Normal Malabsorption Test / Can I Still Be Gluten Intolerant?

[Matty]

Hi all!

So I've had almost all of the symptoms of gluten intolerance for some time. Lately the big ones have been more prominent however, persistent loose stools (diarrhea), extreme stomach bloating after eating/drinking (like I'm 6 months pregnant but male :S), stomach pains, joint pains, etc.

Decided to start with Enterolabs malabsorption stool test because I thought for sure it would show malabsorption. Turns out it came back normal, just found out today. I've asked for the specific result as my number result was not given, just the range.

Anyways I'm somewhat shocked. And I've ordered the gluten + gene test anyways because I still think there's something there. However was this a stupid move / waste of money consider I just received a normal malabsorption test?

Can you and has anyone had a normal malabsorption test but still being gluten intolerant?

Thanks all.

[JoshB]

Yes. Your digestive system is very effective and massively redundant. You have to have quite a lot of damage to actually start having absorption problems.

Malabsorption is not necessarily celiac disease anyway. You're probably wanting a standard celiac panel from Quest or Labcorp or your local equivalent.

There's lots of things that cause celiac-like symptoms, and the condition is fairly rare. Doctors generally don't look for celiac disease because it generaly isn't celiac disease, so keep in touch with your doctor and try to work with him to figure out what's going on.

[Matty]

Thanks for the responses. I got my EnteroLab results back. Can someone with better experience kindly help me to understand them. If I'm slightly below normal, it still looks like I could have a mild sensitivity to gluten yes? And a supporting gene which I don't understand at all...

Gluten/Antigenic Food Sensitivity Stool/Gene Panel

Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 8 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Fecal Anti-casein (cow