Gluten-free diet: a remedy for infertility?

The World Health Organization defines infertility as the inability to conceive after 12 months of unprotected intercourse. Eight to 12 percent of couples worldwide experience reproductive problems, and of these about 30 percent have infertility whose causes remain unexplained to date.
Women with unexplained infertility are three times more likely to be celiac than fertile women. According to some studies this may be due to the malabsorption typical of celiac disease and the deficiencies it causes: iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and folic acid.

Patients who discover they have celiac disease and begin a gluten-free diet have higher rates of spontaneous pregnancy and respond better to medically assisted procreation techniques.
Some studies also show a link between untreated celiac disease and reduced fertile life (celiac patients often have delayed menarche and early menopause), as well as polyabortion and childbirth complications.

So, a gluten-free diet, which to date is the only treatment for celiac disease, may play a role in promoting their fertility.
On the other hand, excluding gluten on one's own initiative and without having a real need for it is neither functional nor healthy.

That is why expert advice, preferably with a focus on reproduction, is important both in hypothesizing the possible role of gluten in your fertility and in managing the exclusion diet with the right foods and supplements.

Krawczyk A, Kretek A, Pluta D, Kowalczyk K, Czech I, Radosz P, Madej P. Gluten-free diet - remedy for infertility or dangerous trend? Ginekol Pol. 2022 Feb 14

Dr. Elena Martucci

Biologist Nutritionist Specialist in Food Science