If you’re thinking about getting tested for celiac disease, you probably want to know a little bit about what the process looks like. Many people suspect celiac disease when they experience ongoing digestive issues, fatigue, or other unexplained symptoms. Lots of people imagine that they’ll need to get a blood test to diagnose their celiac disease. While blood tests are a common starting point when investigating a complex illness such as celiac, diagnosing celiac disease often requires more than just one type of test. Let’s dive into what celiac disease is, what its symptoms are, and how doctors confirm a diagnosis.
The Entelechy Life blog is back to help you understand the process for celiac diagnosis, and whether you need a blood test for celiac disease, from our functional medicine perspective.
What Is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the small intestine. These attacks are triggered when gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, is consumed. This reaction damages the intestinal lining, making it harder for your body to absorb nutrients. Left untreated, celiac disease can lead to malnutrition, anemia, and other serious health issues.
Unlike a gluten intolerance, celiac disease causes measurable immune responses and tissue damage. For those with this condition, even a small amount of gluten can trigger symptoms.
Symptoms That May Make You Think You Have Celiac
Many people think they may have celiac when they experience symptoms such as these:
- Digestive issues: Chronic diarrhea, bloating, gas, and abdominal pain.
- Fatigue: Persistent tiredness due to malnutrition or immune system overactivation.
- Unexplained weight loss: Difficulty maintaining weight despite a normal diet.
- Skin problems: An itchy rash called dermatitis herpetiformis.
- Nutritional deficiencies: Low iron, calcium, or vitamin D levels due to poor absorption.
- Neurological symptoms: Numbness, tingling, or brain fog.
- Bone and joint pain: Conditions caused by inflammation and deficiencies in calcium or vitamin D.
“While these symptoms are common with celiac disease, they also overlap with other conditions. This is why a clear diagnosis is crucial!” says Dr. Mead, our leader here at Entelechy Life. This leads to a question you may be wondering: “Do I need a blood test for celiac disease?”
Blood Tests and Other Tests You Need for Celiac Disease
Let’s get some clarity on what testing for celiac disease actually looks like. If you’re wondering if you need a blood test for a celiac diagnosis, the answer is that it depends. Blood tests are often a helpful first step, but they aren’t always conclusive. Here’s what to expect:
1. Blood Tests for Antibodies
Doctors often start with blood tests to detect specific antibodies linked to celiac disease, such as tTG-IgA and DGP antibodies. However, these tests can sometimes produce false negatives, especially in people who have already reduced their gluten intake or have an IgA deficiency. That’s why celiac disease diagnosis isn’t really a matter of needing blood tests, and it will require some or all of these other steps.
2. Genetic Testing
Genetic testing will check for specific genes (HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8) that are associated with celiac disease. If you don’t have these genes, celiac disease can be ruled out. But having these genes doesn’t guarantee that you have celiac disease; it only indicates a predisposition.
3. Endoscopy and Biopsy
If blood tests suggest celiac disease, an endoscopy with a biopsy of the small intestine is usually the next step. A small camera is inserted through the mouth to take tissue samples. This test confirms the diagnosis by checking for damage to the intestinal lining. That’s why it’s the gold standard for diagnosing celiac disease.
4. Other Functional Medicine Tests
At Entelechy Life, we believe in a holistic approach. Functional medicine tests, such as stool analyses or tests for gut permeability, can provide additional insights into your digestive health. These tests may reveal any of the following conditions:
- Gut inflammation
- Bacterial imbalances
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Hormone imbalances
Many of these conditions can produce symptoms similar to those associated with celiac disease. We promise our patients we’ll get to the root of their issues and establish a personalized treatment plan for restoration.
Why Blood Tests Alone Are Not the Key to Celiac Diagnosis
While blood tests can be needed to diagnose celiac disease, they don’t tell the whole story. False negatives are possible, especially if any of the following apply:
- You’ve been avoiding gluten before testing.
- You have a condition such as IgA deficiency that skews results.
- Your symptoms are caused by something other than celiac disease, such as gluten intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Other tests will help to confirm or rule out a celiac diagnosis. While it might be frustrating to undergo lots of tests, we always want to make sure that we provide our patients with the most accurate information—which means we have to gather lots of information! We’ll be there to accompany you every step of the way.
What to Do if You Think You Might Have Celiac Disease
If you’re thinking you may have celiac disease and want to investigate further, here are your next steps:
- Talk to a doctor: Schedule an appointment with your medical provider to discuss your symptoms.
- Don’t stop eating gluten (yet): If you eliminate gluten before testing, it can affect your results.
- Consider comprehensive testing: Chat with your provider about the kinds of tests they want to run to see if you may have celiac.
Entelechy Life and Celiac Care
At Entelechy Life, we specialize in uncovering the root causes of chronic health conditions. If you’re experiencing symptoms of celiac disease, our functional medicine approach can help determine whether gluten is the culprit—or if another issue is at play.
We offer advanced testing options to give you a full picture of your health and create a personalized plan to help you feel your best. You may need a blood test to diagnose celiac disease, but that is just the beginning. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help with celiac disease testing and management. Give us a call at 316-413-8768.