Celiac disease and anemia

Hello @kks1977, Welcome to Connect. I know it has to be difficult struggling to find answers when you have multiple conditions. I recently had iron deficiency discovered prior to hernia surgery and had to have multiple iron infusions to bring my levels up to normal before having surgery. There is another discussion where members have shared what's helped them here:
-- Iron Deficiency- absorption: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/iron-deficiency-absorption/.

While we wait for other members with experience to respond, you might find the following articles helpful:
-- Celiac Disease and Anemia: https://gluten.org/2019/10/17/celiac-disease-and-anemia/
-- Persistent Iron Deficiency Anemia in Patients with Celiac Disease Despite a Gluten-Free Diet:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7468819/.
-- Why Anemia and Celiac Disease Are Often Found Together:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/anemia-and-celiac-disease-563116.
Have you talked with your doctor or a dietician to see if they may have some suggestions to help with increasing your iron levels?

Thank you for these articles.
I have had iron infusions in the past, but I'm in Canada so they are very strict with where hemoglobin levels need to be to qualify for an infusion and mine are not low enough yet.
I'm finding my doctor/dietician/naturopath all give the same advice, which I'm doing, but nothing is changing.
I appreciate your time.

Vitamin C increases iron absorption from what I have been told.
I am the opposite of you. Celiac and hemochromatosis. I have to stay away from Vitamin C because it aids in iron absorption.
I hope this helps.

I am glad you posted this question because it made me take a closer look at my situation. It also looks like calcium inhibits iron absorption so maybe lay off the calcium and bump up your vitamin C. Some studies say vitamin D plays a role too but I can’t say I understand how they say that works. Being from Canada means vitamin D deficiency is pretty common.
For me, I have avoided milk products most of my life because I got gassy and uncomfortable. Since I have gone gluten free, that reaction is negligible or not existent. Yay! So now I will eat more calcium rich foods and that might help me have better iron and ferritin numbers. Remember I have too much iron, not too little, so do the opposite of what I do.

Just got a hold of my sister, who has celiac, and she has not had the problem since she had a hysterectomy.

@mayo99824 Vitamin D is such an important vitamin in our bodies- not only for bone building but for many other chemical processes- including cancer prevention. Living in Canada does not get one enough exposure to sunlight to supply the body with enough Vitamin D. Supplements are easily available and especially important as we get older.
Here is a link to a Harvard article on Vitamin D https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2012/09/sun.jpg

@mayo99824
I think this link works-
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15050-vitamin-d-vitamin-d-deficiency#

Thanks but my confusion was about the way Vitamin D affects iron absorption. It sounds like there is a relation but in some places I read Vitamin D aids in iron absorption and in others, it hinders iron absorption. I didn’t want to recommend it unless I understood it, which I don’t.
In my case, I have had iron supplements recommended because everyone needs iron, right? Actually that is wrong with hemochromatosis.
I mentioned Vitamin D because Northern residents often don’t get as much Vitamin D (as others) from the sun, especially in the Winter. And there might be some benefit of D for iron absorption but it also might hinder. Vitamin C (aid) and calcium (hinder) appear to have strong evidence of effect on iron absorption. Before taking any supplements talk it over with your doctor.
I have learned that vitamins, herbs and even food are all really medicines.