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Regular digestive distress after eating gluten could signal a problem. While home celiac tests aren’t diagnostic, they may provide useful information. Here are a few to consider.
If you’re experiencing digestive issues or diarrhea and suspect gluten is the cause, a celiac test could be illuminating — especially if you have a family history of celiac disease.
At-home celiac test kits can offer preliminary information about your body’s reaction to gluten. While these tests aren’t definitive — only a healthcare professional can diagnose celiac disease — they could provide information that informs your next steps. We did the research to help you get started.
A note about at-home celiac tests
While at-home celiac tests offer a convenient first step toward identifying what might be behind your symptoms, these tests are not designed to provide a diagnosis.
Instead, it’s important to take your results to a trusted healthcare professional, who can review them and recommend appropriate next steps to determine whether you have celiac disease.
We kept a few considerations in mind as we put together our recommendations for the best at-home celiac tests.
- Ease of use: We prioritized easy-to-use tests with clear instructions as well as companies that offer follow-up support.
- Customer reviews and brand reputation: We considered customer satisfaction with these at-home test kits and looked at reviews when available. We also considered brand reputation.
- Price point: We tried to include tests that fit into different budgets. However, at-home celiac tests are generally expensive.
- Company integrity: We looked for companies that use
Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) certified labs, and our content integrity team vetted company practices and medical claims. Learn more about our vetting policy here.
A celiac test kit comes with all the supplies and directions you need to take a sample at home that you can mail to a lab for analysis. It’s important to know that you must be eating gluten for a blood test to accurately screen for celiac.
There are two main types of at-home celiac tests: antibody tests and genetic tests.
- Antibody tests: These tests identify certain proteins, including
tissue transglutaminase antibodies , that are present in the blood of people who have celiac disease. They require a blood sample through a finger prick. - Genetic tests: These tests detect variants of HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DQB1 genes that make a person more at risk of developing celiac disease. While most people with celiac disease have variants of the HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DQB1 genes, not everyone who tests positive for these variants will have the disease. These tests typically require a cheek swab.
Having a gluten sensitivity isn’t the same as having celiac disease. You may experience unpleasant symptoms after eating foods with gluten, but you’re not experiencing the autoimmune complications inherent to celiac.
Symptoms
If you have a gluten sensitivity, you may have digestive and nondigestive symptoms. Some reported symptoms of people who seem to have adverse reactions to gluten include:
- bloating
- gas
- diarrhea
- pain or discomfort in the abdomen
- nausea
- fatigue
- migraine
- brain fog
- irritability
- certain skin conditions, like eczema or psoriasis
Treatment
There’s no definitive test for gluten sensitivity. If you suspect your symptoms are related to gluten in the foods you eat, the best treatment is to change your diet. Since gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, these are foods you’d need to eliminate. Foods that use these ingredients, such as pasta, bread, and baked goods like cookies and cakes, should also be avoided.
Then, you can evaluate whether these dietary modifications have improved your symptoms.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that triggers a serious allergic reaction to gluten. It affects roughly
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a symptomatic response to eating gluten in people who show no evidence of celiac disease. Research suggests that it may affect up to
You may have a gluten sensitivity if you experience symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, bowel pattern changes, foggy mind, or feelings of sluggishness after eating gluten.
Unlike with a wheat allergy, where people experience a rapid onset of symptoms within minutes to hours, those with a gluten sensitivity may experience symptoms in days to weeks.
At this time, there is no reliable lab test for gluten sensitivity. Doctors generally make a diagnosis by eliminating other possibilities.
If you have diarrhea or digestive issues that aren’t getting better, avoid waiting too long to get checked. Talk with your doctor about your symptoms to see whether celiac disease screening is a reasonable option.
Some symptoms of celiac disease can be similar to gluten intolerance and diseases like irritable bowel syndrome or lactose tolerance, so it’s important to be clear about what’s affecting you.
While reputable companies use proven methodologies to analyze your sample, results from an at-home celiac test should still be considered preliminary.
It’s a good idea to follow up with a healthcare professional for a complete diagnosis. This will involve a more thorough medical background, such as symptoms and family medical history.
If tests continue to show positive, an endoscopy and biopsy will likely be the next steps to confirm a diagnosis.
Some of the tests on our list produce results in as quickly as two days. But rapid test kits for celiac disease aren’t diagnostic and merely provide preliminary results. They aren’t a substitute for a formal diagnosis through your doctor.
No. Symptoms can vary widely from one person to the next, and celiac disease often runs in families. Blood and genetic over-the-counter tests can screen for specific antibodies and genes, but to know for sure whether you have celiac disease, you’ll need to see your doctor for formal testing.
Celiac disease is a medical condition triggered by eating foods with gluten. It can cause long-term digestive complications if it’s not properly managed.
An at-home celiac testing kit can be a helpful first step in determining whether you might be at risk of having or developing the condition. However, these tests shouldn’t be considered an actual diagnosis.
If you have questions about your likelihood of having celiac disease, talk with a healthcare professional.
