I'd Like Opinions On Enterolab Tests

[CMCM]

I was looking at the Enterolab website and their various tests. It seems that quite a few of you have been diagnosed thru them....I'm wondering what the general consensus is about the validity of this sort of testing. Is this medically "valid" or is this type of testing still kind of "out there"??? It certainly seems that the blood tests look a bit "iffy" sometimes, and the data on the enterolab site talks like the stool test is much more indicative and reliable than are blood tests. Should I believe them? I've been off gluten 2 weeks this Friday, and I emailed E-lab to ask about that...they said no problem, that you could actually have been gluten free up to a year and still show what they need to see via the stool tests.

Anyhow, the best deal LOOKS like the package with Gluten sensitivity stool and gene panel complete...which does the gluten sensitivity stool test, tissue transglutaminase stool test, inestinal malabsorption test, gluten sensitivity gene test, and a milk sensitivity stool test.

I asked them about the minimal testing to do and the person who responded said the gluten sensitivity and the casein sensitivity, but I'm wondering if I should just go ahead with the package and get all that stuff done at once. If you start doing things piecemeal you end up spending a lot more money.

For those of you who had the Enterolab tests, which ones did you do and were those sufficient? Or did you end up needing to do blood work etc.???

Thanks!

[Rachel--24]

I had all the tests done. The IgA, tTG, malabsorption, casein and genes. I think this is the best way to go if you can afford it because it gives you a clearer picture....whereas if you only were to get the IgA...I think you would be left with more questions and probably more tests.

I did had negative bloodtests (IgA & tTG) after 2 weeks on the diet. After my Enterolab results (and 6 months gluten-free) I had the biopsy. Pretty useless since I'd been on the diet awhile but I wanted to rule out anything else. The GI checked for other things as well. The only test I'm still interested in having done is the total serum IgA...just to keep me from wondering about that.

[tarnalberry]

Enterolab's tests haven't been published and peer reviewed, hence most insurance companies won't pay for it and many doctors won't accept the results. I'm not saying it's "out there", I'm merely saying it hasn't been accepted by the scientific community. Given how long it takes for something new to be accepted by the scientific community, that doesn't necessarily mean much one way or the other. It's helped many people, but the community jury is still out on the validity. If it makes you feel any better, academic research in Italy is investigating the concept of stool testing for celiac, but I don't think the method is identical to Enterolab's.

[dlp252]

I've been off gluten 2 weeks this Friday, and I emailed E-lab to ask about that...they said no problem, that you could actually have been gluten free up to a year and still show what they need to see via the stool tests. ... For those of you who had the Enterolab tests, which ones did you do and were those sufficient? Or did you end up needing to do blood work etc.???

Shoot, I guess I should have read the site better. I just sent in my tests last week. I ordered the full panel, plus egg & yeast tests. Now after your statement about being off gluten for a year or less, I'm wondering if my tests will show anything. I have basically been low carb (I think I instinctively knew I needed to be off gluten) because it just made me feel better, but I did have several weeks of "regular" eating from September to the end of November...including breads and stuff, and up until April of this year had 100% Whole Wheat lo carb tortillas...I'm hoping that's enough to show on the Enterolab tests. Boy, if not I just spent a lot of money for nothing, lol. I haven't heard anything from them yet, so can't answer the rest of your question.

[Nantzie]

I haven't done the tests that Enterolab does themselves, BUT I did order my genetic tests through them. They actually send out their genetic tests to be done by Laboratories at Bonfils. So when you get your genetics through Enterolab, it's actually Labs at Bonfils that does it.

I found Labs at Bonfils' website and I was very impressed by them. www.labsatbonfils.com They got some sort of international certification that is apparently a very big deal. See the news section.

Nancy