Common Question: What should I know before I get tested for Celiac Disease

#1. An IGA test for Celiac disease has a much lower accuracy reading if you have ever been on a gluten-free diet. If you are not eating gluten, then this is not the test for you.

#2. A TtG test for Celiac disease requires that you eat large amounts of gluten for at least 6 weeks (if you are doing the gluten challenge). The TtG test is more accurate than the IGA test for Celiac Disease, if you have ever been on a gluten-free diet.

#3.IGA antibodies are often an inaccurate method of testing for Celiac Disease, especially for individuals with a history of auto-immune disorders or gastro-intestinal disorders (eg. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chronic Constipation, ect...). TtG tests are generally a more accurate measurement tool.

#4. There is a genetic test for the Celiac gene that does not require a gluten-challenge. The problem with the genetic test is that 30% of the population have the gene for Celiac disease, but only 1 out of 133 Americans have the disease.

Two labs that do this test are:

(a) Prometheus Labs http://www.prometheuslabs.com/
(b) Entero Labs https://www.enterolab.com/Home.htm

#5. If you have a medical diagnosis of Celiac Disease, be prepared to always have health insurance. If you do not have health insurance or you have a lapse on your health insurance coverage, a diagnosis of Celiac Disease may prevent you from being covered or may require a much larger premium than standard coverage without Celiac Disease. Insurance companies still view Celiac as a Disease and they do not understand that the cure to Celiac Disease is a gluten-free diet; they don't understand that Celiac Disease is cureable and they treat it as a pre-existing condition.

For reason #5, I have chosen to not be tested for Celiac Disease.

I recommend that you talk to your doctor before starting a gluten-free diet.

I additionally recommend that you get tested for Celiac Disease before starting the gluten-free diet.