Enterolab Clarification, Please

[mrburns]

I've done a blood test to test for celiac disease. It came in negative.

I still am not convinced as to the validity of the results. Especially after reading how unrealiable they are in this forum.

I suspect I am not suffering from celiac disease, but rather 'just' gluten intolerance. So, a celiac test might be all for nothing anyway - no matter how accurate it might be.

I just have a question about the Enterolab test:

Will this detect if I am gluten intolerant in any way?

Or can I take this test - get it back negative - and still not be sure if I am intolerant or not?

Thanks.

[newgfcali]

You mentioned on another post that you've been gluten free for 4 years. If that's still the case, the Enterolab test will more than likely come back negative, even if you are gluten intolerant. They're looking for antibodies and if you're not eating gluten, you're not producing antibodies to it. The antibodies do stay in your body for a while after you stop eating gluten. I was gluten free for about 3 months when I took their test and it came back positive, but I don't think those little antibodies will live 4 years.

The same is true for the blood test. If you're not eating gluten and not getting cross-contaminated, you won't have any antibodies in your blood to detect.

You must suspect you have a problem with gluten if you went off of it for 4 years. Maybe the question is if you were sick before and feel better now, isn't that enough of a test for you to stay gluten free?

Whether you're full blown Celiac or "just" gluten intolerant, it really doesn't matter, as either can cause serious health problems and abstinence from gluten is the only "cure".

But, if you MUST have a positive test to convince yourself, then you'll have to do a gluten challenge before testing.

[mrburns]

You mentioned on another post that you've been gluten free for 4 years. If that's still the case, the Enterolab test will more than likely come back negative, even if you are gluten intolerant. They're looking for antibodies and if you're not eating gluten, you're not producing antibodies to it. The antibodies do stay in your body for a while after you stop eating gluten. I was gluten free for about 3 months when I took their test and it came back positive, but I don't think those little antibodies will live 4 years.

The same is true for the blood test. If you're not eating gluten and not getting cross-contaminated, you won't have any antibodies in your blood to detect.

You must suspect you have a problem with gluten if you went off of it for 4 years. Maybe the question is if you were sick before and feel better now, isn't that enough of a test for you to stay gluten free?

Whether you're full blown Celiac or "just" gluten intolerant, it really doesn't matter, as either can cause serious health problems and abstinence from gluten is the only "cure".

But, if you MUST have a positive test to convince yourself, then you'll have to do a gluten challenge before testing.

newgfcali,

I understand everything you're saying.

I am fully willing to eat gluten for a few months again, if I know that I can be sure of any test I might be doing it for.

I'm still looking for an answer to my original question:

Does the Enterolab test conclusively rule out/in any sort of gluten intorelance or not?

I know that celiac test I did does not. That test was more or less useless for me; not to mention a waste of money.

[Jestgar]

An Enterolab test will detect if you are producing antibodies against particular proteins.

It is generally accepted that healthy people do not produce antibodies against either food, (anti gliadin) or their own proteins (anti tissue transglutaminase).

I do not doubt that Enterolab detects the presence or absence of these antibodies, but I do not know if anyone has tested how often these antibodies are found in people that have no other detectable response to gluten.

[michelley65]

I am wondering the same thing.I also feel I am gluten sensitive and not celiac..I had a negative blood test once,and am waiting for the results of the next one.I dont really care what the results are anymore..Ive been gluten free for two weeks and feel fabulous!!!

[nora-n]

Go and check out the enterolab website, I think they also have some other tests that can be enlightening.

Soy and milk are examples of things that can make you just as sick as celiac, and there are other things that can be wrong, like microscopic colitis, crohns or colitis.

They also have the gene test for gluten intolerance genes.