It’s concerning to think about the possibility of developing a metabolic problem or mental illness because of a prolonged, unresolved gluten intolerance. And more scarily is that it’s far from rare. This is especially true for kids affected with coeliac disease and all the classic symptoms are ignored. As a parent, it is your duty to ensure that your child is eating the right food for them, their bodies for optimal health. But beyond that, as a person, it is your responsibility to educated yourself and stay in control of your own well-being as well. With that said, there are a number gluten tests you can take to confirm the existence of a gluten allergy.
Of course, there’s the standard, doctor-prescribed saliva, stool or blood tests measuring levels of gluten antibodies. But more often than not these usually are not all that conclusive. So the first thing optimally to take care of are those accounting for AGA-IgA and AGG-IgG Blood Tests. Then, you could reinforce it with tests on endomysial, anti-tissue transglutaminase and anti-gliadin antibodies. Just take note that they cannot be directly correlated with coeliac disease. So, you might have to back them up with results from other sources too.
The next gluten free testing option to take would be to measure the amount of gluteomorphins in your system as they are commonly present after gluten detoxification. These opiate-like compounds that provide addictive relief usually present themselves a few days or weeks after gluten allergy symptoms are experienced. And then, you could find out more about your glutenin and anti-glutenin antibody levels as glutenin is also a byproduct of gluten metabolism (gliadin being the other).
Wheat germ agglutinin is also another thing you could ask to be examined since they are the lectin component of wheat that render other nutrients useless. And you can check up on your prodynorphin levels given that their production can be halted in lieu of gluten intolerance.
To confirm or negate the existence of coeliac disease, it’s recommended to undergo genetic testing since they provide DNA-linked evidence of its presence, with or without antibodies testing. But I would discourage rudimentary intestinal biopsy as it is invasive and plagued with false-positives.
Self Assessment
If you’re anything like me I hate the doctors … so the great news is self assessment is also a great way to tell if you have gluten intolerance and coeliac disease. It is one of the cheapest and most revealing of the bunch. All you have to do is watch out for stomach pain, indigestion, bloating, diarrhea and/or constipation shortly after eating a gluten-rich meal. And you should also pay attention to resurgence or exaggeration of these conditions after several days:
- Fatigue
- Arthritis
- Autoimmune atacks
- Skin irritations
- Heartburn
- Congestion
- Migraines
- Irritability, anxiety
If you are suffering through the given symptoms without consuming food products made out of wheat, barley and rye, it would be best to ask for a gluten cross-reactivity exam because there is that possibility that gluten antibodies are also reacting to proteins from other sources.
Again, to confirm gluten intolerance and coeliac disease, the tests you should take are:
- AGA-IgA and AGG-IgG
- Endomysial
- Anti-tissu transglutaminase
- Gliadin and anti-gliadin
- Gluteomorphins
- Glutenin and anti-glutenin
- Wheat germ agglutinin
- Prodynorphin
- Genetic testing
- Self assessment
- and, Gluten cross-reactivity
.
Want to find out more about Going Gluten Free?
> 6 Benefits of a Gluten Free Diet
> 10 Must have’s for a Gluten Free Pantry
> How to get Started on a Gluten Free Diet
Have any questions, feel free to contact me or leave your comments below. I’d love to hear from you.
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