once the individuals began following the gluten-free diet; one year after diagnosis, the study subjects reported a significantly higher frequency of sexual activity, plus significantly enhanced satisfaction with sex.

Similar Links Between Celiac Disease and Sexuality

Another study, this one on grown-up celiac children, also found similar links between celiac disease and sexuality.

The researchers surveyed three groups of young adults, all of whom had a biopsy "suggestive of celiac disease" in childhood. Some had followed the gluten-free diet since being diagnosed in childhood, some had adhered to a gluten-free diet for a year or more after diagnosis but then had reverted to a gluten-filled diet, and some had never followed the gluten-free diet.

Those in the "never gluten-free" group had decreased frequency of intercourse—fewer than six times per month, compared to nearly seven times per month in the group following the gluten-free diet continually and nearly nine times per month in the "transient" gluten-free diet group.

The "never gluten-free" group also reported less interest in sex—18% said they had low interest in sex, compared with 13% of the gluten-free diet group and 11% of the "transient" gluten-free diet group.

All three groups had about 3% of people reporting difficulty attaining orgasm and fewer than 1% of people reporting painful intercourse. A total of 72% of persons with celiac who continually followed a gluten-free diet, 71% of persons with celiac who never followed a gluten-free diet, and 89% of persons with celiac who only followed a gluten-free diet for a year or more said they were satisfied with their sexual lives.

The researchers also noted that "the psychological attitude of young adults with coeliac disease before dietetic treatment can be described as a low-energy mood that interferes with the general perception of the quality of life."

Gluten-Free Diet May Help Your Sex Life

Both of these studies indicate that your sex drive improves and you have sex more often if you're diagnosed with celiac and follow the gluten-free diet.

Of course, celiac disease can interfere with your sex life in other ways, some of which can kill the spontaneity (and perhaps your libido, too). For example, you can't kiss someone wearing gluten-containing lipstick without risking getting sick if you're celiac, and it's wise (imperative, in fact) to ask a gluten-eating (or beer-drinking), partner, to brush his or her teeth before kissing you.

However, given the choice between feeling constantly fatigued and having little or no sex drive, and having to do a little advance planning in order to have a fun romantic interlude, my guess is most celiacs would choose the planning and the interlude.