Often, Celiac can be missed even when tested for. Here is why… and what you can ask for!
Here are the Top Reasons Celiac is Missed with your Provider:
- Not having adequate gluten prior to testing. Sometimes providers don’t ask if someone is gluten free already prior to testing – this combined with the fact that 1 in 5 IBD patients will try a gluten free diet at some point increases the odds that celiac could be missed.
- Only testing for 1 antibody – Although current research suggests we should test for 6 antibodies, sometimes providers only test for 1 which we know from a recent study can lead to 10% of celiac cases being missed.
Top Ways the Internet Makes Things Confusing with Testing:
- Unreliable test markers – Testing for genetic markers, anti-gliadin and zonulin are not validated markers to check for celiac. However, some mistakenly confuse the two.
- Confusing an allergy with celiac- Wheat allergies are not the same as Celiac. Celiac is different- it is an autoimmune process where gluten damages the gut.
How to Properly Test for Celiac:
- Have gluten for 6 weeks prior to the test (at least 1 slice of whole wheat bread for 6 weeks)
- Test for all 6 Antibodies in labwork:
- total IgA
- tissue transglutaminase (tTG-IgA)
- immunoglobulin A (IgA)
- tTG immunoglobulin G (IgG) tests
- endomysial antibody (EMA) – IgA test
- deamidated gliadin peptide (DGP) -IgA DGP-IgG tests
- Biopsy with endoscopy or capsule to look for damage to villi under the microscope