Having access to the right functional lab tests is key.
Are you confused trying to distinguish the difference between a gluten allergy, gluten sensitivity, and Celiac disease? If you have any type of autoimmune condition, such as hypothyroid or Hashimoto’s disease, or inflammation in your body and joints, you may have been advised to eliminate gluten from your life. Or you may be curious about how living gluten-free can improve your energy and weight. But if you aren’t having the more visible and documented incapacitating digestive symptoms that immediately occur when you take your first bite of bread or pasta, how do you know what to do?
It can be extremely difficult to be certain that avoiding gluten is something you really should do for your health without any obvious proof. What if some tests indicate sensitivity while others do not? This was my challenge for years with traditional medicine and tests, and I did not know who or what to trust!
I recently gave a presentation to the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) organization’s Seattle chapter on “Understanding Food Sensitivity Testing: Celiac and Non-Celiac Wheat Reactivity Detection” to educate on the challenges faced when testing, methods, and the pros and cons to be considered.
May is Celiac Awareness Month, which makes it a great time to explore gluten reactivity testing. It is important to understand what are considered “good tests” and what defines a true Celiac disease condition. In this article, we will discuss proper testing for Celiac and non-Celiac gluten sensitivity. Read on to learn more.
Only did I personally finally find the answers I needed, which explained these testing discrepancies, when I was able to get access to the RIGHT functional lab tests. In my case, it was the Cyrex Laboratories Array #3™.
The knowledge I gained from this experience was profoundly transformational when making sense of all the mixed messages I had been receiving from different doctors. When I was able to truly trust and understand my detailed results, I was armed with the necessary facts and information to help me make and stick to all the foundational gluten-free dietary and lifestyle changes I needed to embrace to rebuild my health. (Read more about “What Does it Mean to Be Gluten-Free”.)
Now, I provide my clients access to numerous food sensitivity lab tests, and when it comes to a suspected gluten issue, the newer Vibrant Wellness Wheat Zoomer™ and Cyrex Array 3X™ are my go-to choices to get ALL the necessary wheat reactivity information plus clear signals that a potential Celiac disease condition exists that requires medical attention.
Many companies offer food sensitivity testing using various methods, which can be overwhelming. At FDN’s Medical Director Program, we carefully research and assess the best clinical tests for our practitioners. We have access to over 30 different tests from more than 10 different labs that we can make available to clients worldwide. We currently only use blood serum draw or finger prick dried blood spot methodologies for food sensitivity testing.
A reliable food reactivity test must possess high sensitivity and specificity. Test sensitivity refers to its ability to detect even the slightest reaction, while test specificity is its capacity to accurately identify the offending food item. This is particularly crucial when dealing with wheat and gluten reactions, which are more complex than other types of food reactions.
Celiac disease affects around 1% of the US population and is usually associated with harm to the small intestine and digestive problems. Affected individuals are often underweight and malnourished, and experience severe reactions to foods that contain gluten. If patients show these symptoms, doctors perform a biopsy of their small intestine to identify any damage to the villi of their digestive tract.
To be truly medically diagnosed as having Celiac disease, 3 distinct markers ALL need to be present.
#1. A DNA blood test is done to look for the presence of one or both Celiac-related genetic markers. It has been concluded that Celiac disease is consistently associated with the DQ8 and DQ2 gene profiles. Once identified in an individual, either of these two genetic profiles indicates that there is a greater possibility that he or she has Celiac disease.
#2. Elevated alpha-gliadin antibodies must be detected by another blood test, specifically to Transglutaminase (tTG)2 and/or Deglaminated Peptide (DGP). The presence of tTG2 indicates damage to the microvilli and gut mucosa.
#3. When the Celiac-associated genes and antibodies are both detected, along with the classic symptoms of severe gastrointestinal distress, that’s when your gastroenterologist will order an endoscopy and biopsy to assess the Marsh Score. You are diagnosed formally as Celiac when the Marsh Score = 3 or 4, 4 being the highest, which indicates that the microvilli have become flattened and the damage to the small intestine is severe.
When these specific genes are detected through a positive biopsy and antibody test, the diagnosis of celiac disease is usually confirmed. However, in my case, I had both genes but none of the typical symptoms, such as digestive distress. My doctor at the time only tested my genetic profile and made a wrong diagnosis of Celiac disease. This left me confused and frustrated.
Recent evidence shows some people without the at-risk genetic profile or exact symptoms suffer from gluten intolerance. Although some experts believe only alpha-gliadins cause reactions, several parts of grains can lead to adverse immune reactions.
Some individuals may not have extensive damage to the small intestine or the missing antibody for gliadin, but they will still experience gluten sensitivity and an immunological response whenever they consume gluten. More thorough testing for every constituent of glutinous grain is often required to identify the larger population that suffers from gluten sensitivity.
Food sensitivity tests only check for reactions to whole food molecules and most tests only identify IgG immunoglobulins. Previous tests didn’t show any sensitivity to wheat or gluten as whole foods, but a deeper test that measured reactivity to individual proteins, peptides, lectins, and micro-elements revealed my severe intolerance. The Vibrant Wellness Wheat Zoomer™ and the Cyrex Laboratories Array 3™ are two tests that examine the micro-components of wheat and gluten.
The Cyrex Array 3™ test revealed multiple IgG and IgA proteome markers for wheat gluten and non-gluten peptides. The Cyrex Array 3X™ and Wheat Zoomer™ tests examine 16 pairs of IgG/IgA markers, tTG, and DGP antibodies. Wheat Zoomer™ can also test for the two Celiac detect markers and assess IgE for true wheat allergies. Interestingly, the wheat components that I was sensitive to affected my brain rather than my gut, causing extreme fatigue and foggy brain symptoms.
Traditional testing is only successful in 30% of cases, leading 70% of individuals to receive false or negative results. Undiagnosed gluten sensitivity can cause health conditions, including certain cancers and autoimmune diseases. I experienced confusion with traditional tests as some showed sensitivity to gluten and dairy while most did not.
Many experts cite the countless stories and experiences of those individuals who received false or negative results of Celiac disease and were assured that eating foods with gluten would not harm them.
New, more accurate testing methods are available if you worry about having undiagnosed gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. Find the right practitioners to work on your testing procedure and provide you with greater hope about your condition.
Conventional tests for Celiac disease based on whole wheat antigliadin IgG levels are outdated and only effective for a small percentage of individuals affected by gluten reactivity. Newer and more reliable testing approaches, such as the Vibrant Wellness Wheat Zoomer™ or Cyrex Array 3 X™, can identify a greater proportion of people who may need to avoid gluten for life.
If you want access to the right functional lab test to uncover your hidden stressors and healing opportunities to finally restore your energy, weight, and digestive health – I can help. Set up your free Health Discovery Session with me today to learn more.
