Blood Testing While On A gluten-free Diet

[lyn1170]

Hi,

I was having a mutitude of malapsorption and anmemia issues, and because of this I had a stool test done in May of this yeat that indicated an intolarance to gluten. Since July I have been on a gluten-free diet. Now a local Celiac specialist (doctor) is offering a free blood test. However since I have been on a gluten-free diet I am afraid the results will be inaccurate. If I eat gluten a few days before will I have more of a chance of getting an accurate result? or should I just not waste my time?

[EDowling]

I do not have an answer, but may I "piggy back" my question? For the past 4 yrs, I have been on a gluten free diet. Why, when I had my annual physical exam yesterday, would I still show low iron/anemia. Actually, first time for that read in a few years. Anyone else experience this?

Thank you

[Skylark]

Hi,

I was having a mutitude of malapsorption and anmemia issues, and because of this I had a stool test done in May of this yeat that indicated an intolarance to gluten. Since July I have been on a gluten-free diet. Now a local Celiac specialist (doctor) is offering a free blood test. However since I have been on a gluten-free diet I am afraid the results will be inaccurate. If I eat gluten a few days before will I have more of a chance of getting an accurate result? or should I just not waste my time?

Sorry, but it would take weeks of eating a full-gluten diet for you to have a hope of getting accurate results after five months gluten-free. Doctors often say four weeks, but studies suggest more like two or three months of gluten is more realistic.

[ravenwoodglass]

I do not have an answer, but may I "piggy back" my question? For the past 4 yrs, I have been on a gluten free diet. Why, when I had my annual physical exam yesterday, would I still show low iron/anemia. Actually, first time for that read in a few years. Anyone else experience this?

Thank you

There can be many reasons for low iron and anemia. Are you female? Heavy periods can be one cause if you are. You say this is the first test in years, do you know what the levels were before you went gluten free? Are you getting enough iron rich foods in your diet?

To the OP, you need to be back on gluten for at least a couple of months before testing. You need to redamage your body enough for the antibodies to get back up to a high enough level to be able to be picked up in the blood tests. Even then you could still have a false negative. A few days on gluten may be enough to make you feel horrible but it won't be enough to show up anything on the blood work.

[GFinDC]

Hi,

I was having a mutitude of malapsorption and anmemia issues, and because of this I had a stool test done in May of this yeat that indicated an intolarance to gluten. Since July I have been on a gluten-free diet. Now a local Celiac specialist (doctor) is offering a free blood test. However since I have been on a gluten-free diet I am afraid the results will be inaccurate. If I eat gluten a few days before will I have more of a chance of getting an accurate result? or should I just not waste my time?

You could go ahead and get the test (without eating gluten) and use it to evaluate your success in staying gluten-free. That is another reason some people get the tests.

I do not have an answer, but may I "piggy back" my question? For the past 4 yrs, I have been on a gluten free diet. Why, when I had my annual physical exam yesterday, would I still show low iron/anemia. Actually, first time for that read in a few years. Anyone else experience this?

Thank you

I just had a blood check and was low on vit D. I have been taking vit D for the last couple years. I guess i wasn't taking enough though.