A Home Gluten Sensitivity Test--How to Get Gluten Testing
There is currently a method available for testing for
those who feel they may be gluten sensitive or who have
already had standard testing for celiac disease with no
result. There is a home gluten sensitivity test. It is a new
procedure developed by Dr. Kenneth Fine of Entero Lab.
Dr. Fine is a board certified Gastroenterologist. He himself
is gluten free. He wanted to find a way to test
for gluten sensitivity that could find it earlier in the
disease process, so that there would be less damage. He has
done considerable research but has not yet published the data.
This type of home gluten sensitivity test is not accepted by the
medical profession at this time as being accurate. The
medical profession didn't accept that h. pylori bacteria caused
ulcers though either. It took them 10 years to accept it. I
didn't want to wait 10 years to know if I needed to be gluten
free.
So I am going to let you decide if you want to have this test.
You don't need a prescription for the home gluten sensitivity
test.
His lab offers a stool test that you will do at home. It
involves shipping the specimens back to Entero Lab for
testing. He also offers a gene test that is sent on to
Bonfils Laboratory in Denver, Co for the actual test. The gene
test is performed in the mouth, with a swab of the inner
cheek. Entero Lab does not diagnose celiac disease, but they
can tell you if you have anti-gliadin and anti-tTg
antibodies. (Which shows an immune reaction).
Insurance is not likely to cover this test, but it is an
alternative for those who can't seem to get
help through traditional medicine. Some people prefer this
route also because there have been some cases where insurance
would not cover people once they were diagnosed with celiac
disease. (Usually under the pre-existing condition clause when
they wanted to switch companies.)
You can order the tests separately or in one group known as a
panel. The group option is about $400. It includes the
antibody tests for gluten and casein(dairy), a fat
malabsorption test, and the gene test. For more information
on his work read the essay under Research and Education on the
Entero Lab website.
Update: The tests offered by Entero Lab have changed.
There are several panels which include testing for food
sensitivities.
The one I recommend is Panel B, as this will test for reactions
to gluten, casein, egg and soy. It includes the gene test
also, but not an anti-Tissue Transglutaminate Antibody test.
I recommend that this separate test be added to the panel.
A positive result on the anti-tTg test indicates that the
immune system has antibodies to the enzyme and is damaging the
tissue of the small intestine. (autoimmune reaction) ( The
blood (not stool) test for anti-tTg is the test most medical
doctors currently use for diagnosing celiac disease.) It is
only positive if the body is having an autoimmune reaction.
The panel also no longer includes the fat malabsorption test.
That test can also be added to the panel if desired.
Note: I have recently found out that Dr. Fine has submitted
his research for review. I will update as more information
on this becomes available.
Entero Lab
I am not affiliated with Entero Lab in any way.
I did use their services however, when my husband, who has
advanced osteoporosis, (dx'd at age 45) was told he did not
have celiac disease because his tTG test was negative.
He has low vitamin D, and does not retain the Vitamin D he is
given.
His endocrinologist is puzzled by that fact, and said to him
"But we tested you for celiac!" She can't understand why
his body behaves like a celiac's. As far as she is
concerned, he doesn't have it, since the blood tTG test was
negative. No other tests were done.
The blood test alone will not pick up the disease in patients
that have early stage damage much of the time. A recent
study showed that for those with less than complete villous
atrophy, the blood test detected celiac disease only about
31% of the time.
See this article:
Celiac Disease and Reproductive Health
So we went to Entero Lab. I know the results were accurate for
us because we have been on the gluten free diet since November
2006, and if we accidentally get any gluten in our systems, we
get sick. Also, many of our other symptoms have disappeared
on the diet.
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