Home

Mission

Gluten Sensitivity

Toxins

Prevalence

Symptoms and Maladies

Traditional Testing

Progressive Testing


Cutting-Edge Research

Forward-Thinking Doctors

Gluten-Free Diet

Empower Yourself

Resources

My Book

About the Author

Tidbits

Contact

Disclaimer



X-Gluten.com - a collection of the best and most comprehensive information about gluten intolerance diagnosis and the latest resources for testing, diagnosis, research, medical information, gluten-free diets, and more.

TRADITIONAL TESTING
FOR CELIAC DISEASE

FOUR BLOOD TESTS may help you detect CD. This panel of blood tests has been pulled from various national support groups, university research centers, and forward-thinking doctors (many who are not on the same page). It is unfortunate that few doctors are aware of these 4 tests so you may need to request them. I have discovered this personally through my own family experiences, in conversation with many folks who are trying to resolve their health issues, and with a lab experience trying to help a friend. You may be able to just call and request these four tests without making another appointment.

THE FOUR BLOOD TESTS:                 

  • tTG: IgA – Tissue Transglutaminase* 
    (tTG: IgG is important if IgA deficient)                    
  • EMA: IgA – Endomysial Antibody
  • AGA: IgA and IgG – Antigliadin Antibody
  • Total Serum IgA – IgA Deficiency test

*A new set of tests, the Deamidated Gliadin Peptide, or DGP: IgA and IgG, may be suggested in place of the tTG, though as of this writing not all labs offer this test. Two recent studies concluded that the tTG continues to be more effective than the DGP.**

**Lewis and Scott, “Meta-analysis: Deamidated Gliadin Peptide Antibody and Tissue Transglutaminase Antibody Compared as Screening Tests for Coeliac Disease,” and Volta et al. “Old and New Serological Tests for Celiac Disease Screening.”

The tTG and EMA are LIMITED to diagnosing Celiac Disease

They will not identify Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance

TESTING NEGATIVE for tTG

DOES NOT RULE OUT

 NON-CELIAC GLUTEN INTOLERANCE

The ANTIGLIADIN ANTIBODY (AGA: IgA and IgG) testing is very important and is recognized by more forward-thinking doctors. It is recommended by the Gluten Intolerance Group, The Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, and the Celiac Center at Mass General in Boston.

The ANTIGLIADIN ANTIBODY (AGA) blood test is recommended for children under 2 because the tTG or EMA antibodies may not have had time to develop; however, the ENTEROLAB STOOL TEST is more sensitive and can be used on younger children.

If you test negative on the blood tests, you will be told that you don’t have CD; the blood tests are often falsely negative. Patients are often told they may continue to consume gluten, which may lead to more or worse symptoms.  CD/GI is a slow and progressively degenerative process; villous atrophy may be occurring at a miniscule level that is not even detectable with the typical microscope that is used, or…

The ANTIGLIADIN ANTIBODY

May be damaging other parts of the body

 WITHOUT having any villous atrophy

It is important that people begin with the 4 blood tests (doctors need to learn about the 4 tests, and they will most likely be covered by your insurance).  However, if you are negative on these tests or if your doctor is resistant to your request and the information you provide and s/he is only willing to do 1 test, then YOU MUST continue your quest for better health with ENTEROLAB STOOL TESTING or you simply may never resolve your health issues (see: Progressive Testing).

The AGA: IgA and IgG antibody blood tests are often positive when there is no intestinal damage (no villous atrophy), especially with neurological issues. These antibodies can affect other parts of the body: skin, nerves, blood, organs and more. 

The tTG testing may show a mild positive result that research suggests as a sign of things to come (CD). Your doctor may not be aware of this.

One could have NON-CELIAC GLUTEN INTOLERANCE (no gut damage) with numerous nasty ailments going on, and could highly benefit from the ANTIGLIADIN ANTIBODY (AGA: IgG and IgA) blood testing if doctors were more aware of these tests. 

Some people have IgA Deficiency. It is important to have the Total Serum IgA blood test to discover this.  If a person has IgA Deficiency they will not make enough IgA antibodies to test properly.  They may actually test negative, but really be positive if they had been able to produce enough of the IgA antibodies.

VERY IMPORTANT

  • You MUST keep consuming gluten until you have your blood tests.
  • Heavy-duty drugs (immuno-suppressants, maybe others) may jade or compromise the test results. 
  • If you are positive, it is recommended that parents, children, and siblings be tested as genes are involved.
  • A STRICT Gluten-Free Diet MUST be adopted for life to rejuvenate your health or halt degenerative damage.

For more indepth information and supporting research for testing read Toxic Staple

To be diagnosed with CD, traditional medicine says that you need to be positive on the endoscopic biopsy, the "gold standard", showing damaged villi. There is a very wide spectrum here; not everyone who is Gluten Sensitive has damaged villi and not everyone tests positive on the tTG. There are many reasons one may seem to be negative on the endoscopy or actually not have flattened villi, but may be positive on the AGA blood tests, (or if negative on those, may be positive on the stool tests) and may be very Gluten Intolerant and perhaps quite sick.

REQUEST a COPY of the 4 TESTS

To be sure you received ALL 4

It is your legal right

Many people have been tested for CD, told they didn’t have it and only were given 1 test (most likely the tTG), when in reality they had requested the 4 blood tests.  You need to be sure you were given all 4 tests as described above. If you are “sick and tired of being sick and tired” or are having chronic issues:

DO NOT JUMP FOR JOY

 IF NEGATIVE ON THE BLOOD TESTS

Until you

 DO THE STOOL TESTING AT ENTEROLAB

(See: Progressive Testing)

 

 

 
©2009 Anne Sarkisian
designed by Wendy Roberts Design