Although gluten intolerance test exist for celiac disease, none exist to test for non-celiac gluten sensitivity – an allergy which manifests itself through symptoms after eating gluten without progressing into full autoimmune disorder celiac disease.
If you are experiencing digestive issues such as diarrhea, constipation or IBS symptoms, it would be prudent to undergo a gluten intolerance test.
Celiac Test
This at-home celiac blood test checks for two types of antibodies and offers physician reviewed online results within two days. The kit comes complete with all supplies necessary to collect samples at home – including a pre-paid shipping envelope!
Samples are taken using cotton swabs from your cheek and sent for laboratory analysis. A registered nurse will contact you if there are any further explanations necessary about your results.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which gluten — found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale — triggers an immune response in the small intestine when consumed, leading to digestive symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea as well as vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
This DNA-based screening test detects variants in two genes linked with increased risk for celiac disease. It’s designed for people who have first-degree relatives living with celiac or genetic risk factors; testing costs $199 and results are sent directly to your inbox.
GlutenCHECK
GlutenCHECK is a home test used for diagnosing gluten intolerance and therapy follow up. Once gluten is eliminated from diet, anti-tTG-IgA levels should start decreasing and may become undetectable over six months of gluten-free eating – this diagnosis must be verified by physician as well as suggestions to maintain a gluten-free lifestyle.
GlutenCHECK’s kit includes a solution bottle with sample dilution buffer, one automatic sterile lancet for comfortable blood sampling via finger-prick, and an easy-to-read color-coded test cassette with results available within 10 minutes – less expensive than some alternatives on the market!
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that leads to inflammation of the small intestine. Diagnosing it may be difficult, with symptoms differing depending on each person and even some not showing any visible symptoms at all. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity causes similar gastrointestinal issues without harming small intestines directly.
At-Home Tests
At-home tests are widely available from most major retailers online and offline. While they are usually not covered by insurance plans, many companies provide virtual support and an itemized receipt which can be submitted for reimbursement by health savings accounts or flexible spending accounts. At-home tests typically require collecting a specimen from blood, urine, stool, saliva or respiratory swabs and sending it off for testing by the user; some antigen based while others molecular.
Reading and following manufacturer instructions with great care is of utmost importance when performing tests at home. Make sure the sample is collected accurately and time the test accordingly; if no control line appears in the result window (C), that may indicate something is amiss with your test and should be repeated; alternatively you could visit a community testing site or call for assistance if any concerns or advice is needed.
IgA Endomysial Antibody Test
Once anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (anti-tTG) have been identified in the blood, the next step should be identifying whether or not that person has celiac disease through duodenal biopsy.
The EMA test is the most specific way of diagnosing coeliac disease and reacts with endomysium, the primary autoantigen for gluten sensitive enteropathy. Unfortunately, however, this procedure is more expensive than its tTG counterpart and requires primate esophagus or human umbilical cord as a tissue substrate for indirect immunofluorescence testing.
If you eliminate gluten completely, your EMA levels should return to normal within several months. If your symptoms continue to worsen, however, it is important to evaluate possible hidden sources of gluten such as salad dressings, cough syrup or adhesive used on envelopes. The most accurate way of doing this is the tTG-IgA test; however this test cannot be used if you consume gluten prior to testing.
