Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Question About Ttg Iga


birdie22

Recommended Posts

birdie22 Enthusiast

Is there any other reason than celiac that would cause a tTg IgA to be even slightly elevated? Do "normal" people have some tTg IgA in their systems?

 

The reason that I ask is that mine was tested recently. Now, I've been gluten-free since Nov 2011 and did (with advice from my doc and my own desire) a gluten challenge in July (I'm diagnosed NCGS). I only lasted 12 days on the challenge and broke out in a lacy full body rash, joint pain, heartburn, etc. I already had the lab request paperwork from my doc for the tTg and a CBC so I went ahead and did the lab work even though I knew the tTg wouldn't be accurate. I didn't get the lab work done for a month AFTER I stopped the challenge. Again, knew a 12 day challenge wasn't long enough for accurate results so having it done a month later wasn't really going to matter.

 

I got my results today and the tTg IgA was 5.4 (ref range 0-19.9 negative). My total IgA was 204 (ref range 70-400). 

 

So I'm curious 5.4 isn't 0 but it's also well below the 19.9. Could it be possible to have low amounts of tTg normally circulating?


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



kareng Grand Master

My best guess is - Its either a normal occurrence in humans or an inherent issue with the test.  That is why they have a range for normal.  For some reason, tests in healthy people may have a small amount of what is being tested for.  Or, the test has an issue that this normal range fixes.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - trents replied to Ello's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      1

      Small Bowel Resection 12 inches

    2. - Ello posted a topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      1

      Small Bowel Resection 12 inches

    3. - Scott Adams replied to jenniber's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      8

      Disaccharide deficient, confusing biopsy results, no blood test

    4. - miguel54b commented on Scott Adams's article in Ataxia, Nerve Disease, Neuropathy, Brain Damage and Celiac Disease
      1

      Could Gluten and Alzheimer’s Be Linked? New Research Uncovers Surprising Protein Parallels (+Video)

    5. - xxnonamexx replied to xxnonamexx's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      30

      My journey is it gluten or fiber?

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,827
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    ABC reno
    Newest Member
    ABC reno
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Welcome to the celic.com community @Ello! You say you had a blood test for celiac disease after eating gluten for 2 weeks. Were you gluten free before that? Had you ever been officially diagnosed with celiac disease previously? You say the result of the blood test was 1.5. Can you provide the name of the test and the reference range for negative vs. positive for the test? I ask because different labs used different reference ranges so scores without a reference range aren't very helpful.
    • Ello
      Surgery was in April 2023 due adhesions wrapped around my small bowel which caused blockage and had to be removed. Adhesions were so badly entangled that Surgeon could not cut out them, so the resection was performed. July 2025 started having severe yellow diarrhea and sometimes constipation. Just had another episode and was tested for celiac. Blood test stated 1.5 after eating gluten for 2 weeks. Lipase level was 120. Having an CT scan to check the pancreas. I have never had any issues eating gluten and now I am so fearful that I might have celiac. Has anyone had a small bowel resection? I am 65 years old. UGGH! I am still feeling bloating etc. 
    • Scott Adams
      If your tTg-IgA was 28 and positive is at 3, you are nearly 10x over the positive marker, so the most likely explanation by far would be celiac disease. I also do not understand why your doctor would not want to run the blood test, which is the normal first step in the diagnosis process.
    • xxnonamexx
      Is there a digestive enzyme that helps build a healthier gut? I see people taking them but not sure what really works
    • trents
      So the tTG-IGA at 28 is positive for celiac disease. There are some other medical conditions that can cause elevated tTG-IGA but this is unlikely. There are some people for whom the dairy protein casein can cause this but by far the most likely cause is celiac disease. Especially when your small bowel lining is "scalloped". Your Serum IGA 01 (aka, "total IGA") at 245 mg/dl is within normal range, indicating you are not IGA deficient. But I also think it would be wise to take your doctor's advice about the sucraid diet and avoiding dairy . . . at least until you experience healing and your gut has had a chance to heal, which can take around two years. After that, you can experiment with adding dairy back in and monitor symptoms. By the way, if you want the protein afforded by dairy but need to avoid casein, you can do so with whey protein powder. Whey is the other major protein in dairy.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.